This is Larissa Hall Carlson with a mindful breathing sequence to help refresh the body and calm the mind.
A lovely standalone practice or a great way to prepare for meditation.
To begin,
Find a steady comfortable seat.
Take some care to even out the weight in the hips.
Elongate the spine.
Line up the head right over the center of the shoulders.
Tuck the chin slightly lengthening the back of the neck.
Soften or close the eyes.
Loosen up the muscles in the face and jaw.
Let the tongue rest heavily at the base of the mouth.
Invite the root of the tongue to hang heavily down the throat.
Soften and relax the heart space.
Soften and relax the belly.
Take these next few moments for self-observation.
Noticing how you're feeling physically,
Energetically,
And emotionally.
Based on what you notice,
You might set your intention for today's practice.
Anchor the mind's attention down at the belly.
Gradually deepen the breath there.
If it's comfortable,
Allow the breath to flow in and out through the nose.
Drawing the breath downward towards the belly.
On each inhalation,
Allow the belly to open and widen with breath.
Each exhalation,
Gently deflate the balloon of the belly,
Squeezing empty.
Each inhalation,
Breathe downward.
Let the belly widen and stretch with breath.
Each exhalation,
Pull the belly button back towards the spine,
Squeezing empty.
Continue with this abdominal breath,
Diaphragmatic breathing.
Filling in the lower lobes of the lungs.
Inviting the breathing diaphragm to descend and rise with ease.
Inviting more suppleness,
Looseness,
And comfort in the abdomen,
While grounding and stabilizing the prana,
The life force energy.
We'll build from here into the complete yogic breath,
Or the three-part breath,
Dirgha pranayama.
On the next inhalation,
Breathe downward.
Let the belly expand.
Then bring the attention to the rib cage.
Zip in more air.
Let the ribs flare open.
Draw the attention up to the chest and collarbones.
Zip in even more air.
Let the upper body expand with breath.
Keep the spine long as you exhale.
Exhale.
Exhale it all out.
Squeezing empty at the bottom.
And begin again.
Breathe down towards the belly.
Zip in more breath.
Breathe out into the ribs.
Zip in more breath.
Breathe up to the collarbones and shoulders.
Stay tall as you exhale thoroughly,
Drawing the belly back and in at the bottom.
Find your own rhythm to this three-part breath.
First,
Expanding the belly,
Then sipping in more breath to expand the ribs in all directions.
Then sipping in more breath to fill the upper chest and the back of the shoulders.
Enlivening the torso.
Keep the spine long for each exhalation.
Emptying thoroughly,
Engaging the core at the bottom.
If you'd like,
Layer onto this three-part breath the ocean-sounding breath,
Ujjayi Pranayama.
Invite a soft,
Easy constriction in the throat,
Welcoming that warming,
Hissing,
Ocean-sounding breath.
The three-part breath with the ocean-sounding breath.
Working to increase the lung capacity,
Oxygenate the bloodstream,
Clear out congestion and clutter,
Bring focus and concentration to the mind,
Enhance presence,
Present moment awareness.
Find a rhythm,
A pace that feels good.
Inviting the body to be invigorated with every cycle of breath.
For these next few rounds,
Let it be a little softer,
A little more gentle.
Drawing a little bit of breath down towards belly,
A little bit of breath out towards ribs,
A little bit of breath up towards the collarbones,
Using about half the effort.
Letting it be a soothing,
Relaxing wave of breath.
And at the end of the next exhalation,
Release all control of the breath.
As the natural breath returns,
Feel,
Scan,
Observe all of the effects in the torso.
Has anything loosened,
Opened,
Expanded,
Cleared?
For the alternate nostril breath,
The channel purifying breath,
Nadi Shodhana Pranayama.
We'll do this with the right hand,
Using the right thumb to gently close the right nostril.
The right ring finger will gently close the left nostril.
You can tuck the index and middle finger down towards the base of the thumb.
Sit up tall.
Soften the shoulders,
Line up the head.
Tuck the chin slightly.
Gently close the right nostril with the right thumb.
Inhale up the left side,
Long,
Smooth breath.
Switch at the top when the lungs are full.
Exhale down the right side.
Inhale back up the right side,
Long,
Smooth,
Satisfying breath.
Switch at the top.
Exhale down the left nostril.
That's one cycle.
Continue inhale left,
A long,
Deep,
Refreshing breath.
Switch at the top.
Exhale down the right side.
Inhale right.
Switch.
Exhale left.
Relax all the muscles in the face and jaw.
Inhale left,
Drawing in fresh energy and oxygen.
Switch at the top.
Exhale down the right side,
Releasing tension,
Tightness.
Exhale right.
Switch.
Exhale left.
Inhale left.
Switch.
Exhale right.
Inhale right.
Long and smooth.
Switch.
Exhale left.
Continue.
Find your own rhythm.
You can slow this down or speed it up.
Let the breath flow gracefully from side to side,
Like an infinity sign,
Like a figure of a straight,
Fluid and rhythmic,
Smooth and even.
Allow yourself to be fully absorbed by the rhythm of the breath,
This channel purifying breath,
Channel cleansing breath.
Using this breath to open,
To cleanse,
To clear the channels of respiration,
To soothe and calm and settle the channels of the nervous system,
To invite enhanced tranquility and balance and serenity into the channels,
The subtle channels of the mind.
In these next few rounds,
You might slow it down just a little.
Perhaps let the breath be more gentle,
More quiet.
Still taking in plenty of air,
But letting the breath be even more subtle.
Instead of condescending to the sound of my breath,
Lets you you Take your time to complete one more cycle Finishing the next time you exhale down the left side When complete return the hand back to the lap Return the breath to normal Take a few smooth quiet full body integrating breaths Scan and feel for the effects of Nadi Shodhana Has anything quieted or settled?
Remaining as internally focused as possible You might slightly mindfully readjust your seat and prepare for meditation Wishing you ease and balance
