I want us to start by getting into a comfortable seat somewhere that you can be in for about 10 minutes that can be seated cross-legged or with your back against the wall maybe you have something propping up your lower back.
Let's just start off by shaking out the limbs,
Releasing any stagnant energy from the day in our wrists,
In our shoulders,
Bringing them up towards the ears and down and back and then let's start with three lions breath exhales.
So we'll inhale through the nostrils and exhale stick your tongue out and fully release with an H-A-H-A.
So inhaling through the nose and exhaling just like a lion.
Wonderful.
Again inhaling deeply through the nose and exhaling.
One more time the deepest breath you've taken today inhaling through the nose filling up the lungs and exhaling.
Beautiful.
Now go ahead and seal the lips and start to tune into the quality of your breath.
Your hands can be facing down for a grounding experience or facing upwards for our receiving experience whatever you so choose.
And I'll set an intention for this breathwork practice.
Today we'll be moving through the Ujjayi breath or the diaphragmatic breath.
It is both a energizing and also a grounding breathwork exercise and it will focus primarily around the throat chakra.
So I want you to start just by observing the external world around you.
What does it sound like?
Maybe noticing the temperature of the room.
Is there stale energy or is it moving?
Is there a breeze?
Is it warm?
Whatever that external world is right now just pay attention to that without the need to judge it or hold on to it or perceive it as good or bad.
We're simply noticing our external environments and our breath is still steady.
Next I'd like for you to move your attention into the inner mind.
This is the place where our thoughts most likely run rampant throughout the day.
Maybe you notice certain emotions that are lingering.
What feelings or beliefs do you have that are just floating around and taking up space?
Once again without judging,
Without trying to place one thing or the other,
Simply acknowledging what these thoughts are and with your next exhale letting it go.
Lastly tuning in to the quality of the breath.
Noticing if we are constricting certain areas of our body as we breathe.
Maybe it's in our chest or ribcage or our shoulders or jaw.
Taking a deep inhale letting the breath travel down deep into the belly.
Moving into the ribs and lastly the chest.
With our exhale I want you to breathe in and breathe out relaxation into the body part that you notice you're holding on to the most tension.
The breath is steady,
Smooth inhalations and deep exhalations.
As I mentioned before we'll be practicing our Ujjayi Pranayama today and what that looks like before we begin is as if you are fogging up a window or similarly to our lion's breath exhale that we did earlier.
The back of the throat is constricted while we keep our lips sealed.
So it's as if you are again fogging up that window with your mouth closed.
You're activating your throat chakra allowing the breath to move in through your nostrils and out through your nostrils but in doing so it creates this oceanic hum almost like a vibration.
So go ahead and start your Ujjayi breath.
Inhaling deeply here and exhaling you should be able to hear that rhythmic hum coming from the throat.
We'll continue this for 10 breaths at your own pace.
This breath is typically used in order to energize but also calm the body.
It's this really interesting juxtaposition between alertness and relaxation and as the breath travels in past the epicenter of the throat we notice what energy and what strength it carries with it.
The inhalations are effortless.
The exhalations are powerful.
As we continue with our Ujjayi breath I want you to focus on the throat and what energy that location carries.
Perhaps where you may not be speaking your truth and you notice yourself holding on or resisting.
Try to breathe some more lightness into that area with each breath.
The throat is the location of where we are able to create audible words that honor our thoughts.
And the less that we release the more the stagnant energy builds up over time.
And so think of this practice as a way of cleansing of ringing out the throat.
Other forms of release can be through singing or crying,
Any sort of speaking,
Chanting,
Humming.
Noticing those vibrations again building heat and also creating this sense of overwhelming stillness.
And as we finish our cycles of breath with Ujjayi with that last exhale I just want you to let everything go everything that you're holding on to everything that you are grasping just let it all go.
And allow your breath to return to a neutral pace in through the nose and out through the nose.
Taking a moment here to notice what energetic shift has been created.
Maybe you feel your whole body vibrating or activated.
Notice how that feels like for you.
And ask yourself where can you be more honest in your life?
Where did you notice yourself holding back?
And bring loving kindness into the response whatever it may be.
Again without judgment,
Without a need to be right or wrong.
Now bringing our right hand to our chest and our left hand to our belly.
Let's take one collective breath here inhaling through the nose and exhaling with an audible sigh.
Beautiful.
We can bring our hands together at heart center or wherever you would like.
Bowing our heads in gratitude and reverence.
Thank you so much for joining me for this practice.
Namaste.
