Welcome to Meditation Rocks!
I'm Lucy.
Today's meditation is called Focus and Flow.
It's a little twist on Nadi Shodhana,
The alternate nostril breathing,
So you might want to quickly go and blow your nose.
So go and do that and I'll see you in a minute.
I'll be right back.
So using alternate nostril breathing is really,
Really good for focusing the mind,
But not everybody likes it.
The sealing of both nostrils is not good for everyone.
So we've developed a little twist on the Nadi Shodhana technique and you'll always have at least one nostril open at any one time.
So it's slightly less intense than Nadi Shodhana.
So I'll just show you quickly what we're going to do.
So we'll take the first finger on whatever hand you've chosen and put that onto your point between your eyebrows,
Sometimes known as the third eye.
You will have your thumb on your right nostril if you're using your right hand and your middle finger on your left nostril if you're using your right hand.
So we're only going to keep one nostril open.
So sealing the thumb on the right nostril with the right hand,
You breathe in through your left nostril.
So rather than sealing now,
We release and breathe out through both nostrils.
Then we do a breath with both nostrils and as we exhale we seal the left nostril.
Then you breathe in through the right nostril.
You release,
You exhale through both.
You seal the thumb and you breathe in through the left.
You get the idea.
So as you can see,
We've only ever got one nostril closed at one time,
So never both.
Hopefully that will feel nice and relaxed for you.
So we're switching from focusing to flowing as we exhale.
So inhale,
We focus on that third eye point.
Exhale,
We allow the release.
All right,
Let's get going.
So take a moment to get very comfortable wherever you might be.
Take the feet onto the floor,
Find the sit bones,
Bring the shoulders down away from the ears.
Take a little stretch into neck and shoulders.
Now I'm using my right hand,
So it might be easier for you to use your right hand.
Otherwise you just need to swap what I'm saying.
So we bring the pointing finger,
The first finger,
Onto that third eye point.
And we're going to seal the right nostril with our thumb.
So now we're going to breathe in through the left nostril.
Rather than seal,
We release the thumb and we exhale through both nostrils.
We seal the left nostril and we breathe in through the right.
We release and we exhale through both nostrils.
So seal the right nostril with the thumb and inhale through the left,
Focusing on this point on the forehead.
Release the thumb,
Exhale through both and flow.
Seal your left nostril.
Inhale through the right and focus on the point.
Release your left nostril,
Exhale through both.
And flow and soften and relax your muscles.
So now sealing with the thumb,
Inhale through the left.
Focus on the point,
Release both,
Exhale.
Now seal left,
Inhale right,
Focus on that point on the forehead.
Exhale through both nostrils and you're ready,
Release.
Seal right,
Breathe in through left.
Release both,
Exhale.
Seal left,
Inhale right,
Focus on the point.
Seal left,
Inhale right,
Focus on the point.
Exhale through both,
Release your left.
Seal your right,
Inhale left.
Release right,
Exhale both.
Seal left,
Inhale right.
Release left,
Exhale both.
Seal right,
Inhale left.
Release right,
Exhale both.
Seal left,
Inhale right.
Release left,
Exhale both.
So I'm going to leave you just for a few moments to practice this.
Focusing on your inhale,
Flowing on your exhale.
And just taking a few moments to finish the cycles that you're on and then bringing the hands down to your lap or to your knees.
Breathing through both nostrils and seeing if it feels any clearer,
If you're any more focused.
So let's take three deep breaths together,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
And then just let your breathing go back to a nice comfortable rhythm and flow for you.
Take any little stretches and bring your hands up together,
Give them a little rub.
And hover the hands over your eyes and only plinking your eyes open when you're ready.
And bring your hands down and I'm here.
And I hope you enjoyed that little flow and twist on Nadi Shodhana,
Focusing the mind on the inhale,
Exhaling,
Flowing,
Releasing,
Letting go.
Have a lovely rest of your day and I will see you again very soon.
Bye for now.
