MBSR Lying Yoga Series

With the attitude of a wise and kind discoverer, we explore how the body feels when it moves mindfully. This practice is particularly helpful when you feel sliding into stress, fear or other unhelpful modes of mind. You can also do this practice if you need to get more clarity of mind, feel grounded and present in the body. These gentle, but sometimes quite demanding, yoga poses can also have a direct enlivening, arousing effect that will cut through tiredness, weariness or depressed moods.

Transcript

Welcome to this 40 minutes of mindful body movements.

We begin by creating a quiet space for our practice.

Lying down on our back,

On a yoga mat or on a thick rug.

See whether there is enough space to open your arms to both sides and to extend them along your head.

Maybe you want to use a pillow to rest your head on or have a blanket next to you.

See what's still needed to fully arrive here in this space,

In this moment.

Then letting your arms be by your side,

Hand palms facing up and the feet gently falling open away from each other.

Your chin may tilt towards your chest and experiencing how the spine is straight and resting on the surface that you are lying on.

With the attitude of a wise and kind discoverer,

We explore our body,

How it feels when we move it through the different postures that are about to follow.

Being open for all the sensations that can be noticed before,

During and after entering a yoga pose.

But also becoming aware of any thoughts and feelings that may arise when you are present with your body in this way.

And many feelings may arise when we truly engage in bodily movement that may lead us to sense our physical limits.

And when that happens,

Reminding yourself that there is no need to judge how you are doing as the optical form of each posture isn't of importance for this practice.

There is nothing we seek to achieve here.

But instead bringing a kind and curious awareness to your body,

The sensations of moving and discovering its natural boundaries without any judgment.

Simply becoming aware of physical limits and to dwell at their boundary long enough to experience them but not to push beyond.

And trusting yourself that you know when it's wisest to let go of a pose or movement or even not to enter a posture and instead visualizing that particular pose,

Practicing it before your mind's eye.

Now becoming aware of your body lying here.

Feeling the sensations of wholeness.

And noticing all the different parts of the body that are touched by breathing.

Becoming aware of any points of contact between your body and the floor.

Sensing gravity holding you.

We enter each moment with full acceptance.

And are trying to force ourselves to be different from how we are right now.

Now when you're ready becoming aware of your arms.

And maybe with the next in-breath feeling your arms gently touching your hands.

Slowly moving up and back behind over your head.

Riding a half moon along both sides of your body.

The fingertips point to the wall behind you and the toes to the wall behind you.

And if that feels right inviting a little stretch here.

Then letting go of the stretch.

Relaxing the arms.

And very slowly moving them back down to rest alongside your body.

Feeling into the aftermath of your breath.

Feeling into the aftermath of that first stretch.

And you might like to experiment with either keeping the eyes open or closed during this practice.

Just to see what supports you better in staying present.

Observing a breath and then letting the arms slowly lift up again.

Feeling what gravity does while we gently reach up and over back over our head.

We stretch our fingers in one direction and our toes in the other.

Now if you like relax the stretch on the right side and increase it on the left.

Noticing sensations both sides of the body.

Then letting go of the stretch on the left side and stretching fingers and foot on the right side further out.

Again sensing differences between both sides of the body.

Now letting go of any stretching with caution moving both arms back down to arrive next to your body.

Being aware that the body is now resting.

What thoughts and feelings are there?

Noticing them letting it all be as it is.

With a beginners mind knowing that every moment is fresh has never been there before.

Allowing yourself to savor this feeling of being alive and present in your body.

When you are ready opening both arms stretching them out to both sides and palms still facing up.

Then bending the knees one by one placing the soles of your feet on the floor hip width apart.

Feeling the contact with the soles of your feet and the floor rooting them here.

Becoming aware of the abdomen rising and falling with the movement of the breath.

Sensing how your back is touching the floor and noticing that there is a little space between the mid back and the surface you are lying on.

Now smallering that space by gently rooting the entire spine to the floor.

Thereby lifting the very end of the lower back gently up tilting it towards the pelvic area.

What sensations does this small movement create?

Then very slowly letting the end of your lower spine touch back the floor and at the same time realizing that this small space between mid back and the floor is increasing.

Now at your own pace repeating this small movement a few times.

Letting the breath roll naturally as you gently lift and tilt the lower back towards the pelvic bowl.

Thereby allowing the mid back to touch the floor fully and swinging it back in the other direction.

At your own time and your own pace.

From the outside one might barely see that something is happening here but from the inside we may feel a lot and that is so typical.

Whenever you are ready letting go of that movement and gently pulling your knees towards your chest.

The feet are relaxed and your hands may rest on the chins or on the knees or below the knees holding the back of the thighs.

Your head may carefully lift towards the knees and feeling what muscles are effective working to make this lifting possible.

And now if that feels right inviting a gentle rocking from left to right or back and forth that massages the back on the floor.

What does gravity do here for you?

You might as well ride circles with your knees.

And change directions if you have been circling.

And then letting go of the left leg and knee extending the left arm to the side.

And slowly while you are present for it letting the left leg extend out to lie on the floor.

Resting the head back on the mat,

Chin slightly tilted towards the chest.

And the right hand continues to pull in the right leg and knee.

Pausing here to feel into the change of position.

Now riding circles in the air with your right hand and knee.

Being aware of all thoughts and feelings that may arise.

Changing directions.

Then setting the right foot back down to the mat and extending it outward while pulling the left knee close.

Right arm moves out to the right side and left hand pulls in the left leg.

Feeling into differences between both sides.

And now riding circles with your left knee.

Changing directions.

And placing the left foot back on the floor and slowly extending it to lie back on the mat.

Both arms resting along your side.

How does it feel to let go?

Now staying present while you transition from lying down to slowly getting up on all fours.

Maybe by first rolling towards one of your sides and then getting up.

The hand palms rooted with the floor right underneath your shoulders,

The knees hip-width apart,

Tops of the foot flat on the mat if possible.

The spine is straight as your body forms a table.

Noticing how you perceive this change of perspective.

When you're ready,

Softly starting from the lower back,

Letting a movement of the spine arise,

Bending the mid-back up towards the sky while hand and knees are grounded with the floor.

Your neck is relaxed and the head looks towards the chest.

Then again starting from the lower back,

Bending into the opposite direction.

Slowly,

Carefully letting your back arch while the head looks up towards the sky.

Now letting the spine again bend upwards and tucking the head in back towards the chest.

Continuing to do back bending and arching in your own rhythm.

The breath may accompany the movement or it can just flow naturally.

Whenever you're ready,

Stopping the movement and ending in a table position with a straight spine and head looking down to your hands.

Then extending the left arm so that the tips of the left fingers touch the front of the mat.

Then extending the right leg back so that the toes touch the back of the mat.

Now you can stay and breathe in this posture or if it feels right for you today,

You can lift the left arm and right leg.

Extending them outward while balancing on the right hand and left knee.

Making sure that both hips are parallel and the spine is still straight and also the head and neck stay in one line of the spine.

How does it feel to stretch out further?

Where is the boundary?

If it hasn't happened already,

Placing the left hand back to the top of the mat and the right foot back to the end of the mat.

Then pulling the hand back towards you,

Placing it under the shoulder next to the right hand and pulling the leg back,

Placing the knee next to the left one.

Observing a few breaths here.

Now extending the right arm,

Letting the tips of the right fingers touch the front of the mat,

Then extending the left leg so that the toes touch the back of the mat.

Again,

You can decide to stay here or you can lift the right arm and leg,

Extending them outward and balancing on the other hand and knee.

Lengthening spine,

Extended arm and leg.

When and where is it enough?

Placing the right hand back on the mat and the left foot and pulling hand and the knee back into the tabletop position.

How does your back feel now?

What is the quality of the breath?

Preparing to transition mindfully into lying on your back.

Life is full of these transition spaces in between activities and we barely register that they are happening.

But now staying present as you slowly find your way back into lying down.

And once you're there,

Bending the knees one by one,

Placing the soles of the feet hip-width apart but close to your buttocks.

And feeling once again that grounding,

Rooting between the soles of your feet and the floor.

Maybe the next in-breath gives an impulse to let your arms lift again,

To slowly rise back up and over your head.

Letting those fingertips again point towards the wall behind you.

And listen if the body gives an impulse for the hips and buttocks to gently and slowly lift from the mat,

Creating a human bridge.

And notice your breath as you rest in this posture.

Then slowly letting the arms lift back up and coming down next to your sides.

And then carefully giving into gravity vertebra by vertebra the spine and finally the buttocks arrive back on the mat.

Spending a moment here,

Aware of any and all sensations,

Thoughts and feelings that may be present.

Now extending the arms again left and right,

Hand palms facing up,

Creating a human T on the floor while the knees stay bent.

And then slowly letting the knees fall towards the right side while the head turns to the left.

The legs and knees may open a little as they sink down further.

And melting into that twist like ice to water on a summer day.

Taking a few generous breaths here.

And when you decide it's time,

Coming back to center,

Knees and face looking up towards the ceiling.

Then letting the knees fall gently towards the left while the head turns right.

Letting go,

Relaxing into that twist.

This moment,

This body,

This breath.

Maybe with an in-breath the knees and head turn back to center,

Feeling the spine and lower back being carried by the floor.

Then in your own pace,

Extending the right leg out and slowly lifting it from the floor.

Feel how far the leg wants to lift up today.

Maybe it extends towards the ceiling,

Maybe the knee is bent.

See what's right for you in this moment.

From the right ankle you may want to ride circles with your foot into the air.

The stretch increases if you extend the left leg out on the floor.

And circling into the other direction.

It's completely fine to stay in this posture,

But if you like you can grab your thigh and pull the leg in closer,

Feeling how the stretch increases.

You might even want to start lifting up your upper body with the help of the abdomen muscles,

Bringing the face close to the right thigh.

And again,

Where is that boundary?

How do I know when it is enough?

Then gently placing your head back on the floor,

Letting go of the thigh and slowly bringing the back,

The leg back down to the floor.

Now,

When you're ready,

Extending the left leg out and slowly lifting it from the floor.

Again,

Feel how far it wants to lift.

Maybe it extends towards the ceiling,

Maybe the knee is bent.

From the left ankle you may want to ride circles with your foot in the other direction.

Stay here if you like or if you want to get hold of your thigh and pull the leg in closer,

Feeling the stretch increasing.

And if it feels right for you,

Lifting your upper body with the help of the abdomen,

Bringing the face close to the left thigh.

What does enough feel like on this side?

If it hasn't happened already,

Gently placing your head back on the floor,

Letting go of the thigh and then slowly placing the leg back down to the floor.

Extending both legs if that feels comfortable.

Relaxing,

Letting go.

May this moment as it is just be enough.

And slowly and consciously finding your way to lie on your left side.

You may want to experiment with either supporting your head on your hand as you bend your elbow or extending the arm upward on the floor and resting your head on your upper arm.

Right leg and foot rest on left leg and left foot.

As good as you can,

Forming a straight line with your body.

Placing the right palm firmly on the mat in front of your chest.

And then waiting for that moment,

Which may be without any conscious effort,

Your right leg and foot slowly lift up and away from the left leg that they've been resting on.

And sense how high it wants to lift.

How are other parts of the body affected by this movement?

And letting the right leg sink slowly back.

And changing sides.

Coming to lie on your right.

Head supported.

Maybe the right leg is slightly bent.

And again,

Maybe with an out breath,

The left leg gently lifts up until that point that it feels enough.

Or just right for today.

And if it hasn't happened yet,

Letting the right leg sink back to the left one.

And coming to lie on your stomach.

Maybe on your left cheek,

Arms by your side,

Hand palms facing up and feet gently falling open away from each other.

Knowing that the body is resting.

Maybe savoring a feeling of giving in to gravity once again.

Then either letting arms rest aside and placing your chin on the mat or building a small triangle with your hands in front of you to let your forehead rest on it.

And then becoming aware of the left leg.

And on your time,

Starting to lift the leg off the floor.

Maybe muscles in your thighs and buttocks want to contract to support this movement.

Until you encounter that spot that tells you this is the limit.

And just lingering here a bit.

Then letting the leg sink back to the floor.

How does it feel different from the right leg now?

Aware of the right leg,

Waiting for that moment that it wants to lift off the mat to rise up until you feel it's appropriate to stop and stay in here if you wish.

Also becoming aware what this posture does to the lower back and upper body.

And slowly letting the right leg sink back down.

If your arms have been above your head,

Place them back along your sides.

And place your chin on the mat.

Legs remain on the mat,

Tops of the feet grounded with the floor.

Then maybe with an in-breath using the strength of your lower back to lift the head and upper part of the chest off the mat.

Shoulders and arms are rolled back and completely relaxed.

See if it supports you to contract your legs and buttocks.

While looking up,

Opening the chest toward the sky.

Up to that point that feels right for you.

Then maybe on the next out-breath letting that go as well.

Thinking back onto the mat.

Then turning around mindfully to find yourself again resting on your back.

With arms along your side,

Hand palms facing up,

Legs and feet may rest on the floor.

Falling open or if that feels more comfortable bending the knees and placing the feet on the mat.

We take rest in this position in our body.

Aware of the effort that has been made and the rest that is now available to us.

Reconnecting with the breath.

Gently opening your eyes if they have been closed.

Becoming aware of your surroundings.

See what's needed,

Maybe starting to invite little movements in the fingers and feet,

Stretching a bit,

Rolling the head from side to side.

And when you transition soon out of this practice,

See if you can stay connected to this feeling of aliveness in the body and the openness of the senses.

Tarusana is autonomous.

Reviews

Excellent!! I feel better physically and emotionally and more in tune with my body - a mix of meditation and yoga. I loved the honoring of your individual body’s needs throughout.