Mindful Yoga - Lying Down

This is a mindful yoga practice primarily done lying down. It is a guided meditation for the Mindfully Aware Parenting (MAP) Study at Seattle Pacific University. Practice at least 3x this week on days when you are not practicing the sitting meditation.
Recording by Andromeda Han. Adapted from Bogels (2013).

Transcript

Welcome,

My name is Andromeda Han and today I'll be taking us through a mindful yoga practice.

We'll start on our backs.

Please find a place that feels comfortable for you.

Whether the legs are long or maybe the feet step down.

And so it is important to remember throughout this practice,

We're welcoming wherever the body is,

Welcoming whatever sensations are there without needing to reach a certain place,

Without needing to reach a certain point.

But simply noticing what's there.

So perhaps if it's comfortable,

Letting the eyes close.

Allowing a deep breath in through the nose and a full breath out through the mouth.

Allowing the breath to come fully in and out.

You might be aware of the qualities of the breath,

The length,

The depth.

You might be aware of the expansion and contraction of the body as you breathe.

Allowing the ground to support you.

Let's take one more deep breath in and one more full breath out.

With your next breath in,

Start to reach the arms up towards the sky and then overhead.

Stretching the hands away from the feet.

Then you might stretch the feet away from the hands.

Reaching forward and back,

Lengthening.

You might move through the wrists and ankles.

Let's take one more breath in and then with your next breath out,

Reaching the hands overhead and then down by the sides.

If they're not there,

Go ahead and step the soles of the feet down.

The feet are parallel,

About six to eight inches apart.

We'll take these pelvic tilts.

It might be a small movement.

First pressing the tailbone down,

Arching through the lower spine.

You might notice a little bit of space right above the hips.

So it may be even bringing your hands there if it's helpful.

And then reverse it,

Pressing the low back down,

Lengthening the tailbone,

Almost curling the tailbone forwards and up.

You might move with the breath,

Inhale,

Arching the low back,

Tailbone roots down and exhale,

Pressing the lower spine down,

Tailbone curls forward and up.

Let's take another round or two like this.

Just moving in a way that feels right for your body.

If that means going a little bit faster or slower than my voice,

It's always okay.

If that means skipping any of these poses today,

That's okay.

Settle back to a neutral spine.

You might take a moment here just to notice what sensations move through the body,

What sensations move through the mind.

Hugging the knees in.

You might roll a little bit across the hips,

Across the low back.

Interlace your hands around your right shin and begin to extend the left leg long,

Hugging the right knee closer into the body if that feels all right.

If this does feel like a lot of pulling for the low back here,

You might try stepping the left foot down and then switch.

The right leg lengthens,

Hug the left knee in.

And again,

You might instead prefer stepping the right foot down.

And we'll release the left knee,

Step both feet back down.

And that hip width apart,

Parallel,

Arms will come by your sides.

With your next inhale,

Press into your feet,

Lift your hips,

The bridge pose.

And with your exhale,

It will roll down.

Again,

Moving like this.

Inhale,

Lift the hips.

And exhale,

Rolling down.

And so you might prefer to keep moving up and down with the breath.

You might prefer this time.

Now lift and then continue to breathe there.

The hips press up,

The thighs press up.

Allow the chest to soften towards the chin.

Wherever you are,

One more breath in.

And exhale,

Rolling down.

Again,

You could take just a moment here.

Allow any sensations to settle.

Just the breath.

And as you hug the right knee in,

Keep the left foot stepping down.

And this time you'll interlace hands around the right thigh.

Remember to straighten the right leg,

Flexing the foot,

Pressing the sole of the foot up towards the sky.

Breathing here.

Let's take one more breath in.

One more breath out.

And re-bend the right knee.

Wrap the foot down.

Hug the left knee in.

Interlace hands around your left thigh and begin to straighten the left leg.

Foot flexed.

One side usually feels different.

You might notice those differences here.

We'll take one more breath in.

And one more breath out.

Bend your left knee.

Step that foot down.

Shift your hips just an inch or so to the right.

Bring the legs together and let your knees come to the left.

You could take the arms wide here,

Make a big letter T.

You might want to just gently press down on the right thigh with the left hand.

Tightening across the collarbones.

Shoulder blades soften down the back.

One more breath in.

And one more breath out.

Coming back through center,

Step the feet down.

Shift your hips just an inch or two to the left and let your knees fall to the right.

Maybe here,

Right hand gently pressing down on the left thigh.

Spiraling around the midline.

We'll take one more breath in.

One more breath out.

Come back through center.

Step the feet down.

Give yourself a moment to feel,

To notice.

We'll turn onto our left side.

Taking this side balance,

You might hold your head with your left hand.

Whatever feels comfortable here,

Maybe the right hand pressing down in front of you.

Flex your feet and keeping the legs in line with each other.

Search you straight to lift the straight right leg,

Flexing the foot and just going as high as feels comfortable for you.

Gently lower that leg down.

Turn onto your right side.

Stacking the legs and flexing the left foot as you lift the left leg.

Again,

It might not be very high,

Whatever feels appropriate.

Lower that leg back down.

Come onto your belly.

You bring the arms by your sides or you might prefer to stack the palms under the forehead like a pillow.

Whatever feels comfortable for you.

Forehead or chin towards the ground.

Press the left leg down.

Lift your right leg off the ground and then reach the foot back.

As much as you're lifting up,

You're stretching back.

Switch.

Let your right leg come down.

Lift the left leg up and back.

The back of the leg super active.

Lower the left leg down.

Bring your arms by your sides.

Palms face up.

A cobra variation here.

Both feet pressing down.

Pubic bone pressing down.

Lift your head,

Chest,

Shoulders roll down the back and squeeze together.

Think of the collar bones spreading as the heart reaches forward.

One more breath in and breathing out,

Rolling down.

You might stack the palms under forehead.

You might just gently sway the hips side to side to release the low back.

And then when you're ready,

Coming back onto your back.

Just for a couple of minutes in this final rest,

This final Shavasana.

Arms and legs heavy,

Supported by the earth.

And easy,

Gentle breath.

Allowing the effects of your practice today to settle in.

Thank yourself for taking the time to practice today.

Allow yourself to move gently,

Opening the eyes.

And making your way back into this moment.

Perhaps noticing any differences you feel in your body or in your mind.

Thank you.

Reviews

Many Blessings 🙏🏼

Hello beautiful 🌼🌼🌼🌼Thank you so much for the wonderful yoga practice 🎈it makes my day sweet and enjoyable 🗺️ have a blessed day 🙏Namaste