Hello,
This is Marian.
This practice is dedicated to those of us that live in our heads,
The thinkers.
Sometimes the constant churn of thoughts can feel overwhelming.
So how to stop thinking?
One way is by getting into the body.
Our bodies provide us with enormous amounts of information.
We notice this when we slow down and we pay attention.
For example,
We can learn to listen and feel the things and people that train us.
We can learn to feel what gives us energy.
Our bodies can give us the courage and the confidence to stand up for ourselves and to make changes in our lives.
The following centering practice will help you get into your body,
And the more you do this practice,
The easier and the more natural this becomes.
You can certainly do this seated,
If possible,
Try to do this practice standing as it will allow you to experience greater sensation.
Begin by aligning your posture such that your feet are under your hips,
About shoulder width apart.
Your feet,
Your hips,
Your shoulders are aligned,
And you're sitting or standing straight and tall.
And now feel the support beneath you,
And perhaps you need to hold onto something to maintain your balance.
Do whatever you need to do to feel supported.
Then take in a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth.
And as you breathe,
See if you can feel your spine extending.
Try to feel the length of your entire body from the tips of your toes to the top of your head.
You are gracious and you are dignified.
Feel the entire length of your body.
With each breath,
Notice the spine extending.
And now place your right hand such that your thumb is right at your belly button,
And then extend your fingers over your stomach.
Bring your attention to the palm of your hand,
And then just allow your mind to go back into the belly,
Right there behind the palm of your hand,
And try to sense this area.
This is your center of gravity.
When we focus here,
We're able to drop our weight down into our hips,
Our legs,
And our feet.
This allows us to better connect with the earth beneath us.
Take in some deep breaths.
See if you can feel this all the way through the length of your body.
And now notice the width of your body from side to side.
Feel the space between your ears,
The space between your shoulders,
Your hips,
Your knees,
And the space between your feet,
The width of your body.
And now see if it's possible to notice the energy within you.
What do you notice here?
Perhaps you sense movement,
Warmth,
Or maybe it feels still or cool.
Side to side,
What do you notice?
And now see if you can feel the energy surrounding you.
This is the energy that connects us to one another.
Take a pause and see what is there.
What do you notice?
And now notice your depth.
This is the space between the front of your body and your back.
Bring your attention to your back,
Noticing the back of your legs and your spine.
Again,
As you breathe,
Notice how the spine extends.
And with your attention on your back,
Bring to mind all the loved ones that have gone ahead of you,
Generations of ancestors.
Try to picture them right here.
Who do you see?
And now those that are in your life today,
Those that love you and support you,
See them here.
Can you feel their presence?
And if this is challenging for you,
Know that many of us are here with you right now.
We are here.
Feel the support of all of those that are here right behind you.
What does this feel like,
This knowing that others are here with you?
Where do you feel this?
And now we're going to bring our attention to the front of the body.
To do this,
We go through the body,
Through the muscles and the tissues,
The bones.
Come through to the front and focus on your heart.
Open your chest and see if you can feel the breath passing through you and remind yourself of why you are here today.
What matters most to you?
Try to allow the energy that surrounds you to flow into your body,
Bringing life and spirit to what is most important to you,
To what matters.
Follow the thought of what really matters into the body.
Where do you feel this?
Take your attention there.
What matters to you?
What are you committed to?
The next step of our practice is to set an intention.
How do you want to show up today?
How do you want to show up?
Now let this thought dissolve and allow your body to take over.
However you want to show up today,
Move your body into this shape,
Into this form.
Follow the body,
Trust the body,
Take the shape.
If you have physical limitations,
Try picturing this in your mind.
Perhaps you want to show up with courage or confidence or kindness.
Whatever it is that is important to you,
Allow your body to take this shape.
Embody the shape,
The posture.
Beautiful.
Throughout your day,
Consciously make an effort to strike this pose as often as you can.
Allow your body to lead you there.
Slow down,
Trust your body,
Lead with your body.
This is the end of today's practice.
Thank you for being here with me today.
I'm grateful for your presence.
