Calming Breath of Light

Take a quick hit of your very own breath to shift and elevate your state.

First, we’ll check in to see which hemisphere of the brain is more dominant at the moment, and then we’ll harmonize that through a clearing, uplifting seven-part breath technique called Breath of Light.

Round out the practice by feeling more aware, light and spacious.

Transcript

Hi, My name is Megan and it is my true honor and delight to be guiding you in a breath practice today. This is designed to uplift your energy and help settle the thinking mind and with any breath practice how you are now will likely be different than how you are at the end of the practice and it will likely differ if you were to come back to this practice and try it again. So it is something that I recommend doing as much as feels charming to you. You can do this breath practice seated on the ground or in a chair. Either way, Have your spine elongated, Meaning sitting forward away from the back of the chair. This will allow for deeper breaths to be accessible with the spine elevated and a deeper lung capacity. You do not have to be sitting on the ground to get further or more advanced in this breath, But it is somewhat nice to ground and be closer to the earth in the practice of breathing. And I will sometimes encourage for your eyes to be closed, But if that's not accessible for you in this moment, That's totally fine. You can always be just softly gazing down. And one more thing for housekeeping, If you can, Try to be in a space where you're less likely to be disturbed. But if there's babies or dogs, So be it. This is designed for you to come back into your own center as best as possible, As accessible for today. So with all of that said, We're going to begin with a certain hand posture. Bringing your right hand up, Pointer finger and middle finger will rest in between your eyebrows center. Right thumb will go to close your right nostril and you'll start to breathe in and out through the left nostril. Long, Deep breaths. Now your eyes may close if that's comfortable and accessible, Otherwise gaze down towards the tip of the nose or towards the ground. As we breathe deep into the left nostril and breathe out through the left nostril. You can visualize the air traveling in and up towards the left hemisphere of your brain. And breathing out from the brain down through the nasal pathway. The breath might land in the chest. It might also be coming down towards the abdomen. As you inhale, The abdomen might start to expand, And as you exhale, There might be a slight contraction. But bring more of the attention and intention towards the brain. This breath is designed to activate the left hemisphere of the brain, Which is connected with our solar energy, Our organizing energy. That which activates and enlivens our consciousness, Our awareness. Take one more enlivening breath into the left hemisphere of the brain. And breath out. At the end of the exhale, Release your right hand away from your face and we'll switch. Left hand comes up, Left pointer finger and middle finger rest between your eyebrows. Use your left thumb to close your left nostril and begin long, Deep breaths in and out through the right nostril. Witnessing where the breath begins as you start to inhale and it draws up. And as you exhale, It slides back and out. Breath travels visually up into the brain on the right hemisphere, The right side. And back out through the right. Continue with the long, Deep breaths and just witness if one side is more accessible or easier to breathe in and out of. Our breath dominance between each nostril changes about every 90 or so minutes. So this is a really great tool to come into greater harmony with your energetic state. If you feel like. . . Your mind is overactive, You're thinking a lot or it's hard to get centered. Simply notice which side is more dominant and then take breaths in the opposite side to regulate. Your mind, Your nervous system. And your energy bodies. Last few breaths in the right hemisphere of the brain connected with our lunar side, Our more receptive state. More creative, Soft and gentle. You Last breath in through the right. And out through the right. Exhaling, Release your left hand down. Stay with the eyes soft. Breathe naturally through both nostrils. Thank you. Notice. If there's potentially more harmony in this moment. More integration of the dualistic nature of our breath, Body, Mind, Life experiences. Thank you. We'll do one more brief breath practice called Breath of Light. In this technique, Your eyes can remain closed or gaze down and soft. Sip in air in seven short sniffs, Filling all the way up to the top. Hold the breath in at the top. Exhale in one part out, All through the nose. We'll begin with seven short sniffs of air in through the nose. Maintain the breath held in at the top, Awareness to the midbrain. And without straining, When you're ready, Release your breath through the nose, Exhale in one part, Out. And continue in that cycle, Seven part in. The focus at the mid-brain. And one part out. As you continue like this, You can visualize light filling you up with each sniff of air in. It can be a felt experience of light, A warm inner glow, It could be any color of light or it might just be the intention of bringing light into your awareness. That light maintains as you hold the breath in. And then radiate that light outwards in all directions from you as you breathe out. Breath of light. Light. Light. Boundless light. From within to without. Uplifting, Elevating light as you breathe in. Maybe the hold at the top becomes a little longer, Maybe not. Emanate your inner glow. Without any limitations as you breathe out. Last couple cycles on your own. And then after this next round, Come back to center. Breathe naturally. Within the presence of light. Your inner luminosity. And if there is an intention. Such as bringing in more light, More calm, More relaxation, More glow in your life, You can invoke that here and now. Perhaps more harmony within yourself or within relating to others. Take a deep breath in. And a smooth, Relaxing breath out. Slowly allow the light behind your eyelids to start to fill your eyes up as you blink your eyes open and come back into your space. Thank you so much for taking the time out for you today. I'll see you again soon.