Welcome,
Friends.
In yoga,
The energetic and physical center of the body rests at the base of the pelvic floor.
This is where the Muladhara Chakra lies,
Our root center associated with grounding,
Stability,
Wisdom,
And our connection to the earth beneath us.
The pelvic diaphragm forms a gentle hammock of muscle suspended within the bowl of the pelvis between the sit bones,
The pubic bone,
And the tailbone.
With each breath,
This space subtly responds.
At the end of a natural exhale,
A soft lifting occurs in the pelvic floor due to the changing pressure within the abdominal cavity.
In yoga,
This subtle engagement is known as Mula Bandha,
The root lock.
In this meditation,
We'll bring our attention to the breath,
Especially the exhale and the pelvic floor as our object of awareness.
Watching the complete exhalation requires us to concentrate not only on the breath,
But also on the body.
It is the true definition of yoga to yoke or join the breath,
The body,
And the mind.
So let's begin by taking a comfortable seat,
Finding a posture that's relaxed and not rigid.
Rest your hands in your lap or on your thighs.
And if it feels safe to do so,
Close your eyes or just lower your gaze.
Take a deep breath in and exhale.
Let it go.
Now begin to notice a natural rhythm of your breath,
Allowing it to adjust itself naturally and effortlessly.
Maybe you invite your awareness to the sensation of breathing,
The rise and fall of the belly as you inhale and exhale.
The slight movement of the shoulders as they ride up and down on the rib cage.
The feeling of air going into the nose and noticing the warmth as it leaves.
Gradually,
Begin to give a little more attention to the exhale.
Follow it all the way to the end.
As the breath leaves the body,
Bring awareness to the base of the pelvic floor.
See if you can sense the gentle,
Almost imperceptible lift of the pelvic floor at the very bottom of the exhale.
No forcing,
No gripping,
Just noticing.
Noticing.
With each inhale,
The pelvic diaphragm softens and descends.
With each exhale,
It subtly responds and lifts.
Just watch this delicate rhythm of breath in body,
Breathing in,
Softening,
Breathing out,
A gentle lift.
Allow the sensation at the pelvic floor to steady the mind.
If your thoughts wander,
As minds naturally do,
Gently bring your awareness back to the exhale,
Back to the subtle rising at your center.
Remain here for several quiet breaths,
Just observing until you hear the sound.
Of a bell.
Friends,
Take a deep breath in and exhale.
Just take a moment to ponder how the breath,
The body,
And the mind have been in a quiet relationship with one another.
The exhale moving through the body,
The pelvic floor responding,
The mind resting in awareness.
This is yoga,
Not just movement,
But union,
The yoking together of breath and body,
The joining of awareness and sensation.
Take another deep breath in and slowly exhale back out.
Go ahead and begin to bring awareness back into your body by gently stretching or finding small movements that feel good.
If your eyes were closed,
Slowly open them and return to the space around you.
As you move back into your day,
Carry this sense of union with you,
Breath,
Body,
And mind moving together again and again.
Namaste.
Namaste.
