Hi,
Sylvie here,
And I've been guiding stand-up paddleboard yoga classes for over five years now.
And one of my favorite parts about sup yoga is the meditation on the water that is next level.
And so today I wanted to guide you through a stand-up paddleboard meditation.
So get your board,
Find your favorite body of water,
A body of water that's nice and calm.
Anchor yourself in and then come back for this meditation.
I'll invite you to take a seat on your board or lay down on your back.
I always like to put my head towards the nose of the board and the feet towards the tail,
As the tail end sometimes goes in to the water a little lower,
So making sure the head stays above the feet.
And then find a nice comfortable spot,
And if it feels safe for you to do so,
Go ahead and close your eyes or maybe you simply lower your gaze a little bit,
Taking a moment to tune inward and perhaps notice the gentle movement of the water beneath you.
Notice the temperature of the air,
Perhaps the warmth of the sun on your skin,
The soft breeze coming through,
And notice the sounds that surround you.
Not to name or label or judge any of these sounds,
Just notice what you notice.
The variety of sounds,
And then notice the sounds that appear to be the furthest away from you,
The furthest away,
And then notice the sounds that appear to be the closest to you.
And then bring your awareness,
Your attention into the breath by noticing the movement of the breath in the body.
You might even notice by pointing your awareness to your breath,
You may have altered or changed its state,
And that's okay.
Noticing the rise and the fall of your chest.
And in this moment,
Your next inhale,
Invite a deep breath in through the nose and then exhale through the mouth,
Let it go.
So once again,
A deep nourishing breath in through the nose,
And then exhale,
Feel the body soften,
Release tension,
And relax in this moment,
Sinking into the board,
Allowing yourself to arrive into this moment on your board,
Surrounded by nature.
Perhaps you let the rhythm of your breath sink with the natural flow of the breath,
Perhaps you let the rhythm of your breath sink with the natural flow of the water.
Imagine each inhale bringing in a sense of calm,
And each exhale a sensation of grounding into the here and the now.
And then taking this moment to bring your awareness into the body,
Noticing legs hanging heavy,
Being completely supported by the board,
Releasing tension here.
Notice your spine perhaps lengthening in this moment.
And imagine this line of energy running from the base of your spine through to the crown of your head when you take a breath in.
And then relax your shoulders,
Your arms,
Your hands,
Soften your jaw,
Release the forehead,
And go ahead and soften all of the features of your face,
Bringing your awareness back to the warmth of the sun and the breeze coming through,
The gentle rocking of the board.
And now imagine that from the base of your spine,
Your spine,
That you're growing roots that extend down through the body,
Through the paddleboard,
Deep into the waters below you.
These roots reach through the water and connect to the earth beneath the lake.
Feel yourself growing more grounded and stable with each breath.
As you inhale,
Imagine drawing in the strength and stability of the earth.
And as you exhale,
Releasing any worries,
Distractions,
Or stress,
Anything you're hanging on to,
And allowing it to be released in the water underneath you.
Imagine yourself firmly rooted,
Yet gently swaying with the flow of the water shifting your focus to cultivate a deep sense of calm as you are on the water.
Imagine that any mental clutter or emotional turbulence is being absorbed by the calm,
Expansive body of water underneath you.
You can think of the water as a symbol of peace,
A symbol of solitude,
A symbol of serenity,
Supporting you and holding you in this moment of stillness.
And with each breath,
As you inhale and exhale,
Imagine the sense of calm in the body and the water reminding you that you can remain steady even as life moves around you.
And with each breath,
Inhale and exhale,
Tuning into the sensation of calm,
Allowing yourself to rest in this space,
Knowing that calm can always be found.
The sensation of feeling calm and grounded lives within you.
You can come back to it anytime.
And once again,
Bringing your awareness to the body on the board,
Feeling grounded,
Bringing your awareness to the warmth of the sun,
The soft breeze,
The temperature of the air,
The sounds that surround you,
The sounds that surround you.
And then noticing the movement of the breath and the body.
You can start to wiggle your fingertips and your toes,
Telling body it's time to move,
It's time to wake up.
And when you're ready,
Inhale,
Reach the arms up over your head,
Find length here,
Reach,
Expand and take up space.
Hands lower down to heart center.
Thank you so much for joining me.
I hope you enjoyed your meditation.
Have a beautiful rest of your day.
