Welcome.
My name is Seda Alam and I'll be guiding your practice today.
Pranayama is a practice that invites you to explore the profound connection between breath and mind.
In the hustle of daily life,
The breath is often overlooked.
It's something which continues on silently in the background.
But pranayama,
The ancient art of conscious breathing,
Is a gateway to unlocking the immense potential within each inhalation and exhalation.
Beyond its physical benefits,
Pranayama is a powerful tool for managing the mind,
Particularly in the realm of stress.
As we engage with intentional and mindful breathing,
We tap into the body's innate ability to regulate stress responses,
Creating a calm and centered space within.
In this practice,
The breath becomes a gentle focus,
Offering solace and balance amidst the chaos.
So to begin,
You can sit comfortably either in a chair or on the floor,
Cross-legged.
Wherever you are,
Just sit with a tall spine and relax your shoulders.
You may wish to close the eyes if that feels safe enough.
If you prefer to keep them open,
Just fix your gaze on a particular point.
So with the body relaxed,
Let's just bring awareness to the breath now.
Just noticing how it feels.
We don't need to change it at this time,
We're just observing.
Maybe notice some of the characteristics of the breath.
Perhaps the speed.
Maybe if there's a particular rhythm or pattern.
And the depth.
So when you're ready to,
Just continuing to breathe in and out of the nose,
Start to make the breath a little bit longer,
Just a little bit fuller.
So just start that rhythm now.
And as you breathe,
We're only taking it to a length that feels comfortable in the body.
So even though we're controlling the breath,
We want to keep it relaxed.
We invite the ribs to expand outwards on the inhale to create that fullness of breath.
This will allow us to utilise the diaphragm area,
So that we create a little bit more space in the body for the breath to enter.
We're going to keep this slow rhythm going.
We're now going to change how we breathe.
So I'd like you to imagine that you're pursing the lips.
That you're sucking through a small straw or that you're about to whistle.
And this is going to be your inhale through the mouth.
So when you're ready,
Make that shape with the lips and breathe in through the mouth.
Then close your mouth and exhale through the nose.
Again,
Through the mouth,
Pursed lips.
Close the mouth and exhale through the nose.
And now continue on your own.
Keep the rhythm of the breath slow and steady.
Just remembering to only take that inhale to a comfortable length.
As you breathe,
Notice if the mind starts to wander.
If thoughts start to consume your awareness.
Direct your focus back to how your breath feels.
Now we'll continue breathing in this way.
But try and make the breath as silent as you possibly can.
Notice if that's had any effect,
Trying to make the breath silent.
Keep going.
And then at the end of your next exhale,
Just pause for a moment.
Release that breath.
Allow yourself to sit and be still.
And then breathing in no particular way,
Just let the breath move in any way it wants to.
Just observe your experience.
Very gently open your eyes and come back into the room.
Thank you very much for your practice.
Have a wonderful rest of the day.
