Hello and welcome to practice today.
Give yourself a few moments to settle into your seat.
You might like to sway from side to side,
Maybe roll your shoulders,
Or you could adjust the position of your legs.
Notice what movement would help you feel more centered.
When you're ready,
Start to come towards stillness.
Your eyes could be closed or gently gazing at the floor in front of you.
Draw your attention to your breath.
Notice where you feel breath moving in your body.
It could be most noticeable coming in and out of your nostrils,
Or perhaps you feel your chest or belly moving up and down.
Take a few moments to notice the natural rhythm of your breath.
You might start to notice that there are four parts to each breath.
There's an inhale,
A momentary pause,
An exhale,
And another short pause.
See if you can tune into each of those four parts over the next few rounds of breath.
In a few moments,
We'll add some length to each part of the breath cycle.
This practice is called Samavrtti Pranayama.
We'll count to four as we inhale,
Four as we hold the breath for that pause,
Four as we exhale,
Four as we retain the breath again.
I'll guide a few rounds and then you'll have space to try a few rounds on your own.
When you're ready,
Inhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Exhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Exhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Exhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Continuing a few rounds with your own count.
You can always adjust the count to be a little longer or a little shorter.
Maybe counting to three or counting to five,
Depending on what feels right for you.
Next time you finish a round of breath,
You can release the counting.
Notice the breath as it returns to its natural rhythm.
You might tune into that cycle of breath again,
Sensing the four parts of each breath.
The moments of pause will likely be shorter than the inhales and exhales,
But it might be easier to tune into those pauses after our Samavritti practice.
But those pauses might be easier to find after our Samavritti practice.
You can just observe the coming and going of each cycle of breath,
Staying curious about this breath.
And this breath.
And this one.
When you feel ready to close your practice,
You might draw your palms together in front of your heart.
Take a moment to acknowledge yourself for choosing to practice today.
A moment to acknowledge the Indigenous land you're on.
A moment to acknowledge the land of India and South Asia,
And the teachers who have passed this practice down to us.
You can find a little movement,
Maybe swaying or stretching again.
And as you gently bring yourself back into the room,
You can notice any shifts that may or may not have happened in your body,
Your breath,
Your mind.
Thank you for practicing and hoping you have an easeful rest of your day.
