Today's guided practice is inspired by a teaching by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh called the Pebble Meditation.
Although it was developed as a way of sharing mindfulness with children,
I have found the themes of this meditation very inspiring for adults,
Especially during times of difficulty.
I've paired the four points of the meditation with simple yin yoga poses to make this practice accessible for a wide range of practitioners.
You'll find it helpful to have a bolster or firm cushion on hand for two of the postures.
In Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village tradition,
We typically meditate with practice phrases called gatas.
These slogans are meant to be repeated in your mind several times.
There will be a longer phrase at the beginning and then after a couple of rounds,
You will be repeating just a couple of words in your mind.
At some point,
You'll find that the words fade away and you're left with the image or sentiment evoked by the phrases.
This practice is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.
If you feel ill,
Please consult your physician.
Begin by lying down on your belly,
Propped up on your elbows for sphinx pose.
This posture creates a bit of compression in the low back by design,
But we are looking for gentle sensation.
So if the sensation is too strong,
You can bring your elbows a little bit forward so that your torso is closer to the floor.
You're welcome to hold your forehead or chin in your hands in order to relax your neck.
For those with low back issues,
You might find it supportive to engage the abdominal muscles a little bit to create a container of support for your condition.
It might be that you can slowly relax over time,
But you can also maintain this engagement through the remainder of our time here.
Another option is to suggest the pose by lowering down on your belly and resting your head on your hands.
Any time we're in this prone position,
There is always a slight back bend,
So you're still getting benefit from the shape in the low back.
Once you're settled,
Try to relax tension or holding in the body that isn't necessary for maintaining the shape.
You can relax your legs and let them roll to the side naturally.
Close your eyes and soften the muscles in your face,
Only holding what you need to maintain a bit of support in the pose,
However it works for your body.
Now that you've been here for a little while,
Begin to notice the gentle flow of your in and out breath.
You don't have to control your breath in any way,
But often when we bring attention to the breath,
It will naturally slow down and deepen.
You don't need to do anything to enhance this effect,
Just notice it.
Beginning with the first gata or slogan and working with your breath,
Breathing in,
I see myself as a flower.
Breathing out,
I feel fresh.
Breathing in,
I see myself as a flower.
Breathing out,
I feel fresh.
Breathing in,
I see myself as a flower.
Breathing out,
I feel fresh.
Breathing in,
Flower.
Breathing out,
Fresh.
Flower,
Fresh.
Flower,
Fresh.
Continue on your own for a little bit longer,
Repeating the phrases.
Really see yourself becoming like a flower,
All the qualities and parts of a flower,
Fresh and alive.
Breathing out,
Fresh.
On your next exhale,
And if you aren't already there,
Lower your torso as you turn your head to the side and rest on one cheek.
Notice any shifts in your inner attitude.
Do you sense the freshness of spring flowers growing within your inner landscape?
Notice what that's like.
Now slide your hands underneath your shoulders and press yourself through table pose to child's pose with your hips resting on your heels and your body gently folding over your thighs.
Take a few slow breaths here.
And when you're ready,
Slowly sit upright with your legs extended out in front of you.
If you find that you tend to slouch in this pose,
You'll want to sit on the edge of a blanket or cushion so that you can sit up straighter.
For this supported version of caterpillar or seated forward fold,
You'll take your bolster or firm pillow and place it underneath your knees.
Your legs will be bent.
You don't need to keep the legs together here,
So if they roll to the side,
That's okay.
Let the legs settle into a place that feels natural and comfortable.
Now take a breath and sit up a little straighter.
As you breathe out,
Slowly fold over the legs.
Your back will round as your torso settles onto the top of your thighs.
By design,
We're interested in the compression of the belly on the thighs and the gentle stretch in the spine.
Our next image is of the mountain and this pose helps to raise the presence of the earth element in the energy body.
So a fitting shape to help embody the steadfast qualities of a mountain.
Now that you're settled into the shape,
Bring your attention back to your natural breath.
It'll likely feel a bit different in this shape,
But remember that you can breathe into the sides and back of your torso.
Focusing on your breath,
Repeating the following phrases to yourself.
Breathing in,
I see myself as a mountain.
Breathing out,
I feel solid.
Breathing in,
I see myself as a mountain.
Breathing out,
I feel solid.
Breathing in,
I see myself as a mountain.
Breathing out,
I feel solid.
Breathing in,
Mountain.
Breathing out,
Solid.
Mountain,
Solid.
Mountain,
Solid.
With each breath,
See yourself taking on the qualities of strength,
Endurance,
And the ability to stand tall and majestic no matter what.
With each breath,
See yourself taking on the qualities of strength,
Endurance,
And the ability to stand tall and majestic no matter what.
With each breath,
See yourself taking on the qualities of strength,
Endurance,
And the ability to stand tall and majestic no matter what.
With each breath,
See yourself taking on the qualities of strength,
Endurance,
And the ability to stand tall and majestic no matter what.
With each breath,
See yourself taking on the qualities of strength,
Endurance,
And the ability to stand tall and majestic no matter what.
When you're ready,
Take the bolster and place it lengthwise behind you,
Right up next to your tailbone.
You're going to lie back on this support,
So make sure it's long enough to support your torso and your head.
With your tailbone right up next to the support,
Use your hands and arms to lower yourself carefully back onto the bolster.
You might also like a folded blanket behind your head.
If you don't have a bolster or cushion that's suitable for this shape,
Don't worry,
You can also lie all the way down on the floor.
Now bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together.
Place your feet on the floor at a comfortable distance from your pelvis.
And feel free to make adjustments so you find the right spot for your feet,
Not too close and not too far away.
Letting your knees drop gently out to the side,
You might feel a tug on the tissues and the groins,
Which is expected.
If that sensation is too strong and will prevent you from relaxing in this shape,
You can place blocks or additional pillows under each knee.
In a pinch,
You can wedge your bald hands underneath your thighs,
Right next to your buttocks on each side.
If you're protecting an SI joint,
You might find it beneficial to use props underneath in this position,
Even if you don't feel a strong sensation in the thighs.
Once you're settled in and can get quiet,
Return your attention to the breath.
Some people enjoy placing their hands on the belly in this pose.
Following along with the breath,
Breathing in,
I see myself as a quiet,
Still lake.
Breathing out,
I reflect things as they really are.
Breathing in,
I see myself as a quiet,
Still lake.
Breathing out,
I reflect things as they really are.
Breathing in,
I see myself as a quiet,
Still lake.
Breathing out,
I reflect things as they really are.
Breathing in,
Quiet lake,
Breathing out,
Reflecting what is really there.
Lake,
Reflecting.
Lake,
Reflecting.
Lake,
Reflecting.
Continuing again on your own,
Seeing yourself as the glassy reflection of the blue sky above,
No distortion,
Nothing extra,
Just what is really there.
Breathing in,
Quiet lake,
Breathing out,
Reflecting what is really there.
Breathing out,
I see myself as a quiet,
Still lake.
Breathing out,
I see myself as a quiet,
Still lake.
Breathing out,
I see myself as a quiet,
Still lake.
To come out of this pose,
Slowly bring your knees back together and set your feet down on the floor.
Bring your arms for support,
Slowly roll to the side,
Off the bolster.
If you prefer,
You can quietly sit up.
Move the bolster well out of the way and lie back down on the floor.
Take a moment to bring your knees together in front of your chest and give yourself a squeeze for a few breaths.
Now extend your legs out on the floor and separate them wider than hip distance apart.
Let your legs relax,
Letting them roll to the side as they will.
Spread your arms out like a T.
This position is called pentacle and it's an invitation to take up space as you rest here on the floor.
Extend your breath again,
Watching it gently flow in and out of your body.
Breathing in,
I see myself as space.
Breathing out,
I feel free.
Breathing in,
I see myself as space.
Breathing out,
I feel free.
Breathing in,
I see myself as space.
Breathing out,
I feel free.
Breathing in,
Space.
Breathing out,
Free.
Space,
Free.
Space,
Free.
Space,
Free.
Continue on your own as you watch yourself expand out in all directions,
Completely free to be your true self.
Let the praise go and just rest here a little longer.
Just feeling that spaciousness without conceptualizing it.
Open and free.
Connected to all living things.
Let the praise go and just rest here a little longer.
Remain here for as long as you like,
Resting in pentacle.
Let the praise go and just rest here a little longer.
