Hello and welcome to this morning energizing pranayama practice.
We'll be working with Kapalabhati.
Which is a sharp exhalation through the nose and a passive inhalation.
And it all happens at the place of the naval center.
So if you take three fingers,
Place that below your belly button.
This general area,
This is what we refer to as the navel center,
This pranic center of the body.
As we exhale,
The navel is going to draw back toward the spine.
As we inhale the navel relaxes.
So sit up nice and tall.
We'll start out together.
We'll do it nice and slow.
Start to get the feel for it.
And then once we feel more comfortable,
We'll move into some different variations.
So just bring your hands to your abdomen.
Your eyes can stay open to start.
And just begin.
So on the exhale,
It's a sharp exhale through the nose,
The inhale relaxes.
Keep going.
As you're doing this,
Also your spine is sitting up nice and tall,
Your shoulders relaxed.
Good.
Relax,
Release your hands.
Close your eyes,
Just return your breath to normal.
Hips are relaxed,
Shoulders relaxed.
Keep the eyes closed.
We'll move into the next round.
Eyes are going to stay closed.
Same thing,
You can stay at the same pace,
Or if it feels good you can slightly increase your pace.
When you're ready,
Begin with your kapalabhati.
If eyes are closed,
You bring your awareness up to your third eye point,
Center of the forehead.
Keep going.
Good,
Take a deep inhale.
At the top of your breath,
Hold the breath and then draw in at your navel,
Lift through your pelvic floor and draw your chin in toward your chest,
Taking root lock.
Good,
Release the breath,
Relax the body.
Breathe comfortably through the nose.
Awareness is inward.
Good,
We'll do another round.
You can do the same practice that we just did.
Another option here is to extend the arms out from the shoulders.
Press through the palms so that the hands are active.
The arms stay at shoulder height.
Close the eyes.
Awareness at your third eye point.
And then begin with your kapalabhati.
Sharp exhale,
Relaxed inhale.
Keep going.
Hands are active,
Shoulders active,
Pressing through the hands.
Keep going,
Stay with this.
Good.
Keep your arms elevated.
Inhale deeply.
Pause the breath and hold.
Lift through your pelvic floor,
Draw in at your navel,
Chin in toward your chest.
Press through your palms.
Exhale,
Release.
Eyes closed,
Relax your hands,
Relax your shoulders.
Breath is nice and even.
Awareness inward.
Just notice how you feel,
Notice your experience.
We'll do one more round.
Your choice.
Arms can be involved or not.
This time we class the hands,
Bring the index finger together,
Thumbs together,
Extend out.
Right in front of you,
In front of the heart.
Eyes closed.
Kapalabhati,
Awareness at your third eye.
Begin when you're ready.
Projecting out from the heart.
Keep going.
Stay with this,
Keep going.
Arms are elevated.
Should take a deep inhale.
Pause the breath.
Lift your pelvic floor,
Drawing at your navel,
Chin in.
Exhale,
Relax.
Relax the arms.
Awareness inward.
Relax your body.
Relax your breath.
Release any tension in your face,
Your mouth,
Your tongue.
Shoulders.
Breathe into the space of your body.
And as if you're observing somebody else,
Just get a sense for how you feel.
Notice your mind,
Your body.
The energy of your body Perhaps experiencing a deeper sense of stillness.
And when you're ready,
Closing out your practice.
If you'd like,
You could bring hands to prayer.
And gently bow the head.
Honoring this moment.
Honoring yourself for taking time to practice in this way.
And carrying the light of this practice back out into your day,
Into your world.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
Namaste.
Before you open your eyes,
You can rub your palms and warm up your hands.
Get some good warmth into the hands.
And then with those warm hands,
Cover the eyes.
And then slowly open the eyes and release the hands.
Thank you for joining and I hope to see you very soon.
