Welcome to day one of Breeding to Thrive.
Today's session can be practiced in either a seated position or lying down.
So spending a few moments finding comfort in your position.
Slowly closing down your eyelids and moving your awareness inside your body.
Observing any movements or sensations associated with your breath.
Using the movements on the inhale and on the exhale.
And if you wish to connect deeper with your breath placing one hand on your chest and the other hand just below your belly button to allow for some feedback.
Noticing whether you breathe into your chest mostly or down into your belly.
Also whether you breathe in through the nose or through the mouth.
For restorative breaths that calm the nervous system we want to inhale and exhale through the nose and breathe deep into our belly.
Rising the belly on the inhale and gently tightening it on the exhale.
Noticing your lower hand moving in and out with each breath.
Breathing in through the mouth and shallow into the chest as part of the stress response.
So we want to avoid this opting for slow and steady deep nasal breaths.
Continue to observe the rise and fall of your belly with each breath.
Keeping the majority of the movement down in the belly with your chest and shoulders remaining relatively still.
And we'll start to breathe even deeper now inhaling for 3 seconds expanding your belly and gently tightening it for a 5 second exhale bringing your belly all the way back to your spine.
Using this lengthened exhale to enhance your relationship with your primary breathing muscles,
The abdominal wall and the diaphragm.
Slow and steady breaths,
No jerky movements.
With each lengthened exhale feeling your body relaxing,
Your mind softening.
As you expand your belly on your inhale noticing how your pelvis softens and on the exhale noticing how the pelvis engages.
This is a subtle movement but when you perform it 20,
000 times per day it increases your deep core strength allowing for more stability.
Still inhaling for 3 seconds,
Exhaling for 5.
And if that's feeling comfortable for you,
Adding a pause for a second or two at the end of your exhale.
Noticing your body and mind in that moment of stillness,
Noticing your heartbeat.
Observing your belly and remembering that if your mind wanders away,
You will be able to see that's no issue at all,
Just bringing it back to your breath.
Noticing go of counting the breath and letting your breath return back to its natural rhythm.
Noticing if your breath is light and soft.
Noticing if there is any movement in the chest or in the belly.
Noticing if your breath is silent.
And just taking 5 more slow and steady mindful breaths,
Observing the inhale and the exhale,
The rise and fall of your belly.
And I invite you to open your eyes and come back after your fifth exhale,
Acknowledging yourself or finding the time and space to connect with your breath today.
