Please come into a comfortable seated position resting your hands on your thighs or in your lap lengthening your spine gently and gently close your eyes.
So we'll begin our session together by very gently taking a few breaths to settle down into our seated position.
And as you do that just notice if there is anywhere in your body you can relax a little more or anywhere you can let go a little more.
So often when we become still or quiet we begin to notice areas of our body that are perhaps tight or restricted.
Maybe the jaw or around the shoulders.
So as you exhale gently starting to let go to soften and relax.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale imagine you're drawing a blind down from the top of the forehead lowering over the eyelids.
And as you draw that imaginary blind down relax and soften through the whole body.
Starting to invite the breath a little deeper to become a little slower.
Just that invitation of stillness.
Causing the gentle attention whatever is present for you right now.
So this Pranayama practice is known as Ujjayi breath or commonly it's also referred to as oceanic breath as we create a sound very similar to ocean waves in this practice.
So with your mouth open I'd like to invite you to exhale and as you exhale to make the sound.
Feeling and again.
Just continuing gently.
Breathing as you make the sound how you have gently constricted the back of your throat should feel really effortless and comfortable.
Just a few more like that breathing in naturally and with your mouth open exhaling and making the sound.
Now gently close your mouth and try making this sound.
So now the outflow of breath will be through your nostrils but you still have this very gentle constriction in the back of the throat and this sound rather like an ocean wave on your exhalation.
So continuing like this and once you've mastered this on the exhalation use the same method for the inhalation.
So making this oceanic calming sound on both the inhale and on the exhale.
If you're new to this practice it can help to imagine breathing in through the throat.
And it might help if you place a finger gently over your throat,
Your larynx and imagine the breath breathing in through the fingers.
Just inviting the sound,
The texture,
The rhythm of this Ujjayi breath to calm and soothe your mind,
Your body and your very being.
Ujjayi breath has a balancing effect on the entire cardiovascular,
Respiratory system as well as increasing the amount of oxygen in your blood.
Enjoy this increased sense of stillness,
Of presence throughout your whole being.
So now let go of the practice and let your breathing come back to its own natural state.
Its own natural rhythm,
Its own natural flow.
And know that Ujjayi breathing can be practiced whenever you find yourself stressed or feeling anxious.
This soothing calming practice is always available to you.
Namaste.
