Lying Down Mindful Movement for MBSR

This is a guided lying down mindful movement practice for the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program from Present Moment Mindfulness. With this sequence of postures, attend to the body with curiosity about what movement is like, what stillness is like, and connect with whatever the experience may present in each moment. This practice continues exercising your natural capacity to notice as you’ve done with the body scan. With mindful movement, the exploration awakens to the lively interplay of the body in motion and the body when motionless.

This recording is best used as part of an MBSR program, and is intended for beginning meditators. There is several minutes of introductory material, and a significant amount of verbal guidance.

Transcript

This is a guided lying-down mindful movement practice for the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program from Present Moment Mindfulness.

With this sequence of postures,

Attend to the body with curiosity about what movement is like,

What stillness is like,

And connect with whatever the experience may present in each moment.

Take care of yourself during this guided meditation.

Choose a location where you can be undisturbed during your time with mindful movement if you can get the support of others to let you focus on this practice.

It should be a place you feel as safe as you can be and able to devote yourself to the meditation.

It can be helpful to wear comfortable clothing that enables and supports unrestricted movement and breathing,

With enough space in your immediate surroundings to follow the guidance of reaching,

Extending,

And moving the body.

If you're able to use a yoga mat or a carpeted floor,

That can provide a helpful blend of comfort and firm support for the body.

Having a chair nearby or other props like foam blocks or even a few pillows can help with necessary adjustments that may be beneficial to your body's needs.

You're encouraged to modify the poses if what you hear in the guidance is reaching beyond what is comfortable for you.

You can do a portion of the movement or even remain still while visualizing the movement,

Exploring what it would be like to do in your mind.

Practice this kind-hearted attention to what the body may be saying,

Sometimes very quietly,

In each moment.

If particularly strong or difficult thoughts and emotions come up,

You can put attention to a helpful home base.

Lean into the sensation of breathing where you feel it most on the body,

Or another physical location you can settle the attentional spotlight until you're comfortable enough to bring attention back to what's happening right now.

If you would like to stay in a particular pose longer,

You're welcome to pause the recording,

And likewise if you need a few moments to rest.

This recording is just a guide,

And your experiences that come alive from this framework are entirely unique to you.

Connect to what that may be by inviting a playful curiosity and kindness for yourself and for this body.

Take a few moments now to get your physical space arranged for practice.

Give yourself permission and accept that permission to take this time and to give yourself the gift of attending to experience.

You may also want to review the Mindful Movement PDF,

Pages 1 through 4,

To see what the poses look like.

You can pause the recording now if you need a few moments of preparation and adjustment of your surroundings.

Lie down on the floor on your back,

Legs extended and arms comfortably at your sides.

Become aware of the movements of breathing,

How subtle shifts in the belly or chest or back may influence the touch of the floor or shift clothing across the floor.

Notice what sensations may be happening below the surface of the skin,

In the middle of the torso,

As you become acquainted with breathing while lying down,

Just as it is on its own,

Without any need to control,

Shape,

Or constrain it.

Notice how other areas of the body may be connected to breathing,

How they may also be moved by that process and brightened by your awareness.

Where might tension be present?

Not having to change it,

Not having to be in the right place,

Not having to be in the right place,

Not having to be in the right place.

Where might tension be present?

Not having to change it,

And if you do,

Making that change with mindful attending as you practice this transition from doing to just being.

Perhaps having this lying-down pose as a home base to which you can return if difficulties arise,

Being open to and inviting an easeful presence to this posture and getting to know it.

Attending to the arms,

Slowly lifting them up in a gentle reach towards the ceiling,

Continuing that movement so the arms are extended above the head,

Perhaps coming into contact with the floor.

What sensations accompany this movement?

Where are you noticing feeling as you move the arms and when they are paused in extension?

As the arms are resting above the head,

Perhaps reaching a little more with one arm and then the other,

How does this change the experience?

What is felt in the reaching arm that may be different from what is felt in the arm simply at rest above the head?

What is felt in the entire body during this movement,

Its full length supporting and connected to the movement of the arms slowly overhead?

After just a few moments of exploring this position,

Gently bring the arms in a slow arc back to point at the ceiling,

And then all the way down to rest along the sides of the body.

Check in once more.

What's here?

What sensations are making themselves known after this movement as the muscles release themselves to the support of the ground?

Take some time to repeat this movement on your own,

Perhaps pausing the recording if you like,

And get to know it,

Noting if there's discomfort,

And adjust the movement as needed for any issues in the shoulders or neck.

Invite the knees to slowly rise,

Sliding the feet a bit closer to the torso,

Keeping the soles of the feet in full contact with the floor.

Keeping the knees up,

Slide the arms on the floor,

Moving them out perpendicular to the chest like a gliding bird or the letter T.

Check into the felt sense of this position,

Feet on the floor,

Knees pointing towards the ceiling,

Arms extended to the left and right.

How might it feel different in unexpected ways from having the arms along your sides or above the head?

How might this have changed the rest of the body's contact with the floor?

Is the shape of the back touching the floor a little different,

More flat or spread out in some parts of the back?

You may want to slip some fingers between the lower back and the floor when moving the knees up to help the sense of any change that might appear there.

Is there more space,

Or less,

Or no change at all?

Push the lower back into the floor,

Slightly shrinking the space between the hips and the chest,

And pause for a few moments.

Now widen that space between the lower back and the floor,

Extending the belly up.

Play with that motion of the curve of the lower back,

Shifting between touching the floor more firmly and creating space.

What movements happen in the rest of the body?

What happens with breathing as you hold each of these different shapes for a few moments?

How does that change as you rock gently between them without pausing?

If you like,

You can connect the movement with the rhythm of breathing.

As you inhale,

Allow the belly and lower back to rise off the floor.

As you exhale,

Curl the tailbone up and press the lower back into the floor.

Let that be a soft and natural movement that accompanies breathing.

Move with care for what feels right for your body,

Within comfortable range of motion,

And at whatever pace fosters your mindfully attending to the experience.

Notice how your relationship to breathing may shift too,

As breathing happens on its own during the movements.

If it's comfortable for you to do so,

Drawing the knees as close to the chest as you can,

Lifting the feet off the floor.

You might support this by wrapping the hands below the knees or shins,

Being careful to not pull hard at the legs,

But simply support them up towards the chest.

Just hug the knees,

Inviting them to closeness with the chest.

Notice what this is like.

Is there more pressing into the floor?

Perhaps rocking gently,

What's it like with your perception of orientation to the rest of the room with a slight movement back and forth?

How might balance be affected by only having the rounded back in touch with the floor?

Being careful of your body's needs,

Raise the head off the ground and draw it closer to the knees.

What's this new position like?

Where do you feel any tension or tiredness?

And what is breathing like when curled up?

Just keep breathing,

Noticing,

Breathing,

Noticing,

And then slowly return the head to gentle contact and support of the floor,

Letting the hands return to your sides and extending the legs down,

Maybe one at a time,

To return to your fully lying down posture.

Pause movement,

Refreshing curiosity and attention,

Inviting familiarity with this pose of supportive contact with the ground,

And sustained awareness of breathing.

Keeping the left leg down,

Bring the right knee back up towards the chest,

Knee bent,

And hugging it in comfortable closeness with your hands either on the thigh or shin.

Check in with breathing,

Still happening,

Still part of the environment of the body,

And gently do some small circles with the knee,

First in one direction for a while,

Then in the other direction.

Notice as you do this how the rest of the body might move to keep balance,

How there might be tension in other parts to support this movement.

What are the comfortable edges of the body's range of motion that you notice without going over them,

Just exploring where they might be?

Perhaps bringing the head up too,

Curling towards the knee,

And again making sure your intention is to experience movement more than reaching for a deeper stretch.

Where does it take some energy to hold yourself in this way,

And what is breathing like?

Notice your intention to let go before you do so,

Slowly returning the head to the floor,

The arms to lay along your sides,

And the leg to settle all the way down once more.

Does this lying-down posture feel a little different right now?

Where are you noticing whatever you might be noticing?

Now with your other side,

Keeping the right leg down,

Raising the bent left knee to the chest,

Hugging it with the arms,

Checking in with breathing,

The subtle movements through the entire body with each breath.

Are there any places of tension or strain also arising in the field of your awareness as you do some small circles with the left knee in one direction,

Then in the other?

You may want to bring the head up towards the chest,

Taking care with the neck,

And hugging yourself just a little bit more closely,

Checking in with breathing,

Welcoming it back if yours has wandered.

Here,

Too,

Gently release and return the head to be cradled by the floor,

The arms to the sides,

The leg extending along the floor again as you get reacquainted with this dynamic stillness and all that might be here to experience.

Breathing naturally and comfortably,

Inviting a softening and lengthening to the body.

Notice how you receive hearing that we're now transitioning the body to a pose on your hands and knees.

What does the body do in preparation and as it begins the complex movements needed?

Take your time to move,

Bringing the same alertness to this motion.

Shift the body to a stable posture of being on hands and knees,

Like a tabletop,

With the back as the surface of the table,

The arms and legs as the legs of the table.

Inviting awareness to the shape of the body as it is now,

What is the pull of gravity like when facing the ground,

Holding yourself above it,

Instead of facing up and lying down fully?

Is there stronger contact with the ground at the hands,

The knees?

Is there more holding being done elsewhere in the body to keep this position?

What is breathing like for a tabletop?

As this can be more challenging to the wrists and arms,

You can adjust if needed,

Perhaps coming up on the fists or even gently shifting the weight off one side and then the other,

Noticing what the adjustments themselves are like when attended to with caring and open attention.

After becoming familiar with this position,

Getting closer to the unique differences and perhaps challenges it presents,

Invite the back to round up towards the ceiling,

Tucking the tailbone and allowing the head to gently release towards the floor.

Aware of the body's comfortable boundaries of motion,

Staying within those,

What do you notice with this lengthening of the spine with breathing as your back is arched like a startled cat?

Now moving the other way,

Allow the belly and back to lower while lifting the head and tailbone up,

Creating a gentle dip in the back while maintaining a comfortable gaze upwards.

Continue awareness of how breathing is influenced by this new posture,

And as you begin to shift between postures,

Belly and chest tucked with head and tailbone down,

And belly and chest extended with head and tailbone up,

Moving between these two poses with a natural rhythm,

Whatever pace feels right to you.

Perhaps receiving this like the body is moving through water,

Inviting awareness of this fluid motion.

Aware of the flexion of the spine from the tip of the tailbone to the top of the head.

What happens with the breath as you move the body in this way?

Coming back to the relative stillness of the tabletop posture,

Perhaps taking a few moments to get reacquainted with it before shifting into the next movements.

Raising the right leg off the floor,

Extending it behind you to be as parallel to the ground as your body allows.

You may also keep the toes on the ground for support and balance,

Still noticing how the body adjusts and redistributes weight to stay as stable as you can,

Experiencing small movements to support balance.

If it's comfortable for you to do so,

Raising the left arm,

Reaching forward with it,

And feeling the straight length between the extended left arm and the extended right leg.

How is balance maintained,

And what are you noticing in the body in this position with breathing?

Is there tension or shaking?

What else in this living stillness?

When you're ready,

Returning the arm and leg to supporting you,

Noticing as they touch the ground,

Move to what feels like a stable spot,

And how the weight again shifts to the tabletop.

Now raising the left leg off the floor,

If the body permits,

Extended behind you,

Or instead keeping the toes on the floor as needed while extending the leg.

Extending the right arm when you're ready to,

Reaching to the front,

Lengthening the body.

Getting close to that sense of lengthening,

Of a gentle stretch,

Of the small and perhaps continuous adjustments the body is making all on its own to maintain balance.

What muscles are calling to be noticed right now?

Which ones might be tightening that don't really need to?

Perhaps some in the face?

When you're ready,

Releasing the leg and arm back to stable contact with the floor once again,

Welcoming the body to the familiarity of the tabletop pose.

You may also take a few moments to shift into what is called the child pose.

Widen the knees slightly,

And dropping slowly back so you're sitting on the feet,

Torso along the floor with the arms extended forward,

Or perhaps held alongside the body.

Experiment to find what may be interesting to you,

Always being aware of how your body is best served,

And adjust accordingly.

If this is a position you want to spend some time with,

You may use a small pillow under the head for support and a little extra cushioning.

Release as best you can into the pose,

Allowing the body to be drawn by gravity,

Supported by the floor,

As you check into sensations,

The process of breathing,

Noticing what's here as you inhabit the environment of the body.

Shifting once again,

Aware of moving the body to lying down on the back,

Arms at the sides,

Legs along the ground,

And held by it as you meet this pose once again.

What's here?

Is there any new sensation to be noticed,

Perhaps some tiredness,

Or contact with the floor that hadn't been noticed in this way before?

Sliding the feet a bit closer to the torso once more,

Keeping them in full contact with the floor,

Making a triangle of the legs and floor.

Raise the arms above the head,

Feeling the full arc of the arms in motion as they reach the floor behind you,

Fully extended,

Or if you choose,

Bringing the hands together underneath the head.

What's here in this new posture?

Where is the body pressing more firmly into the ground?

Pushing with the feet,

Raising the hips off the ground to create a straight line between the knees and the shoulders,

With the weight of the body held by the feet and the shoulders.

Holding yourself up in this way,

What sensations of pressure might have been raised along with the hips?

Is there some fullness to the face,

Or vibration in the body?

Noticing breathing in,

Noticing breathing out,

Noticing any tension that's not needed for the holding of this shape.

Where is it?

And allowing it to release.

When you're ready,

Lower the torso to the floor once more,

Checking in and refreshing awareness of the body.

Spend some time experimenting with raising the hips once more,

Holding,

Lowering,

Raising,

Holding,

Lowering.

Bringing the hands behind the head if they're not already there,

Knees still up off the ground with the feet closer to the body,

Torso on the floor.

Allow the knees to gently release to the right,

Letting gravity create a soft pull as the knees find a comfortable position to the right.

Allowing the head to turn with the gaze to the left,

Taking care with the neck as you feel into this soft curve in the body of left and right.

How is breathing?

Where is there a holding in the body?

And when it feels right to you,

Return your gaze to the middle and invite the knees to realign to the front,

Still held off the ground.

Now releasing in the other direction,

Allowing gravity to gently ease your legs to the left within your comfortable range of motion,

And carefully turning the gaze to the right.

How is this different than having the body turn the other way?

Receiving whatever might be felt as this posture,

This direction also becomes more familiar.

What do you feel in the sides,

In the back,

In other places in the body that might be noticed right now?

Is there tension in the head or neck,

And are there some adjustments you might make to be comfortable in mindful awareness of the body?

When you're ready,

Bring the knees and gaze to the center,

Pausing for a few moments as you listen to the body whispering about whatever might be within right now.

Lower the legs and return the arms to the sides once more.

Noticing what parts of the body are used as you bring the left knee up as before,

Feet on the floor,

And then slowly raise the extended right leg,

Little by little,

Pointing it up towards the ceiling.

Notice what the foot does,

If there's any pulling of the toes back that happened without intention,

Or if the foot is at ease,

Simply at the top of the raised right leg.

You may circle the foot,

The ankle,

In one direction and then the other,

Noticing what sensations and even sounds may result.

Point the foot and flex it back,

Too,

A few times with playful curiosity,

Attending to these small movements and how the rest of the body may make subtle adjustments as you do.

Reaching with both arms towards that raised leg,

Noticing the sensation of contact of the hands and the leg as they touch as you slide the hands up along the leg as far as you comfortably can,

Noticing where on the leg the hands might be positioned.

How does it feel with the hands on the sides or the back of the leg,

Or further up to the shin,

If that's the right amount of reach for how the body is responding to the pose?

Experiment with raising the head towards the leg,

Perhaps raising the shoulders off the ground,

And being aware of what breathing might be like when you feel muscles being exercised to be in this shape.

When you're ready,

Gently allow the shoulders and head to be moved back to the floor,

Releasing the arms to the sides,

And with refreshed curiosity about the movement and changing sensations,

Lower the right leg,

Noticing the contact with the floor here,

Too,

And then lower the left knee as well.

What is it like to settle once more into this lying-down posture,

Supported by the ground?

Now the other side,

Raising the right knee,

Feet on the floor,

Noticing what stability may bring as you extend the left leg,

Little by little,

Up towards the ceiling.

When you reach a comfortable place for the raised leg,

Pause there,

Noticing how this feels.

What do you notice as you circle the left foot at the ankle a few times,

First in one direction,

Then in the other?

Are there different sensations accompanying pointing the foot and flexing it back and forth?

How is breathing,

Or the body,

Pressing into the floor?

Also reaching up the extended leg with the arms,

Finding the right placement of the hands on the sides of the leg,

The back,

How far up might you comfortably reach?

Continuing to breathe,

What's that like right now?

And when you're ready,

If it's within your body's range of motion,

Raising the head towards the leg,

Perhaps lifting the shoulders off the floor,

Aware of the whole body shifting on the floor as you move.

And when you're ready for the moment-by-moment mindful releasing,

Lowering the shoulders little by little,

Lowering the head,

The arms,

And both legs to the floor beneath you,

Aware of the touchdown and letting go of effort.

Moving on to the right side,

Aware of each and so many movements that show up while shifting.

You may want to cradle the head with your right arm,

Or perhaps with a pillow,

And bring the left hand to the floor in front of you for support,

Whatever the placement is best for you.

Lengthening the left leg and gently raising it off the ground,

Feeling how this affects the rest of the body,

How it may be held a bit differently for balance.

Perhaps doing a few circles in the air in one direction and then the other,

Or forward and back.

And then releasing the leg to gravity's pull,

Settling it back down onto the other leg,

Noticing what the sensations of releasing effort are here,

Too.

Shifting onto your other side,

Again refreshing conscious awareness of the many movements used to make this change.

Cradling the head once more,

And placing the other hand on the ground in front of you,

Gaining some stability with the contact with the floor.

Allowing the leg to extend and lift only as far as is comfortable,

If at all,

And knowing you have permission to simply visualize any movements that may be overly difficult.

Circles in one direction,

Breathing.

Circles in the other direction,

Breathing.

Back and forth,

Breathing.

And then releasing all,

Coming to stillness on the side,

Inviting familiarity with this posture.

What's it like to be laying down on the side in this way,

As if it's the first time in years or ever that you've noticed what this is like?

Shifting once more,

Now finding a comfortable position lying down on the belly.

You may want to have the arms along the sides of the body,

Or place them underneath your head for support if that's more useful for you,

Either forehead down or turning the head to one side.

What do you notice about how gravity pulls differently,

Or how the ribs feel,

Or other contact points with the floor as you take in and release air in each moment?

Gently extending and lifting,

Just a little bit,

One of your legs off the floor.

Aware of what muscles are involved,

How the belly and breathing is affected.

Where is there needed tension,

Or perhaps unneeded tension,

And what might you let go of while still holding the leg up for a few moments more?

Lowering the leg,

Noticing the touch down to the floor,

And releasing of any holding.

Perhaps turning the head the other way if it's more comfortable,

But not having to.

Sensing the need,

And intentionally choosing what's best for the neck.

And then raising the other leg,

Not too far,

And becoming familiar with the new tensions,

The new muscles being used,

The new sensations accompanying this movement this time.

And when you're ready,

Gently returning the leg to gravity's hold,

Noticing the contact on the front of the leg all the way down to the foot,

Perhaps expanding the awareness of all the contact of the full body with the floor.

If it's within the body's range of comfortable movement,

Bringing the arms to lay along the sides of the body,

And with care for the neck and back,

Gently lifting the head and shoulders off the ground,

Pausing for a few moments,

Embodying this shape of the body right now,

Noticing,

Breathing.

And when it's right for you,

Releasing the body once more,

Lowering the shoulders and head,

And moving the arms back to support the head,

If you like,

For a few moments of settling into exploring what's in the sensory environment right now.

Take some time to intentionally,

With as much awareness as you can of each movement,

Shift onto the back once more,

Legs out long,

Arms along the sides of the body.

Again,

Caring for the body is comfortable range of motion,

Raising the knees up to the chest,

Perhaps reaching to hold and support the legs with the hands on the backs of the legs,

Wherever is most comfortable for you.

And if you can,

Perhaps invite a gentle rocking motion of the body,

Or drawing circles in both directions with the knees.

Avoid putting too much pressure on the neck,

Just allowing yourself to remain on the back,

Gently rocking back and forth.

Then letting go,

Allowing the body to return to be held by gravity,

Supported by the floor,

And perhaps awakening to breathing in and breathing out.

Scanning the body for any holding or tension as you breathe,

Allowing those places to release if you choose,

But not having to,

Simply being aware of what you decide.

Welcoming familiarity with this pose,

With whatever sensations are felt,

Receiving whatever may be within this body shape of awareness.

What's here with each breath?

Releasing any sense of doing something special,

Just allowing this as simply being here,

Now.

When it's comfortable for you,

Opening the eyes if you've had them closed,

Taking in your immediate surroundings,

The full environment.

What sounds are here?

What are you noticing nearby?

What's the sense of the space around you?

Taking a few moments to begin moving again,

Still aware of breathing,

And perhaps giving a gentle thanks to those who supported you having this time,

And to yourself for doing the practice,

Giving yourself the nourishing gift of attending and leaning in to just being here.

.

Reviews

Very thorough and I really enjoy the mindful movement and stillness. Great reminder to be mindful of movement and be gentle with your body’s 💖🔥🙏🏼

Very good, easy to follow loved it

Brings mindfulness to a different place in yoga practice, slowing every movement and focusing on deeper subtleties. Very useful practice variation.

Very clear instructions. Tiny confusion after child’s posture to back bending (triangle shape) but aside from that I was able to follow through. This is good for those who are sick as movements are gentle. The voice is calming. Namaste 🙏🏻