Hi,
I'm Vivian and this is my signature meditation.
If you'd like to come to a comfortable seat,
Maybe sit up on a bolster so that your hips are above your knees.
If you're on a chair,
Come to the edge of your chair and have your feet hip-width apart.
Have a nice tall spine.
We'll be doing the Apramayama and then we'll go into some meditation and then we'll have some silence.
We'll start off with alternate nostril breathing,
Nadi Shadhana,
To balance our energy and then we'll have time to go into some meditation.
So I'll show you the Vishnu Mudra.
First two fingers are tucked into your palms and thumb,
Ring,
And pinky are extended.
Take your right thumb,
Take your thumb right above your right nostril and your ring finger just above your left nostril.
And pinky can gently rest on your cheek or it can join your ring finger,
Wherever it feels comfortable to you.
Block the left nostril with your ring finger and inhale through the right nostril.
Pause and block both nostrils and when you're ready,
Release the ring finger from the left nostril and exhale through the left nostril.
Inhale through the left.
Hold and block both.
Retain the breath,
Pelvic floor lifts up and in.
Exhale out the right nostril.
Do some cycles here on your own.
Inhaling through the right and exhaling through the left.
Gently close your eyes if that feels comfortable to you or you can soften your gaze on a single point ahead of you.
Option to inhale and exhale for six seconds each or whatever feels comfortable to you.
We'll be here for about six cycles.
If at any time you start to feel like headed or discomfort,
Stop and breathe your normal breath.
Exhale out the right nostril.
Exhale out the right nostril.
Exhale out the right nostril.
Exhale out the right nostril.
Exhale out the right nostril.
Bring your eyes closed.
Release the mudra.
Bring your hands palm down gently on your lap and come back to your normal breathing.
We'll just observe our breath here.
Notice the quality of your breath.
Without trying to change or alter the breath,
Just observe.
Is the breath long or slow?
Sharp or quick?
Moist or dry?
Are the inhales longer than the exhales?
Do you notice any pauses in the cycles of your breath?
Where in the breath do you feel the breath move?
Release any judgment or expectation.
Step into the role of the observer of your breath.
If thoughts arise,
Think of yourself as the blue sky and the thoughts as passing clouds.
You could label these clouds as thinking or feeling.
Take a few breaths here on your own,
Noticing the clouds and letting them pass.
Notice that your breath may naturally change through this process of observation.
We'll be here in silence with our breath for about three minutes.
We'll be here in silence with our breath for about three minutes.
We'll be here in silence with our breath for about three minutes.
We'll be here in silence with our breath for about three minutes.
We'll be here in silence with our breath for about three minutes.
We'll be here in silence with our breath for about three minutes.
Deepen your breath.
Bring your attention to where your stiff bones meet the seat where your palms are resting on your lap.
Bring your attention back to your body,
The space,
The room.
Keeping your eyes closed,
Gently press your hands to prayer.
Rub the hands together,
Creating some heat.
Bring the heels of your hands to your eyes.
Feel the warmth in your eyes.
Hands draw back down to prayer.
Tip the chin.
Gently,
Bring the eyes open.
Notice the colors in front of you.
Bring your gaze back up.
Come back to this space.
