So wherever you are in the world,
Find yourself in a comfortable position.
During the meditation if you need to move,
Then move.
There's no worries.
Beginning either laying or sitting.
The main thing is that the spine is long and straight.
The energy centers are aligned up through the spine,
So as you can hear I'm readjusting and making sure that my spine has space and alignment.
If you need to do any final stretches or to settle the body,
Take this moment to have a little shake or shoulder roll.
Maybe release through the neck and then come to a stillness with this long spine and notice the internal spaces of the body,
The muscles,
The joints,
Even into the organs.
See if you can release and relax through the belly to shoulders,
Across the face,
Down through the jaw and then taking a moment to scan through the rest of your body,
Finding any areas of tension,
Breathing into those spaces and seeing if you can soften,
Relax,
Release.
Especially use your exhale as you breathe out to feel as if you're letting go of anything down to the ground.
Feel the steadiness and stability of the earth beneath you,
The huge mass of the planet that holds us and feel that you can rest and rely on that stability.
And then bring your attention to your breath.
Notice the air coming in,
Perhaps through the nose or the mouth,
The left or right nostril.
See if you can hone in to how the air,
The breath is entering the body.
Then watch it travel up through the nasal passages or down into the throat,
The windpipe,
Dividing at the top of the lungs and then travelling down through smaller and smaller vessels into each lung,
Right down into the diaphragm,
Energising,
Bringing prana to the lower belly,
The lower back and the whole body.
Feel this air and energy come in,
Breathing into the whole body and on your exhale,
Watch and notice and feel how the blood vessels return the carbon dioxide back up to the lung in the opposite direction to follow this passage back up through the lung,
The windpipe,
The throat and out through the nose or the mouth.
Breathe prana and air into the whole body and release from the whole body.
To become aware of the subtle body,
Which includes the pranamaya kosha,
The chakras,
We need to be in a state of openness,
Relaxation and heightened awareness.
If we don't have this focus,
This relaxation,
If the mind is busy,
It's difficult to become aware of these more subtle sensations.
So be patient with yourself,
Be curious,
Keep this attitude of observing,
Allowing and as best you can try to stay in the experience rather than bring the mind,
The analytical mind,
Known as the pranamaya kosha,
Mental body,
Into the experience,
To judge,
To worry,
To compare.
Simply stay with the breath,
The body and the sensations that you notice.
For a moment before we tap into the chakras,
We're just going to take a minute to feel into the heart space.
The Chinese character for mindfulness is heart presence.
Settle into the heart for a moment,
Direct your breath and prana into that space.
Allow the heart to be as it is,
Heavy or light,
Just be with it for a moment.
In the heart we can cultivate this sense of trust for what we feel,
For what we know and open up to life.
Come now down to the base chakra.
The chakras,
It also means wheel in Sanskrit,
Are centers of energy located along the spine.
This universal prana or energy distributes around the body via the chakras and the nadis or channels.
And each chakra or wheel is affected by many things including our experience,
Our thoughts,
The condition of the body,
External factors,
Our environment,
The people and places that we are around.
They're changing all the time.
So bring your attention,
Your awareness to the base chakra located around the tailbone area.
And there's nothing to do other than simply put your focus there and see what you notice.
At first it may be difficult to notice anything,
The area might feel numb or you can't quite locate or pinpoint.
So again have patience and gentle concentration.
Keep your awareness in the base chakra and then see if you can feel a lightness,
Heaviness,
Any sense of movement left to right,
Forward to back,
Circulating,
Just see.
Anytime the mind wanders,
You lose focus,
Gently come back.
The mind is always wandering,
It's its nature,
So don't worry,
Judge yourself.
Just simply bring the focus back to that area around the tailbone and notice what's happening there.
If this is the first time you've concentrated on the chakras,
You might like to keep trying to focus on sensation in terms of heat,
Coolness,
Heaviness,
Lightness or movement.
If you're experienced with focused meditations and it's clear for you how the chakra is feeling,
Moving,
Then you can start to open up,
Breathe into the space if it is heavy and closed.
Or simply be there and notice if any thoughts,
Words,
Colours or intuitions arise.
Again we stay in this observer mode,
Vajnamaya Kosha,
The wisdom body.
We don't force anything to happen,
Only keep the focus in the chakra and then observe what happens.
If you would like to,
It's also possible to place the question,
What can I do to support my base and let it float,
Again waiting to see if any intuitions arise.
If you're journaling today and you'd like to make some notes about what's come up in terms of the movement,
Openness or lack of movement and any intuitions that did come up around the base,
About what might be helpful for this base chakra,
Muladhara,
Then take your time to make some notes.
If you're not journaling today,
You can just continue to be in that space,
Perhaps breathing into the chakra with the breath,
Either from the front or the back.
If you'd like to keep writing,
You can always pause the audio.
Otherwise we will continue now,
Coming up with our awareness,
Our concentration,
Our mental svara,
Up to the second chakra,
Svaristhana.
Below the navel,
Deep in the body,
Take a moment to feel around until you sense that you're on the space.
Again,
You might notice a sensation of lightness or heaviness,
Movement circulating,
Or it may be difficult.
Continue to have patience,
Relax the body and keep trying to feel into the second chakra.
Breathe into the space.
Keep softening,
Keep trusting,
Keep quietening the mind and simply observe.
Be open to things arising in the wisdom body around the second chakra,
Visions,
Words,
Colours.
It's not an imagination of the mind.
When you're in this observing mode,
Things simply arise.
It's a different space.
Again,
Have patience with yourself to notice the subtle quality of the observer mind versus the mental sheath,
Manamaya Kosha.
One feels open,
Spacious,
Warm,
Full of heart.
The other is more directive.
As you are simply observing and then breathing into the space,
Opening up,
Continuing to relax,
Rest and focus.
As things come up,
Be open to them.
You'll notice if the mind comes in,
Things will often disappear.
Keep practicing opening up.
If you find that the centre is heavy,
Stuck,
Not moving,
There's a lack of energy,
You can gently use your own breath,
A prana,
To breathe in through the front or the back of the chakra or right into the centre to see if you can open up and energise the space.
And again,
Being open to asking what the second chakra needs so that you can keep the energy flowing.
It could be some repetitive negative thought,
Habit,
Belief that you need to be conscious of,
Bring your heart presence to,
Or there could be some external factor that's affecting you,
Which needs to be looked at,
Could be generational.
So whether you get insights or not,
Continue to rest into your observations,
Trust yourself,
And as you're ready,
If you're journaling today,
Start to write and note whatever you found there in the second chakra space.
If you're not writing today and simply being with your meditation,
Then continue to breathe into Svaristana.
Again,
If you're journaling and you have more to write,
Pause this audio,
Carry on,
Otherwise we'll come up now to the third chakra,
Manipura,
Located for most of us above the navel,
But again,
Take the time to use your own focus,
Concentration and curiosity to feel around,
Up against the spine,
Around or above the navel for a sense of the third chakra.
Putting your attention there and being open to what you feel and sense in terms of a lightness,
Spaciousness,
Heaviness,
Dullness,
Movement,
Perhaps in a figure of eight or a circle,
Or stillness.
If the mind wanders,
Come back,
Place your attention,
Your heart,
Your breath in the Manipura,
Contemplate if it feels heavy and stuck,
What you need to do to keep the energy moving there or bring the energy there.
If it is healthy,
Still be open to any words,
Colours,
Of how to keep this centre alive and well.
Continue to lengthen through the spine and rest the body as you focus on Manipura.
You will notice as you focus and concentrate that there is always a shifting when you first bring your attention to the space.
It may appear one way and then,
Gradually,
You might suddenly feel a movement or a lifting or get a vision,
Or words,
So be open,
Allow,
As long as you're in this observing mode,
In a state of openness and relaxation,
Trust what comes up,
Trust what you feel.
If you're journaling and you'd like to write anything that came up here in the third chakra,
Then take your time to do so,
Otherwise,
Remaining open to the space and continuing to keep your attention gently placed,
Deep in the body,
Behind the navel,
Just above the navel.
Continuing now,
Coming up to the heart chakra,
Anahata,
The connector between our lower chakras,
Our earthy presence,
And the upper chakras.
So,
Located in the centre of the chest,
Along the spine,
Bring your attention to that space,
Feeling around until you get a sense of the centre and what's happening there.
Do you feel open and spacious?
Is it easy to breathe into the heart space?
Or perhaps it feels heavy and it's hard to breathe there,
You might feel a little dull and still.
So,
Without judgement,
First allow yourself to observe what is actually there.
And then,
Depending on what you find,
You might like to ponder and ask what you can do to support the heart chakra,
Or simply stay in your awareness and follow what happens.
Don't be surprised sometimes if nothing is really happening.
It can be for a really long time that we need to be in the space,
Breathe into the space.
So don't have any expectations.
Be open,
Patient,
Calm.
It's enough to be here in a state of presence.
We don't need to make anything happen.
Breathe,
Allow,
Observe.
If you need some more time with the heart chakra today,
Feel free to pause the audio.
If you'd like to write and journal,
To make notes,
Then go ahead.
Otherwise,
Staying in the meditation,
The concentration,
Gently checking in with the body for a moment and being with the heart.
As you're ready,
We'll bring our mental svara,
Our mental concentration,
Up to the throat chakra,
The shuddha.
Take your time to notice the area and find where you feel that the throat chakra is located.
Trust your own sense.
And if you're not sure,
It's okay.
Broaden your awareness to include the area of the throat and start to observe what you feel there.
Beginning with these sensations of spaciousness and lightness,
If our centre is open,
Functioning,
Healthy.
You might feel the circular movement or a figure of eight movement as the chakra flows.
Or it could be that the vishuddha chakra for you today is quiet,
Lacking in flow,
Perhaps feels heavy,
Contracted.
So just begin by placing your awareness in that space and observing what is happening.
Be gentle with yourself,
Remaining open and relaxed.
If the area feels heavy,
You might like to use your breath or prana to breathe into the space.
Or again,
Asking,
Placing the question in the mind's eye,
What do I need to do to support my throat chakra?
And then stepping back again into this wisdom mode and seeing what bubbles up.
If you would like more time,
Take your time.
Otherwise,
Starting to note and write what you observe.
If you're journaling and writing today,
For those of you staying in your meditation,
Gently directing your breath,
Your concentration still in the space of vishuddha,
Throat chakra.
As you're ready,
Bringing your focus up to the third eye,
Ajna chakra.
You're located behind the brow in the centre of the skull.
Take your time to feel around.
You may sense the chakras in a different space slightly,
So again,
Totally trust yourself.
As you focus on one centre,
You might feel that it's connected to another.
For example,
If the third eye is being affected by the heart,
You may feel both of these spaces.
Be open as you experience each centre.
So for now,
Bringing your attention to the third eye,
Ajna chakra.
Seeing if you get this sense of movement or stillness,
Lightness or heaviness.
Can you breathe into the space or does it feel blocked?
Beginning by diagnosing with your awareness what's actually happening in terms of the energy in the centre.
Be open to whatever is there.
And if it's difficult to notice,
Have patience.
Relax,
Breathe,
Observe.
As you get a sense of the ajna chakra,
You can continue to observe and watch what comes up.
Or you can ask,
What can I do to support the energy flow in the third eye?
If you're writing today,
Take your time,
Make notes.
If you're in constant meditation,
Again take a moment to relax through the body.
Check that you're not holding any tension.
Check the breath is open,
Steady.
And rest your awareness for a few more moments on the third eye,
Ajna chakra.
Pause the audio if you need more time to write or to concentrate on this centre.
Or if you're ready,
Start to shift your awareness and come up to the crown chakra,
Sasraha.
Normally we sense this energy centre just above the crown of the head.
Notice if you feel movement up there,
Or if there's no movement and there's a sense of stillness and heaviness.
With that expectation and with an open heart,
Allow yourself to watch and observe the crown chakra.
Whenever you're ready,
If you'd like to ask specifically into the space what it may need to function well,
To be open,
To have this free flow of energy.
You can ask what it is that you need to do to support your crown,
Your connection to spirit,
To nature.
And then simply listen,
See what comes up.
As you like,
You can start to write and make notes.
Otherwise,
Again,
Feel free to pause,
Spend some more time.
Or if you're not writing today,
Taking these last few minutes to settle into the crown,
Open up,
Breathe into the space.
Accept and allow what is there.
Trust that the presence itself is enough.
To finish today,
We'll let go of our concentration on the crown.
Come back to the breath in general.
Feel the prana,
The air,
Coming into the whole body.
Take a few deep breaths.
And for two breaths we'll breathe in and then release through the mouth.
So breathing in.
One more in your own time.
And then if it feels good,
You can start to wake up the body by taking small stretches.
And then bigger stretches.
And maybe a little shake.
And to ground ourselves back in the physical body,
Annamaya Kosha,
We're just going to gently tap,
Starting with one hand and one arm.
So feel your physical body travelling around to the other side,
Around behind to the neck and the shoulders,
The chest.
So just work your way around the belly.
And if you're sitting or laying,
As your position allows,
Grounding through the lower body.
And taking a moment to notice the quality of your being after your meditation.
And as you're ready,
Doing whatever you need to come out of this focused one hour chakra practice.
Tak phirir namaskaram,
Namaste.
Thank you.
