Hello and welcome.
This is Autumn Adams.
I am the owner and founder of Ambuja Yoga.
Today I'm sharing with you a practice called reading your own room.
This practice is for those of us who read the room really well.
This is a practice for the people pleasers,
A practice for the people that hold it all together,
The people that are excellent at not rocking the boat,
The people that are resilient.
Maybe you're the person that is resilient but also exhausted.
This practice is for you so you can resource and live a life that is in alignment with who you are.
And so this is a practice just to guide you inward to read your own room and to tap back into that inner wisdom that is within you,
Within your body,
Within your spirit.
So first,
Before you begin,
I'd love for you to actually change your room,
Change your location.
So if you are inside in a yoga studio,
If you are in your bedroom,
Go somewhere else,
Maybe out on the back porch,
Maybe to a park,
Maybe into the kitchen.
Maybe you sit on the floor or sit in a chair.
Just do something a little bit different.
Maybe you sit on the edge of your bed,
The front steps.
Maybe you go out to your car if you need.
So literally shift your physical position.
And then I'd love for you to put your phone on do not disturb and set a timer.
Let's set a seven minute timer.
And once you get settled,
Go ahead and close down your eyes.
Just allow the eyelids to become heavy.
If that is not comfortable for you,
Perhaps just a soft gaze and begin to tune your awareness to your breath.
Breathing in and out through your nose.
Slowing the breath down if possible.
Take about five or so more rounds of breath.
In and out through the nose.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing challenging.
No need to do anything more.
Just breathe.
Few more rounds of breath.
Just enough to begin to feel yourself settle.
And as you settle,
Allow yourself to ground.
Feel the support of your seat beneath you.
Feel the upward rise of your spine.
The slow rhythm of breath and heart.
And then ask yourself one question.
Not five,
Just one.
What is actually happening in me right now?
What is actually happening in me right now?
Not what should be happening.
Not what makes sense.
Not what's reasonable or expected.
What is actually here right now?
Is it tightness?
Irritation?
Fatigue?
Stress?
Anger?
Grief?
Relief?
Let it be messy.
And if you're feeling light or joyful or fulfilled,
Notice that too.
But really give yourself permission to explore the shadow without editing it.
Gently just scanning through your body.
Noticing where that lives.
Is it in your jaw?
Your shoulders?
Your chest?
Your belly?
Maybe the pelvic floor?
Maybe your brow?
Notice here,
Where are you bracing?
Where are you holding?
You don't have to fix it.
Simply notice it.
Allowing this awareness to give you information.
That bracing,
That holding,
That is information.
Lately,
I've been noticing it in my chest and my upper back.
That subtle holding.
See what you discover.
And then ask one more question.
Where am I keeping everyone else comfortable?
Let whatever surface,
Surface.
No judgment.
No justification.
No defensiveness.
Just data.
Just information.
Information that we can use to align with ourselves.
Before you get up or do anything else,
Commit to making just one small micro-adjustment.
Not a life overhaul.
Just one little shift.
And maybe it's going to bed earlier.
Five minutes earlier.
Fifteen minutes earlier.
Perhaps it's not responding to that email tonight.
Perhaps it's saying no to something that you've really been wanting to say no to,
But you just haven't done it yet.
Maybe it's saying yes to booking that three-night trip,
That long weekend.
And maybe it's letting someone else be mildly disappointed.
Commit yourself to making just one small micro-adjustment.
Just one.
All you need to do is stop overriding your own inner signals.
Your own inner wisdom.
That light that's within.
Reading your own room.
It's not about doing anything big or showy or dramatic.
It's about self-respect and honoring and self-trust.
You create strength.
Inner strength.
Inner fortitude without armor.
Let me know what you noticed during this practice.
Any wisdom or insight.
Let me know what this small shift is you're going to make.
Thank you so much for joining me for this practice.
