Welcome to practice.
So this is one of my favourite techniques and I come back to it any time that I'm feeling a little bit overwhelmed or scattered.
It helps to soothe the stress centres of the brain,
Guiding an overstimulated and overactive mind back towards a feeling of steadiness and ease.
So let's dive straight in.
Start by finding a comfortable seat.
If you're sitting in a chair make sure that both feet are grounded,
Hip distance apart.
And then whatever seat you do decide to take,
Begin to lengthen through your spine,
Close down the eyes.
Take a moment to pause,
Feel the body in space and start to sense how it can very gently contain you within your experience.
Anchor through the tailbone,
Lift slightly through the crown of head and then allow your shoulders to soften and the belly to completely relax.
Bring your attention to the breath.
Let it become fuller.
Starting to work with abdominal diaphragmatic breathing.
As you continue refine the breath so that it feels smooth and fluid like this steady reassuring stream that rolls into and then back out of the body.
Notice that as the breath becomes more present the mind follows suit.
There's this feeling that a very subtle awareness begins to awaken within you.
Let's begin to heighten that feeling of awareness by shaping the breath with more purpose.
So now as you continue,
Let each inhale be for a count of four and each exhale for a long count of eight.
Breath out will feel twice as long as the breath in.
Inhales for four,
Long exhale for eight.
It's your internal rhythm so despite lengthening some of the breath it never wants to feel strained or forced.
Just soft,
Smooth and steady.
In for four and a long breath out for eight.
Then as the pattern becomes more familiar start to lean into the unique feeling tone of each exhale.
Notice how each long breath out feels soothing,
Calming.
As the breath empties feel the mind empty too.
Perhaps already you feel that invitation towards turning in and becoming just a little bit more quiet.
Now as we continue we'll add the application of kumbhaka or breath suspension.
Inhale stays at four,
Keep the exhale at eight and now at the bottom of each exhale pause and hold the breath out for four.
So that's in for four,
Out for eight and then your pause and hold out for four.
Each long exhale is like the mind emptying,
Tension releasing and every time you pause as the breath stands still feel the mind stand still too.
Each long breath out and emptying and each pause that glimpse of spacious awareness.
Really great.
Now as you continue we'll shift the breath slightly.
Keep the inhale at four,
Lengthen your exhale to ten and at the end of the breath out just pause and hold the breath out for two.
So it's in for four,
Out for ten,
Pause hold out for two.
Feel each of those long exhales as a wave of relief.
Every pause you linger in the heart of stillness.
Then we'll shift the breath once more.
Your inhale will stay at four.
No more suspension,
So no more holding the breath out and instead of counting the exhale just breathe out for as long as is possible.
So that's inhale for four and then remaining soft,
Breathing out and feeling as if the exhale could stretch out infinitely.
Really tune into the emptying quality of each of those long exhales.
It's as if with every breath out the mind becomes more quiet,
Tension and stress begin to dissolve.
Take just a couple more rounds of breath like that.
Sensing with the exhale that you empty and empty and empty just so that you can be here.
There's no rush.
Whenever you do complete that final round let go of all technique.
Feel the breath unwind and over time how it gently settles into its own perfect rhythm.
Instead of shaping the breath you quietly sit back and watch the body breathe.
Nothing to do,
Just awareness and the effortless flow of your breath.
Start to sense a profound quality of quietude like a steady stream of unsurpassable calm emanates from within you outwards.
For the next minute or two rest your attention on that steady stream of calm.
Begin to deepen the breath.
Feel how the breath pulls you back into the body.
Just as much as you begin to sense the gentle hustle and bustle of life rippling back through.
Also notice a space within you that remains quiet,
Still,
Completely at rest.
And then trusting that you get to bring that space back into life with you.
You can gently bow your chin towards the chest.
Take one final full breath.
With that exhale feel a complete softening and then in whatever way feels good for you.
You can gently make your way back into life.
