Welcome.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
Our focus is on the breath.
In yoga,
This is called pranayama,
A Sanskrit word.
Prana means life force and yama means to control.
So pranayama means to control the breath.
By focusing on our breath,
We gain more control over our body.
For example,
Rapid,
Shallow breaths give us energy and help us to stay more awake and alert.
A slow,
Calm breath,
On the other hand,
Decreases our heart rate and makes us more relaxed.
In meditation,
We want a natural breath,
Whether shallow or deep,
Fast or slow.
However,
It is helpful to understand how breath and body are connected and how we can use the breath to become more mindful.
Let's get settled.
Find a comfortable spot,
A cushion,
Chair or mat.
For this meditation,
You may wish to close your eyes to more fully focus on your breath.
We will do four breathing techniques today to help us relax and to become more mindful.
If at any time a breathing exercise feels uncomfortable,
Stop and return to your regular breathing pattern.
Let's begin with the breath of surrender.
This requires us to take a deep inhale through the nose,
A signal to the body to relax,
And then a laudable exhale.
This will help to bring a softness and an awareness to our meditation.
It also invites the mind to let go of unnecessary thoughts and become more present.
It is especially helpful in some ways to ease the transition from a busy day,
But can be used at any time where you begin to feel tension.
We're going to do two breaths of surrender,
Breathing in through the nose and then sighing it out through the mouth.
Let us try that now.
And one more inhale,
Exhale.
We'll now do a simple breathing technique that will help calm our sympathetic nervous system,
That fight,
Flight or freeze response,
While activating our parasympathetic nervous system,
That rest and digest response in the body.
This regulated breathing technique where the exhalation is longer than the inhalation can change your overall mood after only five minutes.
We're going to breathe in for a count of four and exhale for a count of six.
If you'd like to extend your inhales and exhales,
Please do that.
Let's breathe in through the nose and out through the nose.
Let's start.
Breathing in for a count of one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Exhale,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Let's do it one more time together and then I will give you a minute to do it on your own.
Breathing in through the nose,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Exhaling through the nose,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
And now I will let you do it on your own.
Welcome back.
We're now going to do a technique called alternate nostril breathing.
This will help you to feel calmer.
It requires the use of your thumb and your middle finger.
We're going to position them on either side of our nostril.
We're going to inhale deeply through our left nostril while holding the right nostril closed with the thumb.
Now we'll close off the left nostril and exhale through the right.
Inhale through the right,
Close off the right nostril and exhale through the left.
We'll now repeat the process focusing on the inflow and outflow of breath.
Let's give it a try.
Inhale deeply through your left nostril while holding your right nostril closed with your right thumb.
Now close off your left nostril and exhale through your right nostril.
Inhale through the right nostril,
Close off the right nostril and exhale through your left nostril.
I'm going to give you a minute to try this on your own.
It's a way to relax and to focus,
Helping us to be more mindful and more aware.
Welcome back.
We're on our last breathing technique for this meditation.
This is intended to help us relax and focus.
It also involves imagery or phrases.
It includes the breath of surrender,
Which in some ways brings us back to where we started our meditation.
So let's begin by breathing naturally.
Don't try to change how you're breathing.
Just be aware of your breath and its own rhythm.
How does that feel?
How does it sound?
Now take two or three deep breaths.
Can you feel a difference between your natural rhythm and deepening the breath?
Do you hear a difference?
Does your belly rise and fall with the breath?
Does your chest move?
Let's try this.
Place one hand below your belly button,
Keeping your belly relaxed.
Now breathe in.
Let out an audible exhale that is surrendering the breath.
Did you notice your stomach rise and fall or your chest rising and falling?
What we'd like to do now is add a little something to this technique.
We're going to imagine a picture or say some words that will encourage relaxation.
For example,
As you breathe in,
Envision a warm yellow light flowing throughout your body,
Infusing your cells and your veins and your muscles,
Or say to yourself,
Breathing in peace and serenity.
As you exhale,
Picture tension and stress leaving the body and being welcomed into the universe,
Or say to yourself,
Breathing out tension and anxiety.
Let's try this together.
Breathe in,
Bathe in a bright light,
Or say to yourself,
Breathing in tranquility.
Exhale.
See what is unwanted,
Leave the body,
Or say,
Letting go of what I no longer need.
This technique can be done for longer and longer periods,
At least 20 minutes in many cases,
And is a meditation in and of itself.
I'm going to leave you for a few minutes now to try it on your own.
Welcome back,
And welcome back to your natural breath.
We are at the end of our time together today.
Thank you for meditating with me.
The light in me sees the light in you.
We are on.
Namaste.
