This is a practice to help develop a relationship with the body and the breath,
Leading to a relaxed and centered body and mind.
The body must have regular periods of relaxation.
One way to include this in your everyday life is to use your own breathing.
Now it does not have to consist of complicated or demanding practices,
But rather to be at ease with a steady,
Even breath rhythm in a relaxed and calm way.
Developing a relationship with this basic calm breath rhythm plays an important part in all forms of yoga,
In all aspects of life.
Breathing practices in yoga are referred to as pranayama.
Prana meaning life force energy and yama meaning discipline.
Now when practiced daily,
This will help to keep the harmonizing rhythm of your breath at a slow and steady pace and it will bring about the automatic continuation of that rhythm without any effort of the will.
When this technique becomes second nature,
You will always have the doorway to calmness open wide.
So please get ready for the practice,
Making yourself comfortable sitting upright.
Make sure your spine is elongated,
But not rigid.
Or you may prefer to lie flat on a firm surface.
As preparation for this practice,
Please make sure you have steadied your breathing and that you feel relaxed.
So an unhurried but short body scan is necessary.
I'll guide that through with you now.
So in your comfortable place,
Just allow your eyes to lightly close.
Allow your lower jaw to drop a little bit,
Ensuring that you're not clenching your teeth.
Or frowning.
Now let your shoulders drop.
Release any heaviness or burden that you may habitually carry.
Shoulders drop.
Arms,
Hands and fingers soften and relax.
Just let go.
And feel your spine and your back just giving in a little,
Allowing any rigidity to drop away,
But remaining upright.
Your chest is open,
Open and relaxed.
Allow your abdominal muscles to relax.
Feel your hips.
Let your hips drop apart a little.
And then take that easy feeling down through your legs,
Your thighs,
Your knees,
Lower legs,
Ankles,
Feet and toes.
So just be with that feeling of ease in your body now.
And you're ready for the practice.
With your mind nice and steady and still,
Breathe now.
Your mind is resting on your natural breath,
Maintaining to the best of your ability evenness of breath.
Allow that evenness to settle in.
Do not force.
Relax and breathe.
Relax and breathe.
Now gently heightening your awareness.
And as you breathe in,
Feel that you're taking in the breath of the Universal Spirit,
Life force energy.
Maintaining the even flow of your breath in and out.
As you breathe in,
Feel that you are taking in the breath of the Universal Spirit.
And then just allow the exhalation to slowly flow from your body.
Keeping that thought in mind,
Breathe evenly.
Stay with the breath now.
Your inhalations take in the breath of the Universal Spirit.
And your exhalations are soft and easy.
Stay with that breath for a few moments.
And now as you breathe in,
Be aware that on a physical level,
The nervous system is steadied and calmed.
So that life currents flow harmoniously.
Keep the rhythm of your breath gently in and out.
As you inhale,
Be aware that on a physical level,
The nervous system is steadied and calmed.
And that the life currents flow harmoniously through your body.
Keeping that thought in mind now.
Continue to breathe evenly,
Staying with the breath.
And as you breathe the next inhalation,
Be aware on a mental level that the mind is released from external disturbances.
So as to become open and receptive to divine guidance.
Keep the rhythm even and relaxed.
As you inhale,
Your awareness is on a mental level.
The mind releasing from external disturbances and becoming open and receptive to divine guidance.
Allowing always for the exhalation to softly leave the body.
Keeping this thought in mind,
Breathe evenly and again stay with the breath.
Stay with that thought.
And now bringing your mind back,
Back to your body.
Just check that relationship that you have with the body,
Breath and mind.
The mind is calm and quiet.
Just be there for a few moments.
This is a way to train the mind and thus help to quieten a restless mind.
Of course,
There's nothing wrong with thinking when we need to.
It's absolutely necessary at times.
But training the mind to be still,
Taking time to relax and quieten the mind will allow you to think more clearly and thus make better decisions and choices in life.
Practice often.
Remember never to force the breath.
Allow it always to take you to a place of calm so as to radiate peace and love into the world and to give you a feeling of inner peace.
You might like to sit quietly now for a little while before you end your practice.
But I leave you now and give you love and blessings.
