So today we're going to do a pranayama.
It's actually like a meditation preparation technique called kaya stharyam.
It's a really interesting technique to help still the body.
Because oftentimes when we want to meditate or do a pranayama,
It's hard,
Right?
It's hard to keep our bodies still.
There's just so many twitches and pains and aches and things and then we can't sit there and then we're distracted and then we think,
Oh,
I don't know how to meditate.
I don't know how to do this.
And kaya stharyam is something that you can do and it doesn't have to be led by me or anything.
Like once you get a sense of what we're doing,
You can just simply sit and do it yourself before you do any kind of meditation.
Kaya means body and stharyam means steadiness.
So it creates a steadiness in the body so that we can meditate.
So that's what we're going to do today.
So find a comfortable meditative posture.
Maybe it's sitting cross-legged,
But we want to make sure that you're very comfortable.
So make sure you have enough pillows that your legs are easily crossed.
Maybe you're sitting on a chair and you're sitting upright,
But you're comfortable.
There's nothing pinching or there's no strain.
Sitting nice and tall,
Allowing a crown of your head to the ceiling,
Chin tucked in.
Begin to breathe deeply.
Finding the belly,
The ribs,
The upper chest as you inhale,
Contracting as you exhale.
Just become aware of your whole body.
Do a little body scan with your inner eye.
Just be aware if there are any spots that are uncomfortable or sore or warm or cold.
The way kaya stharyam works is to actually hyper-focus on the body,
Which seems the opposite,
But it works quite magically.
And now I want you to imagine that you are a tree.
I want you to feel great roots going down into the earth,
Down into the center,
And feeling that steadiness of the earth flowing up through your body.
Feel your body as the trunk of that tree.
Really begin to feel those roots stretching down,
Stretching out,
Connecting with every part of your energy.
And now I'd like you to flow through your body and notice anywhere that has pain or any sensation at all.
And I want you to find that one spot and focus only on that.
Allow all other thoughts and sensations to go away,
But focus on that one spot.
Maybe it's in your hip or your feet underneath you or in your neck or your shoulders.
We're going to take a few breaths,
Focusing just on that one spot that's uncomfortable.
It could just be even one of your feet sitting under you as you sit cross-legged.
And continue your scan just flowing through.
Is there another spot that you're aware of?
Is it just slightly uncomfortable?
Is it very uncomfortable?
And focus there to the exclusion of everything else and breathe deeply.
Then let's focus on our right foot.
Really feel that right foot.
Is it hot?
Is it cold?
Is it squished?
Is it happy?
And visualize it in your mind.
What does your foot look like?
Really focus on it.
How does it feel right now?
Then think about your left foot.
Really focus on your left foot.
Is it hot?
Is it cold?
Is it free?
Is it squished?
What does it look like right now in your mind's eye?
Then let's think about our left calf,
Our shin,
The lower half of our leg.
What does it feel like?
What about your right shin,
Calf,
Lower half of your leg?
What about your knees?
What does your right knee feel like right now?
Can you picture it in your mind?
What about your left knee?
What does it feel like?
What do the bones look like inside?
The ligaments,
The tendons,
The skin around them?
Then what about your left thigh,
Your left hamstring,
Your left quadricep?
What does that feel like?
What does it look like right now in the posture you're sitting?
What about your right thigh,
Quadricep,
Hamstring?
What does it feel like?
If you imagine your entire lower body,
Both legs,
Feet,
Ankles,
Knees,
Just focus on the energy flowing through them.
All sensations are welcome,
All feelings.
Then moving into our hips.
What do your hips feel like right now?
What do they look like right now?
Then into your belly,
What does it feel like?
Are there sensations,
Digestion,
Heat,
Movement?
Imagine the organs,
The intestines,
The liver,
The stomach,
Pancreas,
All breathing within our bellies.
And feel into your spine.
See these beautiful vertebrae stacked up on each other with lovely cushions between them.
How does it feel right now?
Honestly,
Let's focus on what it really feels like.
And breathe deeply.
Then let's go into our upper chest,
Our rib cage,
Our lungs,
Our heart.
Feel the natural movement,
The natural expansion and contraction.
What does it feel like?
Does it feel open,
Flowing?
Is there contraction?
Then let's move up into the collarbone and the shoulders.
How do they feel right now?
Can you visualize the shoulders,
The bone structure,
The joint?
Then moving down your right arm.
What does your right arm feel like right now?
The upper arm,
Your elbow,
Your forearm,
Your hands,
Your fingers,
Your wrists.
Really dive into what that feels like right now.
Then let's look at our left arm.
Shoulder,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Palm of your hand,
Your fingers.
What do they all feel like right now?
Warm,
Cool?
Have they fallen asleep?
Are they tingling?
Let's move up into our face,
Our head,
Our neck.
What sensations do you have in your neck right now?
These magical vertebrae that allow our head to float on top of our spine,
Kind of miraculously.
What does it feel like right now?
Then feel your face,
The skin around your eyes,
Your forehead,
Your mouth,
Your cheeks,
Your jaw.
What do your ears feel like right now?
Can you picture them?
Your scalp?
What does it feel like right now?
Then adjust your posture slightly to raise your crown chakra,
The top of your head up to the ceiling a little.
Let your chin tuck in,
Let your spine be straight.
And let's be perfectly still like statues.
And we repeat the inner mantra that I am still like a statue.
Even if I want to move,
I will do that later.
For now,
I am still.
And we're just gonna breathe deeply in this stillness,
Focusing on your breath,
Focusing on that inner sanctuary inside of you.
We're just gonna breathe.
We're just gonna breathe with each source of our awareness.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
