And this gentle breathing practice may serve in bringing focus and balance back to the body,
Back to the mind,
Through the breath,
Restoring a sense of peace and calm,
And taking a moment to arrive to the practice,
Arriving home to the body,
Establishing a steady posture,
Seated on a chair or on your mat,
Sensing that connection to the earth,
Noticing the wholeness of the body and presence,
And stable,
Steady,
And connected,
And gently and kindly turning your attention to the body,
Scanning through the body,
Perhaps noticing the soles of the feet connected to the floor or the mat,
Sense the pelvis heavy on the chair,
And feel into the length and extension of the spine as it reaches towards the sky,
Feel into the vibrations of the body,
Considering an alertness in a relaxed way,
Loosening or releasing any gripping or clenching in the shoulder area,
Loosening the jaw,
Softening through the throat,
Allowing the face to relax,
And touching in on the breath,
The breath in the body,
Just noticing the breath as it moves through the body in a natural way,
Allowing a release of any thoughts or emotions,
If it's ever-present,
Just allow a release,
Returning to the body and to the breath connected to the earth.
I'd like to invite you to practice this gentle alternate nostril breathing in a more energetic way without the use of the hands,
And no forcing or constricting the breath,
Just allowing the hands to rest,
Perhaps relaxed on the thighs,
Connecting with your body,
Gathering and cultivating a breath that is calm,
Steady,
And sustainable,
And gently guiding your attention to the left sit bone,
Energetically drawing the air from the base of the left sit bone,
And lifting and extending that breath all the way up through the entire length of the left side of the body,
And sensing the cool air as it enters the left nostril to the crown of the head,
And then gently releasing the breath through the right nostril,
Sensing and feeling into the breath and the body as the air travels to the right sit bone,
Inhaling from the base of the right sit bone,
Extend and lengthen,
Noticing the temperature of the air as you inhale through the right nostril,
And then slowly releasing a cleansing breath through the left nostril,
And sensing the softening in the body.
Inhale drawing in from the base of the body on the left side into the left nostril,
And then exhale cleansing through the right,
Inhaling energy and vitality from your steady foundation on the right side,
And then exhale cleansing breath through the left.
And continuing here for three more breaths,
Focusing your attention,
Perhaps inhaling what needs to be brought forth to balance,
And exhale noticing any resistance or blockages.
Two more breaths,
Inhaling and exhaling.
And then on the next inhale,
Drawing in a deeper fuller breath through both nostrils,
And sensing how the breath fills the body,
Expands the side body,
The front body,
And the back of the body.
Then exhale,
Softening and releasing.
Now allowing the whole body to breathe,
The whole body breathing here,
Slow intentional breath,
Soften and released,
Energized and vital,
The body in wholeness and unity.
Exhaling our breathing practice here,
Bringing the hands together at heart center if that feels comfortable,
Perhaps allowing fingertips to touch and a space between the palms,
And sensing this wholeness in this connection.
And this concludes our breathing practice.
