This is Joshua Young and you are listening to Befriend the Breath.
In this practice,
We will be exploring the side body and how the breath resides within it.
Start by coming into the most comfortable posture as you can.
Use anything you might need to deepen your pose.
Take the next few moments to gather all the items that you might need and once you get yourself into a position so comfortable that there is no need to shift or move,
Just start to breathe.
Inhaling through the nose,
Exhaling through the nose,
Just allowing the breath to be as natural as you can in this moment.
Continue breathing this breath as natural as possible,
Breathing in through the nose,
Exhaling through the nose,
Just allowing the body to be.
Continue breathing without judging the breath,
Simply allow the breath to be and just take the next few moments to continue breathing into the belly.
Continue breathing this way,
In through the nose and out of the nose.
On the next inhale,
Bring the palms to the ribs and allow them to rest here.
Bring the attention to the side body.
You might find that breathing into the belly first is the best way to fill the side body,
So you might start there.
Breathing into the belly for a few seconds and allowing the breath to rise on its own,
Expanding into the side body.
On the exhale,
The air will release and the side body should move back towards the center and the belly should drop back towards the spine.
Continue exploring this breath,
Breathing in,
Filling up a piece of the belly and using the rest of the belly to expand the side body.
Exhaling through the nose,
Allow everything to come back to the center.
Continue this breath,
Focusing the attention on the side body.
Notice what you notice during this practice.
Notice the quality of the breath as you move the breath throughout the body.
You might feel or notice a lightness within the body.
Notice the importance of moving the breath throughout the body and continue this breath without judgment.
Inhaling through the nose,
Exhaling out of the nose,
Filling the body and moving the breath into the side body and releasing.
Take the next few moments on your own to continue this breath.
Breathing in through the nose,
Filling up the belly and the side body,
Exhaling through the nose,
Releasing the side body and allowing the belly to drop back towards the spine.
On the next exhale,
Bring the attention to the belly.
If you decide to continue with this practice,
Please do.
Otherwise bring the attention to the body.
Maybe you start to move the fingers.
Maybe you start to move the toes.
Do whatever it is you need to do in order to bring yourself back into this space.
Take your time doing just that.
Bringing the attention back to the body and back into the space around you.
You might turn over onto one of your sides,
Gently pushing yourself up into a comfortable seat,
Bringing the palms to touch at heart center and taking the next few moments to acknowledge yourself in whichever way you see fit.
Thank you for breathing with me.
