The practice I have for you today is a breath and mantra practice.
The mantra is SO HUM,
Which translates as I am that.
I'm Rebecca Ryan and I'll be your guide for this practice.
We'll start this practice sitting with eyes opened,
Finding somewhere comfortable where you can settle in for this practice.
Noticing where your body is touching the floor or the chair.
Take a moment to lengthen your spine and feel a lightness in your shoulders and in your chest,
While at the same time feeling grounded through your sitting bones.
Adjusting yourself now so you feel like you're long and strong,
But not rigid.
Finding your comfortable seat for this practice.
Once you're in your comfortable seat,
Gently close your eyes or have them downcast.
Inhaling consciously filling up your lungs and then sighing out through parted lips like doing this twice more.
Inhaling,
Feeling the energy in your body and softening as you exhale like a sigh.
One more deep full conscious breath and a releasing,
Relaxing exhale.
Then allow your breath to settle,
Inhaling and exhaling at your nostrils.
Keeping your mouth closed if that's available to you.
Without forcing or straining,
Notice your breath as it enters and leaves your nostrils.
In this noticing,
You may notice a different temperature of the inhale and of the exhale.
Awareness of the breath as it leaves and enters your body through your nostrils.
And to this breath awareness,
We're going to add the mantra.
On the inhale,
You say silently to yourself,
So.
And on the exhale,
You say hum.
Trying that now,
Inhaling so,
Exhaling hum.
Doing this a few more times with the rhythm of your breath.
As you get used to the mantra,
Perhaps you can notice the pause at the top of the lungs when you're inhaling,
So so,
Pause,
Hum,
Pause.
Trying this now,
Noticing that pause.
If that's not comfortable for you,
Returning just to the mantra without the pause,
So hum.
I am that.
Keeping the mantra going,
See if you can notice the response in your body to the mantra.
How does it feel to you to say this mantra?
Do you notice any tension or softness in your body?
Inhaling so,
Exhaling hum.
Noticing your body and your body's response to the mantra.
Just for a little longer,
So hum.
Beautiful.
Preparing to release the mantra the next time you finish your exhale.
And stay with the noticing of the breath and the body's reaction to the breath.
Inhale and exhale.
Narrowing the focus of the breath now to the nostrils.
Noticing that inhale and exhale at the nostrils.
Perhaps returning to the sensation and noticing a difference in the temperature.
Temperature of the inhale breath compared with the exhale.
And releasing now the breath awareness.
Returning to the awareness of your body seated as you are.
Noticing your posture.
Noticing when you contact the floor,
The chair or any other supports that you have for your body in this practice.
Noticing.
And as we prepare to end this practice,
You just gently blink your eyes until they're open.
Taking one deep conscious breath and a sighing exhale.
Releasing any tension in your body.
Releasing the practice.
With your eyes open,
Smile.
Maybe roll your shoulders,
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Yawn,
Stretch.
Doing what feels good to you to finish off this practice.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
Namaste.
