For this,
I encourage you to try and allow your body to be your teacher.
The goal is to link your breath with gentle movement and to take your time to be with each moment.
Try to be in your body without judgment or self-criticism about how the body should feel or move.
For this practice,
I recommend using a firm straight-backed chair.
So take a moment to begin settling into position,
Sitting up straight with your shoulders over your hips,
Knees directly above your ankles,
Hands resting gently on the thighs and feet flat on the floor.
If you're shorter,
It can feel quite nice to have some yoga blocks or maybe a rolled-up blanket or some pillows underneath the feet.
Or if you're a little bit taller,
It can be helpful to put a rolled-up blanket or pillows and sit on that as well.
Now gently closing down the eyes and just placing your hands below the belly button,
Either on top of each other or side by side.
And just taking a moment to settle into this position,
Taking a couple of deep breaths in and out.
Perhaps feeling the warmth of your hands on your belly.
Noticing the quality of the breath in the abdomen.
Just listening to my voice and knowing that I am with you in any moments of silence.
Taking some slow deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Now slowly moving your hands to your lower ribs,
Gently placing them there and again noticing the warmth of your hands in this area.
Noticing your breath in the ribcage and the way your ribcage expands and contracts with each in-breath and each out-breath.
Lastly,
Moving your hands to the highest part of your chest,
Just below the collarbones.
Gently resting them there.
Inviting a greater sense of ease into the body with each breath.
Again noticing the quality of each breath in the chest.
Directing your attention now to the spine and noticing the way your shoulder blades hug your back.
Returning your attention to the sensation of the breath in the body.
Taking a few moments to breathe.
Inviting a sense of ease into the body with each breath.
Taking a few more last deep breaths for this practice.
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Again in through the nose and out through the mouth.
And when you're ready,
Slowly opening your eyes.
