Today's practice,
We're going to work with what's called the Pali Mudra.
The Pali Mudra,
We're going to bring the index finger is going to go in front of the middle finger and then we take the ring finger and the thumb together.
And we're going to turn our hands upright on the lap.
You can do this sitting,
You could do this lying down.
The hand mudra you could do if you're lying down,
You could just have your arms resting to your sides and that would be really a lovely way to practice today as well.
So this Pali Mudra,
The Pali Mudra is a gesture of,
Well Pali means shelter in Sanskrit.
This mudra helps to enhance our sense of trust and support.
And trust in Sanskrit means,
There is Shraddha.
And Shraddha is literally where we place our heart,
Where we place our faith.
And in this gesture,
Looking back in not only this practice that we've been doing in meditation,
But also maybe in the past year,
You can kind of flashback to what you've done and what you've been able to overcome.
And certainly might not have been perfect,
We might not have said the perfect things,
We might not have done the perfect things,
But we always have this guide that has brought us to where we are today and that has brought us to this meditation practice.
So go ahead and close your eyes if that's comfortable and safe for you.
And we'll bring our attention to this Pali Mudra.
And this Pali Mudra also helps to cultivate full yogic breathing.
So full yogic breathing is the chest,
The ribs,
And the abdomen activating the diaphragm.
So as you find your posture,
Placing your heart in this practice,
Feel that fullness of your breath.
So the chest,
The ribs,
The abdomen,
The full yogic breathing,
Three-part yogic breath.
And also this Pali Mudra helps to cultivate strong back,
Soft front.
So breathing in,
The collarbones broaden,
The shoulders broaden,
The side ribs,
The front ribs,
The back ribs expand,
And your belly expands.
And as you breathe out,
There's a slight contraction,
The belly,
The ribs,
And the chest.
Don't worry,
There's no right or wrong.
Just feel the expansion of the breath,
The three-part yogic breath.
We don't have to break it down specifically in those three parts,
But we can feel the three dimensions of our breath,
Both rising upward and downward.
Broadly,
The front and back.
And begin to attune to the wisdom,
The wisdom of your inner guide that brought you here or that navigated you through the challenges of the past year,
Reflecting how your inner guide that even during the times of maybe doubt and uncertainty,
Ultimately,
Those challenges maybe became areas for growth and that brought you to this practice.
And certainly,
There may have been some outward guides along the way,
Meditation teachers,
Yoga teachers,
Mentors,
But the inner wisdom goes beyond those techniques,
Those teachers and philosophies.
And so trust in the wisdom of your heart.
Begin to soften and relax into the three-part yogic breath,
Into the wisdom of your heart.
Feel anxiety and worry.
Begin to kind of melt away and begin to see the positive benefits from this practice,
Even the fluctuations and the doubts.
There must have been some times when you felt confident,
When you felt sure of your path,
Of your decisions,
Your choices,
Your words,
Your actions,
Your deeds.
Where did you place your heart?
Where do you place it now?
Begin the trust and faith as you move forward on your path and into the next cycle.
The rhythmic breathing helps to instill equanimity,
Helps us remain focused,
Pacifies peace.
I'd like to invite you to this affirmation as if my words were your own words.
And we'll say them three times.
You can say them out loud if you like.
I trust in my inner guidance and I move forward with confidence.
I trust in my inner guidance and I move forward with confidence.
I trust in my inner guidance and I move forward with confidence.
I trust in my inner guidance and I move forward with confidence.
I trust in my inner guidance and I move forward with confidence.
I trust in my inner guidance and I move forward with confidence.
I trust in my inner guidance and I move forward with confidence.
I trust in my inner guidance and I move forward with confidence.
I trust in my inner guidance and I move forward with confidence.
If your hands are still in that mudra,
Go ahead and release the mudra.
Maybe wiggle the fingers,
Circle the wrists.
I'm going to use the palm to maintain this open position,
Open palm position.
And if your eyes are closed,
I invite you to open your eyes now and welcome in the sights and sounds of your surroundings,
The surface beneath you.
I'm going to use the palm to maintain this open position.
