Day 2 for the 21-Day Dhyana Sadhana, 21-Day Meditation Practice daily online retreat as we approach Divali 2024.
In this meditation I have guided you to deeply relax and bring the body into a place of ease. As you hold that posture of ease in the body, the entire being begins to follow and enter into that state of relaxation. This is an important technique to absorb, not only for the longevity and wellness of your Divine instrument of the physical body, but also learning how to hold yourself at ease which can take you to deeper meditative experiences.
Our intro from today. Let's remember the vital role of this body on our spiritual path.
Meditation Transcript
Coming into our meditation posture.
That's good. I can feel you focusing inside already in our group connection. Close your eyes. Just stay in tune with me through my voice and take a moment just to affirm. Here you are. Here I am, dwelling in this body, experiencing this world. Just notice. Tune into your breathing. When you exhale, make sure to empty your lungs completely. When you inhale, explore really filling the lungs, stretching the lungs to its capacity. And I invite you to feel the sacredness of each deep breath. As I said before, breathing is connected to life. With each breath, you are holding the life in your body. Isn't that a power? Observe the flow of your breath, and in particular, observe the movement of the diaphragm, that muscle at the base of your lungs that controls your breathing. When you breathe in and you're filling the lungs, the diaphragm is moving down in your body, making space in your lungs. When you breathe out, the diaphragm is moving up in your chest, squeezing and pushing the air out of your lungs. Begin by trying to relax your diaphragm as you breathe. Relaxation on the inhale. Relaxation on the exhale. Really seeking to feel that muscle. It has a large surface and it can stretch quite a bit. Explore it as you breathe. You will know if the diaphragm is tense because you will feel a vibration at the end of the inhale or at the end of the exhale. There will be a subtle tension, subtle rigidity in the diaphragm. We want the breath to be smooth, a very smooth flow in and out, and to feel the stretch and the elasticity of the diaphragm. That's when it's relaxed. When the diaphragm is relaxed, it has a powerful effect in triggering relaxation through the entire body. Can you feel the entire surface of the diaphragm? It's connected to the front of the ribs and also to the back of the ribs. Make sure you're getting the sensation in the front and back of your body and explore the fullness of breath. Stretch the ribcage and feel it relaxed as you exhale. I can feel how much my lungs and that chest area really needed this. The stretch feels so good and satisfying. This is the releasing of the chin tension in the breathing. In the breathing apparatus. Let your breathing become free and at ease where there is no mental pattern. Holding it in. Check where the body can breathe as it wants to. How does the body want to breathe? Explore that. You might feel. You want to lift the arms. Just giving it freedom and expanding and opening up the chest and shoulders as you inhale and exhale, how does the body want to breathe? Open up to it. Now, bring your awareness into the left side of your chest, tuning into the rhythm of the physical heart. That muscle is there and it's working nonstop, maintaining the flow of blood. When you breathe out, hold the breath out for a few seconds, just three or 4 seconds and then breathe in. Breathing out. Hold the breath out. The lungs empty for three or 4 seconds and then breathe in. This will trigger the release of that physical heart. The tension in that muscle begins to relax and the heart rate slows down. Breathing out. Hold a breath out for five to 6 seconds and then breathe in. Let it be natural, effortless, without force. Breathe out. Hold the breath out and then breathe in. And consciously seek to relax the heart. Just sending that signal of relaxation to the left part of the chest. You might actually become aware that you are holding tension there and in your left shoulder and in the left area of the body. Stay with the exhale. When you exhale, hold the breath out for a few seconds, effortless, and then inhale. This will help you trigger the release from that area. This is how you slow down the heart rate. And if you keep your whole body awareness when you do this, can you feel there is an energy response in the body? I can feel that my body begins to vibrate. There's a tingling that comes through the body. As the tension is released, the energy experience comes up. It surfaces into the front and the energy begins to flow and circulate through the body. And notice this is very relaxed breathing and the energy is building up inside. Now mentally scan the body. Gently guide your mind. Observing, using the spotlight of your attention, observing different parts of your body. Be curious, explore and you're seeking out areas where you might be holding tension. If you notice that, gently hold it in your mind and as you breathe out, try to relax. Send a signal to release. Using the exhale is the key. Send the signal as you breathe out and you may feel the muscles soften. You may feel the connective tissue release becoming flexible and supple again usage and release the different areas of tension as you need to intuitively and stay with your breath it and just notice that with relaxation there is a quietness, a steadiness. It's okay if there are thoughts moving in your mind right now, it's not so important. You are giving care and attention to your body. Hold your entire body in your awareness and as you breathe, it's as though you're breathing with your whole body. When you inhale, feel the entire body expand and stretch. When you exhale, gently relaxes. When you inhale, expand and stretch the spine and exhale, gently relax. When you inhale, expand, feel the elasticity of the body. And when you exhale, relax, release. And in this whole body, breathing allows the distribution of the energy. Distribution of prana. Prana is the Sanskrit word for energy. Hold your entire body in your awareness as you breathe and open up the energy to flow to the soles of the feet, to the tips of the fingers, to the crown of the head. This is how you recharge every single cell in your body by holding it in your awareness and guiding the breath, the flow of energy to it. Now I invite you to bring your awareness into your chest. Take two or three deep breaths there, just engaging the power of your heart, spiritual heart, the energy center there. We want to meet our world in our heart from a place of compassion, kindness, and then come into the gut and use belly breathing, abdominal breathing, expanding and contracting the abdomen. We want to meet the world from a place of strength, vitality and confidence. That's when the gut is very stable. And finally, I invite you to affirm in your mind. I stay conscious of my body, allowing it to be relaxed and at ease with the flow of life. May it serve my spiritual path, my spiritual progress. Again, affirming in the mind, I stay conscious of my body, allowing it to be relaxed and at ease with the flow of life. May it soothe my spiritual path and my spiritual progress. Thank you very much. Now tuning into each one of the five senses, listening to the sounds around you, opening up to the sense of touch, the air on your skin, the weight and position of the body, noticing the eyes are closed and tuning in to taste and smell. Just giving attention to the senses, to ground yourself fully in body. This is how you can train the senses. And now pulling yourself back, fully alert and ready. One deep breath coming back. Thank you very much. When you feel ready, you can gently open the eyes Reflection
1. What did I observe in meditation?
2. What was striking in the meditation experience? 3. What was challenging for me today? Feel free to ask your questions and post your reflection in the comments if you wish for some feedback.
6 Comments
Dear Ved, I felt my diaphragm was more tensed than when I practiced with you in summer, but with this meditation, I could quickly relax it again. now I feel very alive and connected with the energy flow; really nice. Also, my heart felt as if the heartbeat was loud and in my whole chest instead of only in the physical heart, as an expanding of the heart center in a very nice way.
Reply
Ved
10/11/2024 01:23:04 pm
Thanks for the reflection... glad to hear your are embracing a more relaxed way of being. For me that feeling of the aliveness... is so exciting... and encourages me to release the tension.
Reply
Llewelyn
10/11/2024 09:36:46 am
Today was very grounding for me, i felt as if my distracting thoughts were not as compelling and i rathered to stay present in the exercise.
Reply
Ved
10/11/2024 01:24:09 pm
Great to hear that even in just one day more focus is coming to you. Yes today's meditation encourages that deep grounding.
Reply
Sanne
10/11/2024 11:36:06 am
The release in the left heart space when holding the breath after the exhale felt very calming and softening, as if the energy went down instead of up in a way that is nourishing. Thank you for reminding of the importance of tension release and showing the tools we have ourselves with our breathing. I also feel the discipline and routine of practicing this way every day is very helpful and is clearing some dust. Hope to connect with all of you live one day as well :)
Reply
Ved
10/11/2024 01:26:14 pm
Thanks for the comment Sanne! Glad you are noticing how the flow of breath is connected to flow of energy, both up and down.
Reply
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