Look - I get it.
Time is fleeting. We all want a home practice. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all hang out and float in yoga aalll day? Yeeah...... that would be cool.
Reality crash - most of us have to go muddle about in the muddy mainstream matrix for the majority of our day. And sometimes before even stepping a foot out the door there are chores to do - lunches to pack, children to motivate, animals to feed (really. the first 30 minutes of my morning is spent tending to my needy pack that consists of 2 cats and dog. No wonder real farmers get up so dang early in the morning), etc.. Or maybe this is just my morning. I have always had a dysfunctional relationship with time. However it is - sometimes working a personal practice into the day is ....... challenging.
Personally, if I don't get to practice in the morning, it's just not going to happen. Once my day starts it goes on and on and on. By the time it's all over....... I am DONE! And, if my morning goes poorly and there is no time to practice asana &/or meditation, I feel cheated. & usually pretty cranky.
Hence, my 5 minute morning practice it this: 2 1/2 minutes of bhastrika "shakti breath" and 2 1/2 minutes of standing meditation.
Bhastrika consists of quick powerful breaths, drawing the belly up and in with the exhalations. This particular form of exercise utilizes arm movement and vocalizations. Drawing the arms up with the inhale and pulling the arms to the ribs with the exhale while making a strong "HA" sound. (Believe it or not, I use this breath with my seniors as a warm up for laughter yoga. They love it.)
This powerful breathing exercise is taught by Psalm Isadora. The following is her demonstrating it.
Time is fleeting. We all want a home practice. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all hang out and float in yoga aalll day? Yeeah...... that would be cool.
Reality crash - most of us have to go muddle about in the muddy mainstream matrix for the majority of our day. And sometimes before even stepping a foot out the door there are chores to do - lunches to pack, children to motivate, animals to feed (really. the first 30 minutes of my morning is spent tending to my needy pack that consists of 2 cats and dog. No wonder real farmers get up so dang early in the morning), etc.. Or maybe this is just my morning. I have always had a dysfunctional relationship with time. However it is - sometimes working a personal practice into the day is ....... challenging.
Personally, if I don't get to practice in the morning, it's just not going to happen. Once my day starts it goes on and on and on. By the time it's all over....... I am DONE! And, if my morning goes poorly and there is no time to practice asana &/or meditation, I feel cheated. & usually pretty cranky.
Hence, my 5 minute morning practice it this: 2 1/2 minutes of bhastrika "shakti breath" and 2 1/2 minutes of standing meditation.
Bhastrika consists of quick powerful breaths, drawing the belly up and in with the exhalations. This particular form of exercise utilizes arm movement and vocalizations. Drawing the arms up with the inhale and pulling the arms to the ribs with the exhale while making a strong "HA" sound. (Believe it or not, I use this breath with my seniors as a warm up for laughter yoga. They love it.)
This powerful breathing exercise is taught by Psalm Isadora. The following is her demonstrating it.
& the 5 Minute morning practice for me is this.
- Start in Mountain. Really pay attention to how the body is lining up. Step the feet out the side a little bit more than hip width. Bend the knees making sure to track the second or pinky toe with the knee. Try to keep the tail bone scooped a bit and the pelvis open.
- Proceed with 2 1/2 minutes of Breath work.
- End with 3 lion breaths - inhale draw the arms up. Exhale drop hands to thighs lean open the mouth & eyes wide stick the tongue out & down as far as you can. Exhale from the deepest depths of your belly. Release!!!
-Re-find your horse stance. Bend the ring and pinky fingers towards their palms and hold them with their thumbs. The index and great fingers rest side by side. Bend the elbows. Pull the arms to the side body so that the index and great fingers are pointing forward. Close or relax your eyes by allowing your gaze to fall down and in front of you a bit. As you breathe in, pull energy in through your feet and the top of your head. Let the energy meet in the middle of the belly. As you breathe out, send the energy out through your fingertips. Be here for another 2 1/2 minutes.
- Shake your body out & go about your day.
So I don't have to keep an eye on the clock, I sometimes use a meditation timer app. Follow the link for a review and info on other meditation apps.
Or you choose music for the appropriate amount of time (or close to it).
If you're interested, here is another video of Psalm explaining bhastrika shakti breath and sankalpa.
Peace.
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