Spinal Awareness Meditation (Seated)

Kia Ora, so this meditation is the same meditation as we did lying down, except this is from a seated position and ideally you’ll do the lying down version first just so you get those different points of contact with your spine. So it helps to create the feedback by lying down on the ground, noticing the base of your skull, your tailbone, so the base and the top of your spine, and also then observing the natural curvature of your spine to the outward and inward curves of your spine.

And then when you come to the seated position, you can start to find that same position. So you want to notice if you’re leaning forward or leaning back. So do a little bit of a head ramp, so the base of your skull will be about in line with your tailbone. So draw your chin in and lift up through the crown of your head.

And then we’re going to do the same breath awareness. So ascending and descending at the spine with the mantra, my breath rises, as you breathe in and, my breath falls, as you breathe out.

So let’s begin.

So just close your eyes and lift up through the crown of your head. Find the balance between the left and the right sides of your body, and relax your shoulders and soften your jaw.

Just start to observe the natural rhythm of your breath. And bring your awareness to your tailbone, so right down to the base of your spine.

You begin by sending your awareness at the spine, saying to yourself, my breath rises. All the way up to the base of your skull, and then as you breathe out, my breath falls, and descending your awareness right down to your tailbone to coccyx. As you breathe in and you’re sending out the spine, can you start to observe and just sense the natural curves of your spine? And then again, the descending and observing those curves, natural curvature of your spine.

Just continuing as you breathe in, my breath rises, my breath falls. As you breathe in, my breath rises, can you feel that expansion through the body sense of lightness and space? And as you breathe out,my breath falls, feeling that connection to the ground, to your seat, feeling grounded, stable, there’s a sense of contraction as the rip cage draws down and hugs in. Just continue, my breath rises, my breath fall.

Just one more minute to go.

Slowly, let go of the mantra. Just bring your awareness back into your body as a whole. Notice your body on your support, whether it be a chair or a block. Maybe your feet are resting on the ground or your knees. Slowly start to open your eyes, just take in your surroundings. And so you may now like to finish this with a follow-on of a yoga class to do with the spine.

Otherwise enjoy the rest of your day.

Namaste.

Default image
Lauren McKee
Lauren developed Bodysense Yoga to help people move freely without pain. It's an amalgamation of concepts from yoga, bio-mechanics, and neuroscience. Lauren owns a yoga studio in New Zealand and also teaches her unique style of yoga online. You can connect with Lauren via one of these channels...
0 0 vote
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
0 Shares
Share via
Copy link