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GUIDED PRACTICE
Guided relaxation and breath training is an important part of a well rounded yoga practice. Both of these practices help soothe and restore the nervous system and prepare us for meditation practice. Try these before you meditate. A daily relaxation or breath training practice is recommended! Enjoy these recordings and thank you for practicing with me!
Guided Diaphragmatic Breath Training
Guided Diaphragmatic Breath Training is a great place to start if you've never had a formal yogic systematic relaxation practice before. Breath training is straightforward and easy to practice. In this practice, you'll steady your attention by observing your breath and the qualities of your breath. You'll learn to engage diaphragmatic breathing (belly breaths) and build up the ability to sustain this practice for longer increments of time.
The benefits of diaphragmatic breathing are:
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Working the diaphragm muscle
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Focusing the mind and body
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Increasing the body and mind's ability to resist stress
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Great preparation for yoga asana or meditation
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Restoring the nervous system
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Training yourself to have a greater control over your breath
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Increased control over your breath gives yoga practitioners an increased control over the flow of prana in our bodies as well.
Guided Diaphragmatic Breath Training
00:00 / 08:24
Guided Relaxation Practice
Relaxation practice is an important piece of any well-rounded yoga practice. Relaxation is more than sitting back and watching TV, but it's a very intentional process where we relax - both in the body and in the mind. It's an opportunity for us to unplug and unwind each day from the stress that accumulates in our bodies. This is an incredibly impactful practice to work with regularly, even daily as you can.
The benefits of relaxation practice are:
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Calming the mind and body
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Reducing fatigue in the body and mind
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Preparation for meditation practice
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Soften the grip of many manifestations of stress and tension in our body and mind
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Get better and more efficient at quieting the chatter of the mind
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Activating the parasympathetic nervous system - the branch responsible for rest
Systematic Muscle Relaxation
One of the most straightforward kinds of relaxation is systematic muscle relaxation. In this process, you'll start by stilling the body and establish diaphragmatic breath. Then, you'll draw your attention to the various parts of your body from head to toe. I'll call out each spot, and as I do, we'll stop for a moment there. You'll rest your attention on each place as we go, and make an effort to relax every muscle. By the end, you'll have a body and mind that have been blissfully and purposefully relaxed.
Systematic Muscle Relaxation
00:00 / 12:14
Point to Point Relaxation
Another type of relaxation to practice is called Point to Point relaxation. This practice also begins with finding stillness and diaphragmatic breath. Then, it involves visualizing the breath moving throughout the body along with the cues. This is a very subtle but worthwhile practice. This is my favorite style of relaxation - it leaves me feeling incredibly aware of my body while feeling very focused and steady in my mind.
Point to Point Relaxation
00:00 / 11:45
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