January 22, 2009

Tonight was our Thursday Night Meditation Session.

There were 5 of us, a perfect number for that little room, to do some essential, simple stretching before our sit.  We opened the doors because the room was hot enough for Bikram!  Not my fave.

To begin, I checked to make sure no one had any physical challenges that prevented them from stretching--turns out they all practice with Petra, you or Jackie Hanson!

I lead everyone through 3 reps of standing in Mountain, inhaling arms up to Upward Salute, hands together, and breathing into a nice stretch.  Exhaled arms down and together in front of the face, taking several deep breaths, then to heart center.  Namaste.

From there we inhaled the arms to Upward Salute, interlaced fingers and turned inside out, then exhaled down and back, interlaced fingers at base of spine, stretched arms back and did a very slow, knees softened, exhale into Uttanasana Yoga Mudra.  

Inhaled up, uncurling.  Then did head tilts/neckstretches--chin to chest, then head left and right.  Namaste.

Finally, with hands supporting at the small of the back, a simple back bend, tilting the head back, focusing on the 3rd Eye Chakra.  Countered with a gentle Uttanasana curl forward, relaxing shoulders, arms, neck, head.

Before we sat, I demonstrated the Lotus hand mudra, and we breathed into the mudra for several breaths.

We sat for over 20 minutes, in silent meditation.

At the end of the sit, I asked if they would gently cover their eyes with the palms of their hands for about 30 seconds, just to notice the breath that had accompanied them for the past 20 minutes.

Then I directed them to gently and slowly move their palms and fingers up their forehead, into their hair, joining palms, and continuing, with joined palms, to lift their arms above their heads for a gentle stretch, and to notice their breath.

I directed everyone to finally lower their hands, palms side up, in front of their chests, to release all the energy they had generated with their meditation into the Universe, to give it away.

And finally, to put their hands on their thighs and note the breath.

Namaste!

Good Sit!