WEBVTT

00:00:00.194 --> 00:00:02.402
- Hi everyone. 
Welcome to Yoga With Adriene.

00:00:02.402 --> 00:00:05.772
I'm Adriene and this is Benji
and today we have a beautiful

00:00:05.772 --> 00:00:09.476
meditation for mental 
balance and grounding.

00:00:09.476 --> 00:00:11.311
So grab something 
to sit on if you like.

00:00:11.311 --> 00:00:15.111
Hop into something extra 
comfy and let's get started.

00:00:15.111 --> 00:00:19.686
(bright music)

00:00:27.594 --> 00:00:29.563
Alright, welcome 
my darling friends.

00:00:29.563 --> 00:00:32.232
We're going to begin, surprise,

00:00:32.232 --> 00:00:35.235
our practice today in
a comfortable seat.

00:00:35.235 --> 00:00:36.637
So take your time.

00:00:36.637 --> 00:00:39.239
Just notice if you're kind 
of rushing right now here

00:00:39.239 --> 00:00:41.958
and let's start to slow 
it down as you come into

00:00:41.958 --> 00:00:45.078
a nice cross-legged seat.

00:00:45.078 --> 00:00:49.416
And I will encourage you,
particularly if you're new to

00:00:49.416 --> 00:00:53.687
sitting (chuckles) in a
meditation to lift your hips up

00:00:53.687 --> 00:00:57.691
either on a couch pillow
or if you have a bolster, great.

00:00:57.691 --> 00:00:59.296
You can fold up some blankets

00:00:59.296 --> 00:01:03.063
or some towels 
are just fine too.

00:01:03.063 --> 00:01:04.131
And get to where your hips are

00:01:04.131 --> 00:01:05.798
a little bit higher 
than your knees

00:01:05.798 --> 00:01:08.868
so you can create 
these two slides

00:01:08.868 --> 00:01:12.625
of the thighs down.

00:01:13.787 --> 00:01:16.009
And as you start to 
get settled in here,

00:01:16.009 --> 00:01:18.645
just start to tap into 
that inner smile as

00:01:18.645 --> 00:01:20.514
much as you're willing.

00:01:20.514 --> 00:01:24.518
This is my power tool, my secret
weapon that I often talk about

00:01:24.518 --> 00:01:27.921
so it's not so secret, but just
as you settle in you can start

00:01:27.921 --> 00:01:30.624
to kind of feel the benefits of
this time that you're taking for

00:01:30.624 --> 00:01:35.329
yourself by softening and, yeah,
tapping into that inner smile.

00:01:35.329 --> 00:01:37.731
It can be like, 
"I'm doing this."

00:01:37.731 --> 00:01:39.633
Or, "Oh my god, I need this."

00:01:39.633 --> 00:01:42.817
Whatever it is just tap into

00:01:42.817 --> 00:01:45.339
a little joy that you're taking

00:01:45.339 --> 00:01:49.076
this short but 
valuable time for yourself.

00:01:49.076 --> 00:01:50.143
Benji's relaxed.

00:01:50.143 --> 00:01:53.814
If you're not relaxed, we'll
get you there or we'll try.

00:01:53.814 --> 00:01:57.150
Hopefully by now 
you're in your seat.

00:01:57.150 --> 00:01:59.535
Getting settled in.

00:01:59.535 --> 00:02:03.774
And if you are

00:02:03.774 --> 00:02:05.714
working with your 
back right now,

00:02:05.714 --> 00:02:09.358
we'll say that, feel free 
to sit up against a wall

00:02:09.358 --> 00:02:10.797
or you can even 
do this in a chair.

00:02:10.797 --> 00:02:13.478
You just want to make sure that
your spine is nice and long.

00:02:15.776 --> 00:02:17.938
And on that note, 
let's take a moment here

00:02:17.938 --> 00:02:19.759
to gently tuck the chin.

00:02:20.844 --> 00:02:25.579
And bring more 
awareness to the spine.

00:02:25.579 --> 00:02:27.280
So that could 
be sitting up tall.

00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:30.752
It could just be 
noticing your pattern.

00:02:33.286 --> 00:02:35.589
Again, just gently 
tucking the chin.

00:02:35.589 --> 00:02:39.826
Feeling that length as you do
so through the back of the neck.

00:02:42.162 --> 00:02:47.539
And best you can bringing
more awareness to your spine.

00:02:53.807 --> 00:02:58.045
And if you haven't already,
allow your hands to soften,

00:02:58.045 --> 00:03:01.448
fingertips to soften just
wherever feels good and then as

00:03:01.448 --> 00:03:05.552
I often invite you to do 
in practice same thing here.

00:03:05.552 --> 00:03:07.754
Just notice what 
feels good today.

00:03:07.754 --> 00:03:10.657
Whether you need a
more grounding palm. Right?

00:03:10.657 --> 00:03:12.692
Energetically, I'm here.

00:03:12.692 --> 00:03:14.851
(exhales) "I'm doing this.
I need to breathe.

00:03:14.851 --> 00:03:16.797
"I need this time for myself."

00:03:16.797 --> 00:03:19.299
Or maybe you're feeling 
pretty good and this is more

00:03:19.299 --> 00:03:21.201
preventative care today.

00:03:21.201 --> 00:03:23.503
So open those palms up baby.

00:03:23.503 --> 00:03:26.940
Allow yourself to be a
little more vulnerable, open.

00:03:26.940 --> 00:03:30.043
So, both are vulnerable, 
but you get to decide.

00:03:30.043 --> 00:03:32.813
And really we're connecting
the brain to the body here.

00:03:32.813 --> 00:03:36.783
So there's so much that goes
into these little gestures and

00:03:36.783 --> 00:03:39.019
making decisions for yourself.

00:03:39.019 --> 00:03:42.133
If you know a mudra you
want to take it now, please do.

00:03:47.427 --> 00:03:51.803
And then if you haven't 
already, close your eyes.

00:03:56.236 --> 00:04:00.040
Allow your eyelids 
to get heavy here.

00:04:00.040 --> 00:04:02.609
And if for whatever reason
you're not comfortable with the

00:04:02.609 --> 00:04:06.246
eyelids closed, just soften your
gaze gently down past your nose.

00:04:06.246 --> 00:04:09.018
(light music)

00:04:10.617 --> 00:04:12.619
Alrighty and we've begun.

00:04:14.921 --> 00:04:16.923
Chin slightly tucked.

00:04:18.858 --> 00:04:20.861
Neck long.

00:04:22.829 --> 00:04:26.017
Hands, arms, carefully placed.

00:04:27.234 --> 00:04:28.737
Fingers soft.

00:04:35.509 --> 00:04:38.894
Let's start by noticing 
any sounds around us.

00:04:41.181 --> 00:04:43.494
Wherever you may be today.

00:04:48.715 --> 00:04:51.265
Or maybe you're relishing,

00:04:53.974 --> 00:04:55.735
silence.

00:05:04.004 --> 00:05:06.706
As we start to settle 
in and ground down,

00:05:09.342 --> 00:05:13.680
allow any extra 
movement, patterns,

00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:18.885
just fidgeting, see if you
can allow them to soften as you

00:05:18.885 --> 00:05:23.217
build a little structure 
for your mediation here.

00:05:30.263 --> 00:05:33.084
In time finding stillness

00:05:33.084 --> 00:05:36.782
with more ease and being kind if

00:05:36.785 --> 00:05:38.939
you're noticing a lot 
of fidgeting or patterns.

00:05:38.939 --> 00:05:40.712
No worries.
That's why we're here.

00:05:45.212 --> 00:05:47.214
To observe.

00:05:50.150 --> 00:05:52.152
With kindness.

00:05:55.622 --> 00:06:00.093
To welcome balance 
and clarity to both

00:06:00.093 --> 00:06:06.258
the mental and emotional self.

00:06:19.679 --> 00:06:23.750
Now most of you have already
likely begun to notice your

00:06:23.750 --> 00:06:29.454
breath but if not allow me
to roll out the red carpet,

00:06:33.059 --> 00:06:35.210
to bring

00:06:35.210 --> 00:06:38.894
fresh picked flowers 
to your doorstep

00:06:38.894 --> 00:06:43.101
and welcome you to

00:06:43.101 --> 00:06:47.387
just notice with a loving
kindness your natural breath.

00:06:55.882 --> 00:06:58.952
And as you begin to notice the
rhythm of your natural breath

00:06:58.952 --> 00:07:02.722
today, see if you can 
take it one step further.

00:07:04.991 --> 00:07:07.794
Inviting the mind 
to also notice what

00:07:07.794 --> 00:07:11.331
the breath does to the body.

00:07:11.331 --> 00:07:15.686
As you breathe in and out.

00:07:25.303 --> 00:07:28.148
Notice, if you can, 
what parts of the body

00:07:28.148 --> 00:07:31.751
move as you breathe in.

00:07:37.928 --> 00:07:41.027
And see if you can 
notice how gravity tends to

00:07:41.027 --> 00:07:44.987
take over as you breathe out.

00:07:59.746 --> 00:08:04.384
So we have this sense
of a rise and a fall,

00:08:04.384 --> 00:08:06.996
nice and easy, nothing forced.

00:08:09.756 --> 00:08:12.531
Just noticing what 
moves as you breathe in.

00:08:16.162 --> 00:08:20.724
And embracing the 
gravity as you breathe out.

00:08:30.810 --> 00:08:36.249
Now you can keep going just 
as is or I'll bring another

00:08:36.249 --> 00:08:38.650
fresh bouquet to your 
door and invite you to

00:08:38.650 --> 00:08:40.766
deepen the breath just a bit.

00:08:43.356 --> 00:08:47.532
Bringing more consciousness,

00:08:47.532 --> 00:08:49.885
more loving awareness 
to that inhale

00:08:49.885 --> 00:08:54.567
and watching the
ripple effect as you breathe in.

00:08:57.892 --> 00:09:00.306
And using that 
exhale to ground down.

00:09:00.306 --> 00:09:03.551
Relax the shoulders.
Relax your jaw.

00:09:16.929 --> 00:09:20.609
Allowing your inhale perhaps

00:09:20.609 --> 00:09:24.464
to be a 
little deeper, more full.

00:09:27.380 --> 00:09:29.235
And perhaps, when you're ready,

00:09:29.235 --> 00:09:32.105
allowing your 
exhale to be longer.

00:09:32.105 --> 00:09:35.718
Think of it as a 
beautiful extension.

00:09:37.644 --> 00:09:43.046
Breathing out as you 
ground down, down, down.

00:09:59.332 --> 00:10:04.163
Now go ahead and let your nice
conscious deep breaths rest.

00:10:04.838 --> 00:10:08.374
Return to just a nice, easy,
natural rhythm and flow.

00:10:11.625 --> 00:10:15.409
With so much love and
a gentle, just gentleness,

00:10:15.409 --> 00:10:19.219
see if you can reestablish
this awareness in your spine

00:10:19.219 --> 00:10:20.620
by maybe lifting your heart,

00:10:20.620 --> 00:10:24.257
gently sitting up 
a little bit taller.

00:10:27.898 --> 00:10:29.696
And you might feel, if
you're doing this with your

00:10:29.696 --> 00:10:32.699
eyes closed, as though 
you grow a little bit longer

00:10:32.699 --> 00:10:35.065
and taller in the spine.

00:10:44.175 --> 00:10:46.479
And as you rest 
easy here in your seat,

00:10:46.479 --> 00:10:50.383
soften the skin of the forehead,
relax the jaw and again use a

00:10:50.383 --> 00:10:52.881
gentle exhale to 
relax the shoulders down.

00:11:00.393 --> 00:11:02.996
You're more than 
halfway through your mediation.

00:11:05.031 --> 00:11:09.936
So as thoughts 
come to your mind,

00:11:09.936 --> 00:11:12.763
to your soul, just acknowledge
them and come back

00:11:12.763 --> 00:11:16.949
to a loving 
awareness of your breath.

00:11:16.949 --> 00:11:20.547
So beginning to deepen 
the breath a little bit.

00:11:20.547 --> 00:11:24.146
Again here, see if you can find
something new as you breathe in.

00:11:27.654 --> 00:11:30.116
Embracing gravity 
as you breathe out.

00:11:50.810 --> 00:11:54.635
And now one final invitation.

00:11:57.884 --> 00:12:01.720
As you continue to 
breathe and lean into

00:12:03.354 --> 00:12:06.317
the dance of feeling

00:12:06.317 --> 00:12:09.972
the inhale lift you, a rise.

00:12:12.098 --> 00:12:14.200
And feeling the 
exhale ground you,

00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:16.803
the fall of the breath.

00:12:16.803 --> 00:12:19.505
As you lean into 
that balance of the two,

00:12:22.151 --> 00:12:27.494
I lovingly invite you to just
bring your mind's eye to

00:12:27.497 --> 00:12:29.972
the tip top crown of your head.

00:12:32.418 --> 00:12:34.420
Place your attention there.

00:12:40.760 --> 00:12:43.512
And then imagine,

00:12:43.512 --> 00:12:47.815
head over heart,
heart over pelvis.

00:12:48.401 --> 00:12:53.940
Then from the crown tip top
of your head in your own way,

00:12:53.940 --> 00:12:57.359
whatever this means to you,

00:12:57.359 --> 00:13:02.215
draw a line

00:13:02.218 --> 00:13:04.656
from the top of your head

00:13:07.153 --> 00:13:11.180
down through the center 
core channel of your being,

00:13:13.359 --> 00:13:16.424
all the way to 
the base of the spine.

00:13:22.745 --> 00:13:27.946
So we've placed a light rope

00:13:27.946 --> 00:13:29.968
or pipeline,

00:13:31.455 --> 00:13:33.017
a cylinder,

00:13:35.315 --> 00:13:36.315
whatever it is for you,

00:13:36.315 --> 00:13:38.384
this awareness from 
the crown of the head

00:13:38.384 --> 00:13:40.386
to the base of the spine.

00:13:42.689 --> 00:13:46.459
And see if you 
can allow that action,

00:13:46.459 --> 00:13:51.664
that awareness, to affect your
breath or to at least notice if

00:13:51.664 --> 00:13:53.733
it changed the way your holding

00:13:53.733 --> 00:13:56.419
yourself up here 
with each inhale.

00:13:58.671 --> 00:14:01.741
And the way you're 
using your exhale to

00:14:01.741 --> 00:14:04.183
continuously ground down.

00:14:13.085 --> 00:14:17.790
And for the last minute here,
we'll take that line from the

00:14:17.790 --> 00:14:21.794
crown to the base of the 
spine and just hang with me,

00:14:21.794 --> 00:14:26.010
my friends, 
continue that line down.

00:14:28.668 --> 00:14:32.576
Past your physical body,
down into the earth.

00:14:39.245 --> 00:14:41.221
Continue that line down

00:14:41.221 --> 00:14:45.351
to the core of the earth.

00:14:49.058 --> 00:14:54.393
And then notice how 
that makes you feel.

00:14:54.393 --> 00:14:57.830
Notice if, and it may not, 
if that effects the way you

00:14:57.830 --> 00:15:01.076
carry yourself here, 
the way you breathe in

00:15:03.934 --> 00:15:06.154
and the way you breathe out.

00:15:19.095 --> 00:15:24.170
Now take three 
final conscious breaths.

00:15:35.399 --> 00:15:37.395
Finding balance

00:15:39.355 --> 00:15:41.524
and a sense of calm or peace

00:15:41.524 --> 00:15:45.488
between the dance
of the rise and the fall.

00:15:45.488 --> 00:15:49.966
The lift and the ground.

00:15:54.946 --> 00:15:59.235
The earth and the sky.

00:16:06.902 --> 00:16:09.936
Then release your 
conscious breaths.

00:16:09.936 --> 00:16:14.788
Rest easy here as you slowly
drop your chin to your chest.

00:16:17.777 --> 00:16:19.779
Try to keep the 
shoulders relaxed here

00:16:19.779 --> 00:16:22.748
as you gently open your eyes.

00:16:22.748 --> 00:16:25.017
Can flutter the eyelashes open.

00:16:28.588 --> 00:16:31.484
And when you're ready,
gently lift your head.

00:16:34.327 --> 00:16:36.048
Cue the birds outside my window.

00:16:36.048 --> 00:16:37.993
We'll bring the palms together.

00:16:37.993 --> 00:16:41.364
Just take one quiet little beat
here to notice how you feel.

00:16:45.304 --> 00:16:48.930
And we'll close it off by
bowing together and whispering,

00:16:49.838 --> 00:16:52.224
Namaste.

00:16:52.224 --> 00:16:56.096
(bright music)