154 – Somatic Mindfulness Practice 11 26 2023

New Breathing Technique + Body Awareness Meditation

Rena led a demonstration of a new breathing technique. She instructed participants to inhale through their noses, close their mouths as if their lips were wrapped around a straw, and exhale through their mouths for a count of eight. They were then told to close their mouths and exhale through their noses for a count of two, followed by three regular breaths. This process was repeated for three rounds. Participants were encouraged to stop if they felt the first round was sufficient, or to repeat if they wanted to continue.

Rena then guided a body awareness meditation. She encouraged attentiveness to the physical sensations, emotions, and overall state of the body. She then asked participants to visualize these sensations as if they were a person and to greet them with compassion. She suggested asking this ‘person’ about their heart’s desire and feelings, and to offer help achieving their desires. Rena emphasized the importance of providing internal support and returning to this practice as needed.