Breath Work and Mobility

Welcome to Day 3 of our Winter Wellness Challenge!

Sometimes when we have been all systems go, go, go, it's really hard to literally just stop and be still.

So today we do things a little bit different.

This session will be our most zen challenge of our Winter Wellness series. We will guide you through some breath work, combined with some easy mobility. The mobility and breath work hybrid will have you melting into your yoga mat and floating away on a cloud.

This session is inclusive of all levels and can be adjusted to all abilities.

Grab a yoga mat, a soft cushion and just get comfy and ready. All you need is your phone and to listen to the recorded audio below to guide you through today’s breath work and movement class.

(Note: The breath work will apply no matter if you combine it with movement or without. If you prefer, you can opt to lay on your back or you even do it without the mobility part in a seated position.)

Let’s get started:

Transcript of today’s session:

Start to become familiar with your breath and feel it going in and out through the nose.

If you're in child's pose you'll be able to feel the belly rise in that space between the legs and the floor. If you're on your back you can pop your hands on your belly just to get that contact point with your breath. The same applies if you're seated.

 Now that you're feeling that breath really full on the inhale, and the belly button comes towards the spine on the exhale.

We are doing 3 rounds of this clearing breath:

The breath will be an inhale through the nose and then an exhale through the mouth where you will actually stick out the tongue if you feel comfortable and just expel as much air as you can.

A full round of inhale, a full round of exhale through the nose and then inhale as full and complete as you can and then exhale out the mouth, stick out the tongue. Feel free to make a loud “Ahhhh” sound as you are comfortable with, knowing you're in your own place of comfort so no one is there to judge you or think any thoughts of you.

Let it all go.

 Just return to your normal breathing in and out of the nose

We're going to practise a 4 count inhale, 6 count exhale and then a hold for 2 at the bottom. This will help to down regulate the nervous system and to slow down the mind.

If you're lying on your back or in a seated position, you practise as you are.

But if you're in child's pose we’re gonna add a little movement so you can practise this connection of movement with breath.

So wherever you are we guide those in child's pose:

Breathwork with mobility

• We want you to come forward to all fours on the inhale (four point kneeling position)

• Exhale your breath all the way when we are in child’s pose.

• In between the movements we will hold our breath a few seconds

Let’s start

• Inhale come forward to all fours, breath for 2, 3, 4

• Push back to child’s pose (slowly) breath for 5 , 4, 3,2,1

• Hold the child pose for 2, 1

• Inhale (and come back to 4PK) 4, 3, 2, 1

• Long and slow exhale (into childs pose) 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

• Hold the exhale 2, 1

• Inhale (into 4PK) 2, 3, 4

• Exhale (into childs pose) 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

• Hold the exhale 2, 1

• Inhale (into 4PK) 2, 3, 4

• Exhale (into child) 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

• Hold 2, 1

• 2 more rounds of this full movement circle in your own time and your own counts

I leave you in silence for a moment while you complete your first round on your own.

The completion of your second round just hold the childs pose and everyone return to a natural breath. You can really connect inwards keep the eyes closed (sloooow).

Notice the change in your state

Notice the change in your energy

And then super slowly make your way onto your back

So wherever you are, super slow, you might even keep your eyes closed, don't get rid of any fidgets on your clothing or your hair.

Try not to be touching anything or anyone and let the arms rest out beside the body, feet full out the sides give yourself the gift of supreme comfort.

Slowly bring back that deep breath, that conscious awareness of: can you breathe deeper… maybe even on the inhale imagining inhale sending all of that knew oxygen all the way down the legs… Then on the next inhale can you send it all the way down the arms and then on that final inhale send it down the legs down the arm so it's filling up your entire body. If you do want to exhale out the mouth absolutely. If your body is calling for it give it to it.

 And then just start to wriggle through your fingers through your toes with such new conscious awareness.

Still on your back, reach your arms long overhead and stretch. Add some little shimmies against the floor and then hug the knees into your chest.

Rock the knees side to side and just give your lower back a little massage on the floor.

In your own time come to a seated position and embrace that new and calm feeling in your body.