Sometimes disconnection shows up in the guise of isolation, with the inner dialogue of “why am I the only one who…” “how come its always me who has to…”, or any other variation of feeling very lopsided in my relationships, where I am the one doing all of the giving.
The subtle truth here is that I will always be the one giving if I don’t allow myself to receive.
A simple practice of balancing the skill of giving and receiving involves attention to the breath and movement; your own simple yoga practice. Let’s do that now.
You can do this seated and/or standing. Let your eyes and your face soften. We begin with paying attention to just one side of the breath. For this practice session we will begin with the inhale, and other times you may choose to begin with the exhale.
With gentile attention on your inhale, allow your body to receive breath. Just a very simple act of receiving. After a few breaths, let your body begin to respond with movement, whatever expression it wants to do to deeply receive the next breath, and the next. Your arms may want to join in; allow them to open to receive the breath fully into your body. If you are seated, you may want to stand and move about the space, fully receiving each breath, each inspiration, as it comes. Be inspired!
After a time, let the movement slow; slowly slowly make your way back to stillness.
Now, bring your attention to your exhalation in the same soft way. As you exhale, you are sharing yourself, your gifts, with the world. Sharing freely, sharing creatively, sharing in your unique way. Slowly let this shift into movement; how do you physically express this sharing?
After a time, let your attention take in the full cycle of the breath. Receiving the inspiration, giving back your gifts and creativity. Let your movement grow as you express this wholeness, and then slowly wind back down to stillness. Stay with the afterglow of this practice as long as you like.
If you would like to connect to breathe, movement, and being alive in your amazing body while in community, join me at noon on Tuesdays for a short 30 minute Lunchtime Reset class where we connect to our deepest selves and listen to what we need.