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Part 1: A Guided Yoga Practice: From Breath to Movement Come back into a comfortable lying position. Check that your body is in a straight line by lifting your head and looking at the space between your feet. Have the feet about hip-width apart and let them roll out to the sides comfortably. The arms are about shoulder-width apart, the palms facing upwards, and the shoulders drop back into the ground. Tuck the chin very slightly towards the chest, as though you’re making the back of your neck long. Then, start to take some fuller, deeper breaths. As you begin to breathe, use your first breaths to give yourself an indication of how your body is today. Just notice as you breathe. Do you feel the breath in your abdomen? Do you feel the breath in the chest? Does the breath move smoothly and freely? Or are there some restrictions in the body around your breathing? Just notice how that is at the beginning of our practice. Gently start to take some longer, deeper, and slower breaths. Start to use your body to breathe, feeling your abdomen move and feeling your chest move. Then, begin our full yogic breath practice, placing one hand on your abdomen and the other hand at the top of the chest near your collarbones, letting the elbows relax back onto the ground. As you breathe in, breathe into the bottom of the lungs and feel the abdomen rise. Allow the lungs to fill completely all the way to the top, feeling your collarbones lift slightly. As you breathe out, breathe out from the top of the chest all the way down to the abdomen. Take a long inhalation. Feel the belly expand, ribs expand up and out, collarbones lift slightly. As you exhale, the collarbones and chest relax, the ribs move in and down, and the belly softens. Āśram, Strīlky, Kumbha Melā, Jādan, Oṁ Śrī Alakh Purījī, Śrī Madhavānanda Purījī, Siddha Pīṭha Paramparā, Śrī Madhavānanda Purījī, Siddha Karatā Prabhu Dīp Karatā Purījī, Siddha Karatā Prabhu Dīp Karatā. Puri Jī, Siddha Karata Prabhu Dīpa Karata Puri Jī, Siddha Karata Prabhu Dīpa Karata Puri Jī, Siddha Karata Prabhu Dīpa Karata Complete one more breath and bring the hands back down to the side of the body. Bring the legs a little closer together and, stretching through the right side of the body as you breathe in, raise the right arm above the head. Curl the right toes back towards the face as you press the hip down into the mat and try to expand through the right ribs, through the whole right side of your body. As you breathe out, bring the arm back down to the side. Let the leg relax on the left side. As you breathe in, raise the left arm above the head, curl the left toes back towards the face, opening through the ribs, pressing the hip down into the ground, and exhale, lowering the arm. Do one more on each side, stretching with your inhalation. Hold the breath, hold the stretch, and exhaling, relaxing with the out breath. Then bring both arms above the head. Have the arms a little wide if it feels tight through your shoulders. Stretch diagonally through the body as you inhale, making the right arm long, and extend the left heel away from you. Try to stretch across your torso, from hip to shoulder, from fingertip to toe, and as you breathe out, exhaling, relax. Then, with your next in-breath, stretch from the left arm and down into the right leg, across the whole of your body, hip to heel, shoulder to toe, and, exhaling, relax. Complete one more on each side, stretching with your in-breath, softening and relaxing with your out-breath. Use these first stretches to wake up the body, to lengthen the whole of the body, including the spine. When you finish that round, bring the arms back down to the side of the body. Then take a big stretch through the whole body: taking a deep in-breath, raise both arms above the head, curl the toes back towards the face. Take a moment to notice how your body feels after those stretches, and then we’ll start to wake up the body a bit more, bringing a little bit more energy into the body. Bring the arms above the head, palms together, feet together. Press down through your heels, through your buttocks, roll up onto your right side. Then, rolling back to the middle, use the momentum of your body to roll up onto the other side, and then rolling from side to side, just having the body as straight as you can. Do another round, bending the right knee to the chest, right foot onto the left thigh. Just notice that it’s starting to feel a little softer around the hip. Bring one hand through the legs and one hand around the outside of the leg. As you draw the knee in, try to have the shin parallel to the ceiling. Then, with your out breath, draw the knee closer in towards the body. Take your time. You’re stretching through the buttock and hip. Lift the head, bring the nose up towards the knee, then roll the head back onto the ground. Place the foot on the mat. Then, to the other side, bend the left knee, placing the left knee on the right thigh or near the knee. Start to bend the right knee toward the chest. Reach through, taking hold of the leg. Again, try to have the shin parallel to the ceiling. So that means lifting the foot up a little bit. Then, as you breathe out, draw the knee in toward the body. Lift the head, bring the nose up towards the knee. Then, rolling the head back onto the ground, place the foot on the mat. Left foot on the ground, and take a deep breath. Just relaxing around the hips, belly, and buttocks. We’ll do one more. Bending the right knee, place the right foot on the left thigh. Start to bend the left knee toward the chest. Reach around, reach in with one hand. Take your time and slowly draw the knee in towards the chest. Try to move slowly, giving the muscles time to stretch and relax. As we breathe out, we’re coming forward, hands under the shoulders, fingers wide, and arching the spine up towards the sky. As you breathe in, roll the hips up into the air, let the spine concave downwards, bring the chest forward, and, looking up, breathing out, arching the spine, chin towards the chest. Breathing in, getting the back concave, smoothly and slowly as you arch the spine, keep the arms strong and straight, and then soften through the lower back, through the neck and shoulders, as you lift the head and look up. Breathing out, arching the spine. As you breathe in next, come up onto the knees, hands in front. And breathing out, coming back down onto the heels, and take a deep breath. We’ll go through another round, raising the arms with the in-breath, coming up, exhaling, bringing the arms under the shoulders, fingers wide, arch through the spine. This time, if it feels comfortable, tuck the hips under a little deeper, draw the belly button back towards the spine, and tuck the chin to the chest. Then, as you breathe in, release from the hips, the belly, releasing from the chin, looking up. Breathing out, arch through the whole of the spine, move the hips forward, belly button back, chin towards the chest, and then release from the base of your spine, through the belly, through the upper part of the back. Continue like that. Then, next time you breathe in, come up onto the knees, hands in front, and breathing out, slowly lower yourself back down onto the heels, hands onto the thighs. Take deep breaths, and then we’ll go through one more round as we bring the arms up, breathing in, exhaling, arching through the spine, and then moving in your own breathing rhythm. Just trying to coordinate your breath and movement, slow the breath down, slow the movement down. Try to bring as much movement into your back as you can, going for your fullest arching up and going for your fullest concaving down. Then, with the next inhalation, coming up onto the knees, hands in front, and exhaling back down onto the heels. Come back to your breathing, just letting your body relax. Just notice how your back feels from the movement, and then we’re coming into Ustrāsana, camel posture, back bend. So we’ll move easy, and then we’ll move a little bit deeper. So let’s come up onto the knees and find our starting position. The knees can be about hip width apart, and can be a little wider if you’re working with any tension or tightness in the lower back, or you’re just taking it a little bit easier today. The toes can tuck under so the heels are a little bit higher to reach, if you need that support also in your body. We’ll bring the arms out to shoulder height to start with, and then we’re raising the right arm up into the air. When we raise the right arm up into the air, try to really lift up and lengthen through the side of the body. Bring the left hand onto the left hip to start with, and then use your hand and start to move the hips forward. Draw your belly button back towards the spine, lifting up and breathing out, coming back down onto the knees. Take a deep breath. We’ll go to the other side. We’re coming up onto the knees, hands in front. Then we’re lifting the left arm up into the air and bringing the right hand onto the hip. Then gently, with your right hand, start to move the hips forward as though you’re leaning back onto your hand. Now, use the hand to give yourself some support. Let your shoulders really soften down, as though the shoulder blades are sliding down onto your back, and it’s going to help bring the chest forward. If you’re feeling comfortable and going a little bit deeper here, reach back with the right hand to take hold of the right heel. Keep the hips moving forward, chest opening towards the sky, looking up towards your hand or looking straight ahead, whatever feels most comfortable for you this morning. Then, take a deep in-breath here. Breathe out, draw the belly back to support your back as you come up, and then lower back down onto the heels with a deep breath. Do a twisting camel posture, so we’re adding a twist into a back bend. So if that doesn’t feel comfortable for you, just come back to the first variation we did, or come back to a supported variation at the beginning. So let’s come up onto the knees with the hands in front. And then we’re raising the right arm up into the air and bringing the left hand to the hip again. Now, if you’re working gently today, then stay here. If you’re going a little bit deeper, you can bring the left hand to the left heel. If you’re moving into the twisting camel posture, you’re bringing the left hand to the right heel. And then just notice where the twist in your spine is. Keep the hips moving forward. Bring the twist into the upper part of the back. Look up towards your hand if that feels comfortable for you. Then, take a deep in‑breath, staying here. As you breathe out, draw the belly button back to give you support to come back up, coming back down onto the heels. Just take a deep breath. Breathe fully into your abdomen. Let’s come up and do the other side. So we’re bringing the arms up, lifting the left arm up into the air, bringing the left hand onto the hip. Just stay here if you’re working gently. Right hand to the right heel, left hand to the left heel. Keep the hips moving forward, chest opening. Either look straight ahead or look up to the ceiling, only letting the head hang back if you know you’re comfortable there and you know that’s safe for your neck and shoulders. Coming out with your exhalation, draw the belly back to support the back muscles as you come up. We’re coming back down onto the heels. Bring the knees together and then fold forward, Śaśāṅkāsana, hare posture. Have the hands out in front, the palms flat to the mat, the forearms resting on the ground. The hips are sitting back onto the heels. If it feels uncomfortable, then the knees can be a little bit wider apart here. Now, as you breathe in, breathe strongly into your abdomen. Feel the abdomen press against the thighs, helping to move the air into the back of the lungs. As the back of the lungs expand, feel your back and kidney area moving. Try to get as much movement into your back with your breath as you can, softening all the muscles of the back from our camel postures. Take deep breaths, slowly rolling up, and then take your time coming up into a standing position. Just coming up to wake up the lower part of the body, we’ll do walking on our toes. We’ll bring the hands together, palms down, and as we breathe in, raise the arms up. Then roll up onto your toes, and then walk around your mat on your tippy toes, and keep reaching up, looking up towards the sky if that feels comfortable for you. Taking up in the middle of your mat, bring the arms down to the side of the body. Just take a deep breath. Vīrabhadrāsana, our first variation, warrior posture. So we’ll stand with the legs quite wide apart, standing sideways on the mat, and then turn one foot forward, so we’re all facing in towards the front of the room, and then turn the back foot in as much as you can to get a nice roll through the whole of the leg, so the hips are facing forward. Try to have your hips and upper body facing in the same direction as your front leg. Back foot turns in as much as feels comfortable. Raise both arms above the head. Start with the arms a little wider than your shoulders. Get a real softness in your shoulders. Let the shoulder blades slide down onto your back as you lift the chest forward. Take a deep in-breath, and as you breathe out, bend the front knee. Bending the front knee, keep pushing off from your back leg. Keep the back leg strong and straight. Keep scooping the tailbone under, trying to descend from the front thigh bone. Bring the hands together, then look up towards your hands. Stay strong through your legs and push off from your front foot, coming back to the center, turning the feet back to the middle, bring the arms down to the side of the body, and take a deep breath. Turn the opposite foot out, the back foot rolls in, so you’re squaring up your hips to the front foot. Raise both arms above the head, arms a little wider than the shoulders. Go for a nice V shape; shoulder blades slide down onto your back. Take a deep in-breath, keeping the upper body soft, and as you breathe out, start to bend the front knee. Try not to lean forward; keep the spine on top of the hips. Then, bring the hands together and look up towards the hands. Reaching up, pull through your front leg, pushing back to the center. Turn the feet back to the middle and bring the arms to the side of the body. Step both legs together, step into a still standing posture. Come back to your breath, just noticing the effect from our first standing posture. In a variation of Vīrabhadrāsana, step the legs wide apart again, turning one foot out and the back foot in about 90 degrees. Now, bring the arms up to shoulder height, and this time, the hips and chest are facing open to the front. Look out along your middle finger of the front arm. Take a deep in-breath, standing tall, and as you breathe out, start to bend the front knee. Keep the tailbone moving under, keep lifting up from the belly, and descend deeper through the front thigh. The back leg stays strong. Keep opening through the back knee, try to lift the inner arch of the back foot, strong through the... front leg, pushing back to the centre, turning the feet back to the middle, bringing the arms down to the side of the body, deep breath. Moving to the other side, turning the foot out. The back foot turns in at 90 degrees. Then, bring the arms out to shoulder height. Have a look at your back arm to start, that it’s at shoulder height. Then look towards your front arm. Try to lift up from the hips, long through the side body, take a deep in-breath. And as you breathe out, slowly bend the front knee. Again, without leaning forward, keep the tailbone moving down, lifting the front knee. Bring the arms up to shoulder height, and you might find it comfortable to have the legs as wide apart so that your ankles are under your wrists. Lifting up tall from the tailbone, long through the spine, take a deep in-breath. As we breathe out, we’re tilting over to the right side, letting the top arm float through the air above the head, and then we’re reaching out through the fingertips and into the back heel. So, feel you’re standing strongly on both legs. If it feels comfortable for you, look up toward your hand. Breathing in, coming back to the middle. And breathing out, bringing the hands down to the side of the body. Moving to the other side as we breathe in, raising the arms. Breathing out, tilting over to the left side. Letting the right arm float above the head. We’re in extended triangle posture, palm facing down towards the ground. Feel an evenness through both legs, and breathing in, coming back up; breathing out, lowering the arms. Step the legs together, still standing posture. Working on the hips a little more, we’re coming to Maṇḍūkyāsana. We’ll come down from a standing position. If that feels really uncomfortable for your knees, we’re coming into a deep squat from here. Part 2: A Guided Yoga and Prāṇāyāma Practice If that position is not good for your knees, then come into a squatting position as easily as you can. If, when you squat, your heels are still off the ground, roll up your mat to rest your heels on. Stand with your feet wide apart, turning them out. Bring your arms out in front with your palms together. Take a deep in-breath, lift up tall, and as you breathe out, start to bend your knees and come down into a nice deep squat. Bend your elbows and bring your upper arms to the inside of your thighs, creating some pressure from the arms to open the hips outward. Tuck your tailbone under and look up toward the sky as you breathe in. As you breathe out, curl through the upper part of your spine, bringing your chin towards your chest, and stretch your arms out in front. See if you can squeeze your knees against your arms or shoulders. Then, breathing in, open the hips and look up. Breathing out, reach forward. Take a deep in-breath, then breathe out. Continue for three more breaths in your own time. When you bring your hands back in front of your chest, move straight to standing from the squatting position. Bring your hands under your feet if that feels comfortable, or you can just take hold around your ankles. Have your arms on the inside of your legs, and then lift lengthily through your spine. You are trying to stand up, but your feet are on your hands, which are stopping you. Then roll forward and roll your hips up into the air, pressing your feet into your hands and drawing yourself closer towards your thighs. Then, bend your knees and come down into a deep squat. Lengthen your spine and look up. Roll forward and roll your hips up into the air. Straighten out the dips in the back of your knees if that feels comfortable. Bend your elbows a little deeper. Bring yourself towards your thighs, and then, bending your knees, come down, looking up. Do this a few more times. We will bring the hands under the feet and then come up into standing, nice and easy. Bring your legs together for Ekapāda Tāṇḍāsana, the Balancing Forward Bending Posture. Have both feet quite close together. Find a point on the ground to focus on, and then allow your breathing to focus. Feel your right leg strong, supporting your whole body. See if you can broaden your foot, stretching your toes out. Feel the ball of your foot and your heel on the mat. Try to lift the arch in your foot, accentuating it, and then feel your whole leg strong and lifting up. Bend your left knee and place your left foot on top of your thigh. It can also be on the inside of your thigh, the inside of your calf, or you can just stand on the other foot. Bring your arms out to the sides, then above your head, and then bring your hands in front of your chest. Bring your shoulders down and open your chest. Take an easy in-breath, and as you breathe out, tilt slightly forward, following your exhalation. When you next breathe in, be still and steady. With your next out-breath, fold a little bit further forward. With one last out-breath, come as far forward as you feel comfortable. Then, slowly stand up, raising your arms above your head, and bring your arms back to the sides of your body. Place your foot on the mat. Take a deep breath. Now, feel your left leg really strong. Try to broaden your left foot. Spread your toes wide and feel the ball of your foot, from the ball of the big toe to the ball of the little toe. Feel your heel on the mat, and then lift from the arch of your foot, lifting your whole leg. Bend your right knee, placing your right foot on top of your thigh. Bring your arms out to the sides, raising them above your head, and bring your hands together. Then bring your hands in front of your chest. Let your shoulders roll down, bring your chest forward, and keep your spine long. Take an easy in-breath, and as you breathe out, follow your out-breath forward, stopping when you get to the end of that breath. With your next out-breath, go a little deeper. With one final breath out, slowly come up, raising your arms above your head. Make a big circle with your arms and then place your foot on the ground, coming to a still standing posture. We are going to sit at the back of the mat on our heels. We will go through some rounds of Kārtūpraṇām. Connect back into your breathing. We will move through one round smoothly. Raise your arms above your head, bringing your hands together and looking up. Bring your hands apart and roll forward from your hips. Lift your hips off your heels and slide forward into a caterpillar posture. Push off from your feet and slide into it. Move into an easy Cobra, toes under, hips in the air. Come back to a mountain posture. Bend your knees and take a big step, bringing your right foot forward into a sprinter's lunge. Raise your arms above your head, hands together, looking up. Then bring your hands apart back beside your body. Tuck your back toes under and step into a forward bend. Raise your arms above your head, hands together, looking up. Bring your hands apart and fold forward. Bend your knees and step your right foot back into a sprinter's lunge, toes tucked under, lifting up and looking up. Bring your hands back beside your feet, lifting your right knee. Walk back into mountain posture. Come forward onto your knees, rolling your hips to the ground into Cobra. Bring your chin and chest to the mat, toes under into a caterpillar, and press up and back into hare posture. Step your left leg back into a sprinter's lunge. Raise your arms above your head, looking up. Bring your hands back beside your feet, toes under, and step back to mountain pose. Come forward onto your knees, rolling your hips forward into Cobra. Bring your chin and chest to the mat, hips in the air, into caterpillar. Press up and back into downward-facing dog posture. Roll up from your spine, raise your arms into the air, and look up. Then bring your hands back onto your thighs and take a deep breath. Let's go through another round. Start here, bringing your thighs together as though you are rolling them inwards. Lift up from your belly and bring your chest forward. Let your shoulder blades relax down. Start to raise your arms out in front of you slowly, watching both hands moving together. As your arms lift, let your head follow your hands, looking up towards them, and bring your palms together. Take a deep in-breath here, and as you breathe in, lift up through the sides of your body. Feel that you are lifting up out of your hips, making your spine long. Then bring your hands apart and, keeping your spine long with your shoulder blades moving down onto your back, roll forward from your hips. Come forward, placing your hands on the mat, your forearms on the mat, and then place your forehead on the ground. Check that your elbows are not sticking out to the side and that your forearms are running parallel to your yoga mat. Soften through your whole spine. Feel that you are tucking your tailbone under as you bring your forehead to the mat, creating a long curve through your spine and opening up along each vertebra. Either stretch your hands out in front or keep your hands here with your fingers as wide apart as you can. Lift your hips off your heels and then slide your chest forward between your hands, toes under, hips in the air, into caterpillar posture. Now, have your thighs together again. Feel your toes on the ground and notice all the natural curves of your spine. Tuck your shoulders off the mat, rolling them back and down. Start to roll your shoulders back and down, feeling the curves starting in your spine as you push off on your feet, slide forward, and lift your head and chest into a cobra. In this Chakra, your elbows are bent; bring your shoulders down. Try to lift up along the whole length of your spine. Keep your legs as close together as feels comfortable, and then point your toes away. See if you can press your thighs into the mat. Tuck your toes under, come back up onto your knees, and then roll your hips up into the air into a mountain posture. Get an even weight through your feet and hands. Have your feet about hip-width apart, as though your legs are descending straight out of your hips. Press back through your fingertips, through the ball of your hand, through the heel of your hand, making your arms long. With the same movements we have been doing, try to roll your shoulder blades back down towards your hips. Look up towards your hands, and here, take a deep in-breath. As you breathe in, lift up through the side of your body. Keep your upper body lifting, and as you breathe out, sit through your right thigh, deepening the posture without letting your body go heavy. Bring your hands apart back beside your feet, back toes tucked under, and step forward. Try to still have a nice space between your feet, and then let your upper body hang over the front of your feet. Bring your weight to the front of your feet without your toes gripping, and then press your heels strongly down. Use your legs as you do in a mountain posture: heels down, back of the knees open, hips rolling up to the sky, letting your chest fall forward. Then, bending your knees, reach your arms out in front, raise them up, bring your hands together, and look up. Keep your shoulder blades moving down onto your back, your side body lifting, and your tailbone down. Lift up from your belly; feel an evenness through both feet. Bring your hands apart and then start to roll forward from your hips. As you roll forward, keep leaning forward over the front of your feet, which takes some effort with your heels. Keep your feet on the ground. Bending your knees, take a big step back with your right leg, bringing your right knee to the mat. Move your chest forward, control your back toes, and press your right foot strongly into the mat. Your hips move forward; sit up into your hips. Raise your arms above your head, bring your hands together, looking up, and take a deepening breath here. Lift up through the side of your body. As you breathe out, swing through your left thigh, bringing your hands back to the sides of your feet into a sprinter's lunge. Look at your head, then tuck your back toes under and walk back to mountain pose. Find an even weight through your hands and feet, through your arms and legs. Start to press back through your fingertips, the ball of your hand, and the heel of your hand. Lengthen your arms, and then soften your shoulder blades back down towards your hips, away from your ears. Now, lie down for a short relaxation. Have everything with you that you need for our sitting practice. Today, find yourself in a comfortable lying posture. Let your legs relax, with your palms facing upwards and your spine long. Bring your awareness to your breathing and take your awareness down to your feet. Notice both feet and all ten toes. Take a deep in-breath, and as you breathe out, allow both feet to relax. Bring your awareness to both legs, feeling all the muscles. Take a deep inhalation, and as you breathe out, allow both legs to relax. Bring your awareness to the area around your hips and buttocks. Take a deep in-breath, and as you breathe out, allow the whole area through the lower part of your body to relax. Then bring your awareness to your abdomen and lower back. Take a deep in-breath, and as you breathe out, let your abdomen and lower back relax. Bring your awareness to your chest and upper back. Take a deep inhalation, and as you breathe out, allow your whole upper body to relax. Bring your awareness to both hands and all ten fingers. Take a deep in-breath, and as you breathe out, allow both hands to relax. Feel both arms, noticing all the muscles. Take a deep in-breath, and as you breathe out, allow both arms to relax. Bring your awareness to the area around your neck and shoulders. Take a deep in-breath, and as you breathe out, allow that whole area to soften. Feel all the muscles of your head and face. Take a deep in-breath and allow all the muscles of your head and face to relax. Feel your whole body from your head to your toes. Take a deep in-breath and feel your whole body relax. Feel your whole body relax. Keeping your body relaxed and your inner quiet, bend your left knee and place your left foot on the ground. Roll onto your right side, help yourself up, and then come into a comfortable sitting position for our prāṇāyāma practice. Sit comfortably with your hands resting on your knees or thighs, with your thumb and forefinger joined in chin mudrā. Close your eyes and come back to that feeling you had during our relaxation: the steadiness in your breathing and the softness in your posture. Allow your breath to deepen. Feel your body moving as you breathe, from your abdomen to your chest and from your chest to your abdomen. Our practice this morning is Nāḍī Śodhana, Level 3, Alternate Nostril Breathing. Prāṇāyāma strengthens the breathing system and has a direct influence on the nervous system, which in turn harmonizes and balances every system of the body. Prāṇāyāma is a purification for the body. It helps develop concentration and awareness. Bend your right elbow and bring your right hand into the Prāṇāyāma Mudrā. Let the first two fingers of your right hand rest at the centre of your forehead. Let your elbow rest anywhere on your body that feels comfortable. Close your right nostril with your thumb and breathe in through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your ring finger and breathe out through your right nostril. Breathe back in through your right nostril, close it with your thumb, and breathe out through your left nostril. That is one round. Continue that rhythm from left to right and from right to left. Use the first few breaths to get a feel for your breathing, never straining or over-efforting, but always working to let the breath deepen to find your fullest, deepest breath. Prāṇāyāma is the control of the breathing, or the control of the prāṇa through your body. You may notice that as you breathe, the breathing rhythm starts to flow smoothly and effortlessly. The prāṇa, or the energy of the body, is in control of your breathing. Then simply watch the flow of prāṇa as it moves through the subtle energy channels, the nāḍīs of the body. Each nostril is connected to a nāḍī: the iḍā nāḍī to the left nostril or the piṅgalā nāḍī to the right nostril. The aim of our prāṇāyāma is to balance the flow of prāṇa in each nāḍī, which allows the energy to flow along the main nāḍī, along the spine—the suṣumṇā nāḍī—awakening our awareness and our deeper consciousness. Complete one more round, and when you do, bring your hand back to your body and stay with your breathing. Try not to let the movement disturb your consciousness or your breath. Then we will go through another round, moving the prāṇa through the opposite directions. Bring your right hand back to the prāṇāyāma mudrā. This time, close your left nostril with your ring finger and breathe in through your right nostril. Close your right nostril with your thumb and breathe out through your left nostril. Breathe back in through your left nostril and out through your right. We are following that rhythm now, from right to left and left to right. As we direct the breathing and the prāṇa in the opposite direction, we are bringing balance and harmony to our control and direction of our prāṇa into our body. You may notice a subtle difference in your awareness as it moves in the opposite direction, which can be a feeling of bringing that balance and harmony into the practice. Feel the energy or the prāṇa within the breath, and then allow the prāṇa to flow through your body effortlessly so that you can begin to deepen your awareness by simply observing the flow of prāṇa and the flow of breath. Complete one more round and bring your hand back to your body. Then keep your awareness on the space behind your forehead, on the Cittākāśa. Be aware of anything that is moving through the Cittākāśa—thoughts, feelings—just letting them come and go. Develop your observer's mind, or your witness perspective, simply watching and observing. Relax, stay focused, observing your inner space. Very slowly, bring yourself towards the end of our practice. Let your senses surface, feeling your body, feeling your body on the ground, your hands on your body. Start to breathe a little deeper and feel your body moving as you breathe. Take some moments to notice how you feel after our morning practice. Notice how you feel physically, mentally, and spiritually. We will chant together three times the Śānti Peace Mantra. Take a gentle, deep breath.