Meditation is a practice that unites all parts of the self. Influence your students to move beyond the usual outer layers of being into the interior with these practice tips.
1. Engage the Body by Activating the Deep Core Muscles
– As the inhale moves in and down filling the lungs, the pelvic floor responds with a soft expansiveness.
– With the exhale the pelvic floor draws gently upward, the muscles in the abdomen and lower back tone and the chest softens downward to give rise to the breath.
2. Anatomy Note
On the inhale, the mutifidus muscles lengthen the spine. The rib cage lifts and widens to withstand the pressure as the diaphragm actively draws air into the lungs.
On the exhale the pelvic floor lifts, the transverse abdominis engages and as the fascia on the sternum relaxes downward, the air is pressed up and out of the body.
3. Alignment Tip
Emphasize extending from the upper arms down towards the sides of the hips to bring lift, length and tone to the torso.
Refine your posture by bringing more focus to either the front of the arms (biceps) or the back of the arms (triceps).
4. Move to the Interior of the Body
– As if you could turn your gaze backward, look inward and down.
– Imagine a pocket near your heart and like walking down stairs, breath by breath move down and behind the space of your heart.
– With each exhale the rising breath tones the inner body and the outer framework of your body softens from your head down…like the feeling of pulling down a long cap past your ears and down the sides of your body.
5. Meditation Practice Tip to Offer Your Students
Set a timer for the amount of time that you want to tune into you.
When you are finished tell yourself “I am good at meditating. I like taking time to tune into my needs.”♥
6. Take time to share your meditation practice with your students so that they can gain a cohesive vantage point and enjoy the layered benefits that meditation offers.