Allow for at least 30 minutes. You will need a comfortable place to lie on the floor. This Somatic Act can be done as a solo, duet or group.
Begin by finding a comfortable place
to rest on the floor
lying on your back
Take a moment to
arrive and settle.
Noticing the places
where the floor is touching you…
Rising to meet and
support your weight.
With each breath
As you are resting,
Noticing, where does your breath move…?
Can you sense its rise and fall,
with each inhale and exhale,
somewhere in the torso,
or in the chest or belly?
As you are ready,
place your hand on the area
where the breath tends to move.
The hand is listening
-receiving what is there
without needing to do anything.
Your breath is nourishing you
and moving you – gently
Can you allow yourself
to sink and settle into the floor,
a little bit more
as if lying on warm sand.
Allowing any tension
in the muscles or bones,
to begin to soften a little
As your hand rides
with the ebb and flow
of your breath,
Sensing
that there is an inner world
underneath your hands.
An entire eco-system
of blood, cells, organs, tissues, bacteria, and more-
all circulating
and being nourished
by the breath.
Allowing time…
As you are ready,
you can add another hand
listening to another place
where the breath moves
the torso, the chest, the belly,
or the sides of the ribs somewhere
Allowing the weight
of the hand
to settle.
The hand is listening
– receiving what is there –
without needing to do anything.
As it rides along the wave
of your breath
How does your breath move here?
The breath is nourishing you.
Allowing time…
As you are ready,
broadening our attention
to another area
where the breath is moving
in the body,
even if it is subtle
Such as near the lower pelvis,
a shoulder, or even the neck or face.
Gently, finding a transition
to moving one of your hands
to this place.
Allowing time…
To sense the moment
when the hand leaves the body
and arrives
at a new place
to rest.
The breath,
supporting the transition
and movement.
How does the breath move here?
Allowing time…
Slowly, this begins
a listening and attending dance
with hands and breath.
At any time, you can gently shift
the position of the hands
to another area of the body
that can be easily touched.
As your hands ride
with the ebb and flow
of your breath,
sensing that there is
an inner world
underneath your hands
an entire eco-system.
The breath is nourishing you.
Noticing the quality of the breath
underneath your hands…
Sensing and following the transition
As one hand rises,
and settles again
following your own rhythm.
Perhaps you can
broaden your attention
to sense
the growing map
of touch imprints,
from where your hands have been
resonating along the skin, tissues, bones
while the next hand
gently lands
on a new place.
Sensing a growing map of touch imprints along your body
from all the places you have touched.
Allowing time...
Your hands
are inviting your breath
and your breath
is inviting your hands
to listen
and rest.
Noticing how the breath moves here…
Sensing the rise and fall,
the inhale and the exhale,
moving you, gently.
Gradually finding a transition
to placing both hands on your face,
directly over your eyes
Allowing the weight
of the hands
to settle.
The hands are listening
Riding on a wave of breath
your hands,
are surfing along,
following the undercurrent.
The breath breathing you moving you
With each moment.
Allowing time…
And when you are ready,
allowing both hands to rest at your sides.
Your whole being, resting
Allowing time…