What would you like to cultivate?

Hey there!

How are you doing today?

If it feels good, I invite you to check in with yourself.

It may be helpful to read over the Body Scan instructions before giving it a go. 🙂

Body Scan: Grounding Exercise

Find a comfortable seat of your choosing, sitting on a chair, on a couch, or on the ground.

When you feel ready, take 3 slow cycles of breath; breathing in through your nose and out through your nose or mouth.

An invitation to soften your focus or close your eyes.

Gently scan your body for points of connection with the earth or the surface beneath you.

How does this connection and support feel in your body?

Explore turning your palms face down on your thighs.

Pausing for a few breaths to notice how this feels in your body.

Now, explore turning your palms to face towards the sky.

Notice how this new position feels in your body.

You can choose to have your palms facing up or down, or explore your own variations, such as placing your hands on your heart.

Allow your breath to find its natural rhythm as you gently scan your body from your toes all the way to the crown of your head, observing what sensations are present for you today.

Examples of sensations include: hunger, thirst, tiredness, warmth, pulsing, coolness, tingling, spaciousness, ease, tension, restriction, clenching, your heartbeat, air on your skin, air entering your nostrils, itchiness, comfort, an emotion, a thought, and so on.

Observe what’s present for you at this moment without passing judgment.

You can visualize yourself as a curious explorer, exploring a new landscape with eyes full of wonder and excitement.

When this gentle body scan feels complete, take 3 slow cycles of breath. You can play around with making your exhalations longer than your inhalations.

Sense the weight of your body being held by the surface beneath you.

Notice the air on your skin.

Tune into sounds both near and far.

Bring some movement back to your body, wiggling your fingers and toes.

When you feel ready, open your eyes.

You are welcome to journal about what came up for you during this body scan exercise, reflecting upon your experience.

It may feel better to just simply be, allowing the benefits of this grounding practice to wash all over you.

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A few letters ago, I mentioned that my husband and I joined a community garden.

It has been such a blessing in my life.

Getting my hands dirty in the soil brings me back to my childhood, when I made mud pies for my grandparents. I recall their playful enthusiasm as they pretended to eat the pies, praising me as a talented baker.

As I pull out weeds, I enter a meditative state, feeling a sense of spaciousness, calm, and presence in my body.

The scents of dill and basil, along with the vibrant colors of deep purple eggplant and various shades of green, stimulate my senses.

I am reminded of what fear feels like in my body whenever I see a spider.

Tending to our garden reminds me of my deep connection to nature, as I show love by watering the plants and removing what no longer serves.

I feel the power of connection every time I interact with fellow community gardeners, sharing stories, food, and laughter.

I can’t help but see how tending to a physical garden mirrors the care and attention needed for nurturing my inner landscape (or my inner garden).

What would I like to cultivate within myself? In other words, what internal qualities would I like to grow and nurture?

I believe that our external environment can reflect and influence our internal state, and vice versa.

As I tend to my garden, I realize I’m cultivating qualities like playfulness, calm, presence, connection, self-awareness, love, ease, joy, and curiosity.

To allow these qualities to thrive, it’s important to nurture them, while being mindful of anything that could hinder their growth and development.

I’m curious, what would you like to cultivate?

Imagine yourself as a gardener tending to your inner world.

What qualities would you like to grow and nurture? What might affect the growth of your metaphorical plants? Are there any parts of your inner world that you would like to reinvent or reclaim?

Our theme for the month of August is CULTIVATE.

I’ve created a playlist of yoga classes that align with this month’s theme to inspire and support you on your journey.

You can follow along using this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLftdoo4RFfAovcX9rpwnil5cYiiqQVc0q​

Or you can download your free digital yoga calendar here: https://www.yogawithrachelmarie.com/calendar​

Join a class whenever you can!

Nurture your inner garden with these 31 yoga classes!

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Today’s practice comes from a request by a community member: Somatic Yoga - Lower Body Yoga Routine.

This practice is designed to help reduce lower body tension, stiffness, and discomfort, while also improving circulation.

Most of this practice will be done lying on your back, except for the final few minutes of this practice. With this in mind, feel free to sit up at any point during your practice if that feels better in your body.

A yoga strap or a belt might be helpful for today’s practice.

I encourage you to save this class and incorporate it into your daily routine!

Click on the picture or the button below to join this lower body somatic yoga practice.

Thank you so much for sharing your time, energy, and practice with me and so many others across the globe.

Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section on YouTube, or if it feels better, you can send me an email.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Take care,

Rachel