Saturday, March 12, 2011

an exercise by kaylani

Just before you’re about to go to sleep:

Lay on you back, let your arms and legs do whatever is comfortable. Close your eyes. If possible, breathe only through your nose and establish a rhythm of inhaling and exhaling to the full capacity of your lungs. Place a hand on your stomach, it should rise first as you inhale until the air forces your chest to expand. The process should occur in reverse on the exhale; allow your chest to collapse first and compress the muscles in your abdomen as the air escapes to force all remaining air from your lungs. Repeat this process a few times until you’re comfortable doing it without a lot of though. Open your eyes. Take some notes. Remain lying down and continue breathing as instructed. This may make not taking difficult, make some notes about it.

Breathe in until you think your lungs are full, then force some more are in. Breathe out until your lungs are empty, then force out a little more air. Do this every time you realize your breathing has returned to normal. Pinpoint two parts of your body: the least healthy and the most healthy (however you define health in your own body). There may be multiple options to choose from, pick just two. Take notes on this decision.

Keep breathing. Focus your mind on these two body parts. Allow yourself to focus until all thoughts pertaining to anything except these two body parts have left your mind. Allow mutual, equal meditation toward both parts. Imagine how they’d operate, what they’d be capable of, how you would benefit, who else would benefit and how, if these parts were in optimum pristine perfect health (again, health as you define it). Take notes before during and after the imagination process.

Finally, listen. Focus all your attention on listening. Listen until you hear something you have never heard before. Upon hearing this, take one final breath and sit up as you inhale. Take note of the state of your chosen parts. Feel free to create a poem from the notes. Use the words “give” and “receive” as filters while taking notes and making poetry and thinking imaginative, airy thoughts. 

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