Microcosmic Orbit Meditation 1

Begin in a comfortable seat on a mat, bolster or seated in a chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor. You will be shifting your attention through specific spaces of the body that have a particular effect on the nervous system and help develop awareness of the energetic body (Pranayama Kosha). This practice will help develop your mental focus and allow you to participate in more advanced forms of Pranayama and Meditation.

Part 1:  You can begin by taking a few slow deep breaths in and out through the nose, if Ujjayi Pranayama is comfortable for you, create a slight narrowing of the throat and allow the breath to whisper softly as you breathe in and out. Take a few moments to study the diagram below and read the description of the physical spaces that you will be focusing on. Once you are aware of the following points, close your eyes and begin to focus on each one in sequential order for 3 to 5 complete rounds, taking a few breaths in each space to visualize a point as shown in the diagram.

1.      Base of pelvis (center of perineum)

2.      Base of the spine at the sacrum/tailbone

3.      Spine behind the navel (L-1/2 Vertebrae)

4.      Spine behind the heart between bottoms of shoulder blades (T-7/8 Vertebrae)

5.      Base of the neck on the back (C-7 Vertebrae)

6.      Back of the skull (occipital protuberance)

7.      Crown of the head at the top of the skull

8.      Forehead between eyebrows

9.      Front of palate or roof of mouth behind front teeth

10.   Base of the throat the divot between the collarbones atop the sternum

11.   The front of the heart space (lower sternum)

12.   Navel or belly button

13.   Front of pelvis at the symphysis of the pubic bones

14.   Base of pelvis (center of perineum)

Part 2:  Imagine the line running through these points that connects them. On your inhalations draw your attention up the back line from the bottom of the pelvis to the top of the head. On your exhalations allow your attention to flow down the front line like a waterfall.      

If you cannot make it all the way up the back on one breath in, pause for the exhale and continue on the following inhalation. Do the same on the exhales down the front, taking as many breaths as needed to complete one cycle. Repeat for 3, 5 or 9 rounds of the orbit.

Complete the practice by imagining your energy collecting in a ball in the center of the abdomen behind the navel. This ball is about the size of an orange and is bright golden-white like the 10 a.m. sun. This ball of energy will then change into the full moon as you store the energy you have shifted through the meditation. Once you visualize the moon, your practice is complete, and you can open the eyes and notice the effects of this practice.