The 3 Spaces

As a massage therapist, I commonly hear about restrictions and discomfort in the shoulders, and back.As a yoga teacher, I commonly hear about restrictions in more subtle areas. At least, they are subtle when the main focus is on larger muscle groups of the physical body.And yet, when I invite students to draw attention to the path of their inhale there are 3 Spaces that most commonly ask to be seen:The throat, the center of the chest, and the belly.I'll take you through this awareness practice right now.Stand or sit in stillness for 2 or 3 cycles of breath. Just notice. You don't need to change anything, and you most certainly don't need to judge anything. Simply notice, and allow your breath to soften you into stillness.As you take your next inhale, I invite you to follow the path of your breath. Where does it flow freely, and where does it bump up against some resistance? Is there a space in your body that is whispering for attention/ affection/ care/ grace?Now that you have given your awareness to this space, use your exhales to sigh loving kindness to that area. Again, this is just from an intention of noticing. This particular practice does not require fixing. It is a gentle witnessing of our own selves.As you begin to move out of the breathwork and back into the room, take some time to review what you noticed. You can take pen to paper and write it out, or you can just take a moment in thought with yourself.Some considerations about the 3 Spaces as you review your experience...The throat chakra is home to communication through sound. It is through sound communication that we connect, and extend what is deep inside. What is your experience with communication?The heart chakra is where love lives. The center of everything. This area is not referring to romantic love, but the love of compassion. It is divine love that radiates outward encompassing all that is within our field. This love is enduring, and eternal. What is your relationship with love?The solar plexus holds vitality. The belly holds incredible transformational energy. It is here where inertia is overcome. Raw materials dance with movement to create energy. You may recall hearing a variation of the phrase "fire in the belly". What do you notice about your personal vitality? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit christinavenditti.substack.com/subscribe