Finishing Meditation (6 min)
Finishing Meditation (10 min)
After relaxing and balancing your energy, you may wish to conclude your prac-tice with a brief meditation. This can mirror your opening meditation; you may wish to remind yourself of your intention for the practice and/or conduct an inner inventory once more. Compare the way you feel now, at the end of the practice, with the way you felt at the start. Just note the differences, if any. Do not judge your practice as good or bad; just notice what it was like. And then – let it go.
You may wish to finish your practice with some sort of gesture of completion. Bring your palms together in prayer, leaving a bit of space between the hands to symbolize the space in your heart. Bow down to the floor.
When you rise you may wish to chant something brief. Chanting “Om” will suffice, or you can chant “Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu.” [1] Or, simply end with saying “namaste” to all the teachers in your life who have guided you. [2]
For some dedicated yogis, the time after Shavasana is the time for a full meditation practice. The body is open and strong. Sitting may feel easier, the heart content. The breath is calm right now. It is a perfect time to train the mind.
Transition to your next activity
When the practice is over, everyday life is waiting for you; don’t just jump right back into it – savor the quietness for a while. Whatever your next actions are, do them with mindfulness. Allow this heightened awareness to linger throughout the rest of your day. Notice the openness in your body as you move. Smile often, and pause frequently. Take time to return to awareness; after all, this is what you were practicing – awareness. Enjoy it.
- — Which means, “May all beings everywhere be happy.”
- — Namaste is an acknowledgement of the divinity in you and in others.
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