Let's take a brief breathing space together.
This is not about distracting ourselves,
Relaxing or trying to change anything.
It is a way of stepping out of autopilot,
Seeing clearly what is here and meeting the next moment with more awareness.
You might sit in a posture that is upright,
Stable and open,
Allowing the body to be supported while also awake to this moment.
First opening your awareness to whatever is present here,
Right now,
Recognizing thoughts as thoughts,
Emotions as emotions,
Body sensations as sensations,
Noticing the overall landscape of your experience,
Just as it is,
Pleasant or unpleasant,
Busy or quiet,
Nothing to fix or push away,
Simply acknowledging what is here.
Now,
Gently bring attention to the sensations of breathing,
Notice where the breath is most alive in the body,
Let your attention rest there,
Staying with that one place.
Allow your awareness to be anchored there for these moments.
Then,
Gently expand your awareness to include the whole body sitting here.
Notice the shape and the posture of your body,
To contact with the chair or the floor and any sensations where they arise.
From here,
Softly take in the environment around you,
The sounds,
The air,
The space around you,
And as you are ready,
Bringing this sense of presence with you into the next moment of your day.
