The Movement Of Stillness: Mindfulness Of Breath

Yes, the mind is a busy place. Often, so is the heart. But no matter what the mind and heart do, the breath consistently offers the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation. The dance becomes its own still point, a place our attention can settle even as the mind and heart spin on.

Transcript

Welcome. This is Alison with Mindful Pause Center and I'm so glad to bring you this practice today. So taking a moment. Just notice which posture will serve you in this very moment. Maybe you can allow intuition to come forward and help you decide what would feel good. Seated. Lying down. Standing, Perhaps even a slow walking meditation. Choosing your posture now. And just noticing what it's like to be this way in the body. Where is their support? Just taking a moment to notice what it feels like to be a body in this posture. Where do you feel supported? Where do you feel connected? And now the invitation is to bring your awareness to a felt sense of the body breathing. How do you know you're breathing? And not know with the mind, But know through the body itself. Exploring the area of the belly. What does inhalation feel like? What does exhalation feel like? Exploring the area of the chest and the ribcage. Inhaling. . . Noticing all the sensations that come with it. Exhaling. How does it feel to exhale? Bringing some interest to the area at the nose. How does the breath come in? How does the breath go out? Choosing one place where you really sense in a felt way the body breathing itself. And bringing your attention there now. Resting the attention on this felt sense of the body breathing. If it helps to steady the attention, You can use a simple label. IN Out. Or perhaps on the exhalation here. And on the inhalation. Now. How does the breath steady attention today? How available is the breath to you? This rhythm, Receiving and releasing. Arriving. . . And letting go. Interested. And relaxed. Just noticing now. Quality of presence that's here after this short practice with breath as home base. Doesn't need to be any particular way, Might not match what you had hoped for. This is how it is now. Softening with that, Letting it be. This is enough. And now beginning to move the body in a way that feels good. Making the movements bigger, Stretching. As the eyes open or the gaze lifts. Orienting to physical space you're in through form, Color, Temperature. Thank you for your practice. Did you feel supported by this practice? Follow me on Insight Timer, And if it feels good, Make a donation through my profile. Until next time, Take good care.