Mindfulness Meditation - Following The Breath

In this practice, we introduce an anchoring tool to support maintaining the focus on the breath. First we will follow the inhale, letting go of focus on the exhale. Then we will focus on the exhale. Finally, we will bring the entire breath cycle into focus. This is a helpful practice to begin a longer seated practice, and it can be short focused practice on its own.

Transcript

Our practice starts with finding a comfortable spot to become still for the next five or six minutes.

This can be lying or sitting,

The eyes can be closed or not.

If you choose to keep the eyes open,

I suggest lowering the gaze,

Letting the eyelids come to a half-close.

This just helps to turn the attention inwards.

Getting settled where you are,

Getting to notice the body.

Perhaps you can feel where the body's making contact with the earth beneath you,

The chair beneath you.

Perhaps you can feel the weight of clothing on your skin,

Moving a layer deeper.

Maybe you can feel your heartbeat in your chest.

You can feel the flow of the breath through the body.

Or maybe it's the subtle sounds and sensations of digestion that's coming home to your body.

Once you've arrived,

You can begin to tune into the focus of our practice today,

The breath.

I want you to start to notice the inhale,

Following the breath in from the very start to the very end,

And then giving your mind full permission to let go,

To wander for the exhale.

Repeat that pattern a few times for me,

Following the inhale,

Then letting the reins on the attention go completely for that breath out.

You can let that go,

And this time we'll move to the exhale.

Beginning to follow the exhale from the very start to the very end,

And letting the mind do whatever it wishes for that inhale.

Continue with this pattern,

Following the exhale,

Letting go of the attention on the inhale.

Finally,

Bringing the full breath into your attention,

Following the inhale from the very start to its very end,

Noticing that natural pause,

And again following the exhale from its very start to its very end.

Following the full cycle of breath here.

You might even imagine the breath has a color,

Imagining that colored hair flowing in through the nostrils,

Filling the lungs,

And leaving again through the throat,

And now out and out across the upper lip,

Favoring these last five breaths before wrapping up our practice.

Bringing your practice to a close,

Again waking up the body,

Taking in some deeper breaths,

Perhaps introducing some gentle movements,

And as you're ready,

Opening the eyes.

Reviews

This is an amazing practice. Very unique in its allowance of attention on the in breath while focusing attention on the out breath then alternating the focus and finishing with focus on both. I really enjoyed this practice and plan on incorporating it into my practices. Thank you 🙏.