The Affectionate Breathing Practice Taking a little time to find a posture where your body feels comfortable and supported for the next 10 minutes or so.
An invitation to wiggle around or get whatever you need to be comfortable.
Maybe a blanket or a cushion.
And when you're ready,
An invitation to gently close your eyes or keep them softly open if you wish with a soft gaze during the practice.
And when you're ready,
Taking a few easy breaths.
Noticing what it feels like to release any tension from your body.
If you wish to,
You may wish to place a hand or both hands over your heart or on any other place in your body that feels soothing.
And that acts as a reminder that we're bringing not only our awareness but our affectionate awareness to our breathing.
And also to ourselves.
You can leave your hand or your hands where they are for as long as you wish or you may wish to move them down to rest at any time.
Starting to notice the breathing.
Notice your body feeling the breath as it comes in and the breath as it comes out of your body.
A moment of sensing in to the air and the flow of your breath right now.
And as you're paying attention to your breathing,
You may notice how your body is nourished on the in-breath.
Maybe relaxes or gives up to gravity on the out-breath.
Simply allowing your body to breathe.
Giving permission to your body to breathe.
There's nothing you need to do,
Nowhere you need to be.
Noticing the rhythm of your breathing flowing out and flowing in.
Taking this time to feel the rhythm of your breathing,
The rhythm of your breath.
Perhaps inclining your attention towards your breathing as you might towards a beloved child or a dear friend.
Sensing in and feeling your whole body subtly moving with the breath.
Perhaps sensing in to the movement.
Just like the sea,
The flow of gentle waves lapping on a seashore.
And all the while your mind may naturally wander like a curious child or a little puppy.
And when that happens,
Just gently returning to the rhythm of your breath.
Feeling in to those sensations,
The air and the flow,
As many times as you need to.
And if you notice there's a sense of watching your breath.
See if you could let that go and just be with your breath.
Feeling it and sensing in to the whole experience.
The flow of your breath in and the flow of your breath out.
Allowing your whole body to be gently rocked and caressed.
Internally caressed by your breathing.
Feeling in to those soothing sensations.
Your internal rocking chair.
Gently easing back and forth as you give yourself over to your breathing.
Just breathing and being the breath.
Noticing,
Sensing in to your breath as you're breathing in and breathing out.
And now gently relaxing your attention to your breathing and sitting quietly in your own experience.
Allowing yourself to feel whatever you're feeling and to be just as you are.
Maybe noticing any sounds of your breath.
Any sensations of your breath.
Maybe those moments of pauses between the in and the out breaths.
Whatever you notice,
There's no right or wrong.
And then when you're ready,
The next time you breathe out,
Gently bringing your chin down to your chest.
Blinking open your eyes gently if they were closed and gently rolling your shoulders or having a stretch.
Noticing how you feel right now.
Thank you.
