Breathing Space Introduction And Practice

In the midst of busy lives it can sometimes feel as though we are being carried along by events, thoughts, and emotions without much space to pause.

The Three-Step Breathing Space is a short practice that allows us to step out of autopilot and reconnect with the present moment.
The practice unfolds in three simple steps.

First, we pause and become aware of what is here right now.
What thoughts are present? What emotions? What sensations in the body? Rather than trying to change anything, we simply acknowledge what is already here.

Second, we gently gather our attention around the breath or another anchor point thereby stabilising our awareness in this moment.

And then third, we expand our awareness again to include the whole body, sensing the posture, the contact with the ground or chair, and the wider field of experience.

In just a few moments, this small pause can help us reconnect, steady ourselves, and respond more wisely to whatever comes next.

Transcript

Our minds like us to be busy. They want us to survive and to thrive. They want us to ensure we remain prosperous, Liked and productive in the world. We all have habits of mind, Those well-worn paths and loops that keep us trapped in old and often unhelpful ways of being. If we're able to pause for just a few moments, There's a chance that we might be able to break our habit of thinking and give ourselves the chance to see more clearly and to approach our situation differently. This is a simple three-step breathing space which offers a chance to escape from your usual mind pattern. It will take less than ten minutes. It will start with guidance on grounding in your body and guide you through becoming aware, Gathering your attention and then expanding your attention and thereby offering you a chance to approach whatever situation you find yourself in with greater clarity. Just taking a moment now to adjust your posture, Finding a position that for you represents dignity, Openness and groundedness. You'll be deciding whether to keep the eyes open or close them or maybe just soften the gaze slightly. Adjusting the shoulders so you're sitting upright but not uptight. Maybe just bringing the head down slightly, Dropping the chin so your spine is fully extended. Just taking a couple of deep breaths. As much as it's possible for you just arriving fully in this moment. This moment just as it is with this body and this breath. Identifying an anchor in the body now, So somewhere that will feel steady and grounded. Really common places are the feet, The seat, The hands or the breath. Feeling free to just sense into anywhere in this body that feels like it would be a good resting place for your attention. And just tuning into all and any of the details or wherever you've chosen. So step one of the breathing space is becoming aware. So just inviting you now to tune into your experience and just become aware of whatever's here for you in terms of thoughts, Body sensations, Emotions. Not trying to change anything, Just noticing what's here. It might be helpful to label what's here. So maybe worry is here, Rumination. Maybe joy is here. Just noticing it, Not needing to change anything at all. Maybe breathing into your experience if that feels helpful to you. But knowing there's nothing else you need to do, Nowhere else you need to be. Just here and aware in this moment. Step two of the breathing space is gathering. So inviting you now to gather your attention to your chosen anchor point. It could be the feet, The seat, The hands or the breath. Really noticing what's going on in this anchor point. Noticing any sensations, Feelings of movement. Being curious about what's here in this anchor point. And the final step in the three-step breathing space is expanding. So inviting you now to just expand your attention to take in the entirety of this body. This body as it sits here and as it breathes. All and any sensations from the top of the head right down to the tips of the toes. Noticing your posture, Perhaps tuning into your facial expression. Just resting in the tangible reality of your experience just as it is in just this moment. And perhaps just bringing a sense of openness and acceptance to whatever's here in the mind and the body. And inviting you now as we bring this short practice to a close to see if it's possible to bring this open, Friendly, Accepting awareness with you into the next moments of your day.