We're just going to spend a few minutes arriving,
Letting go of whatever has been happening up to now,
And just settling into this space.
So let's just do that.
Maybe taking a moment to notice the feet on the floor right now.
Becoming aware of the contact point between the feet and whatever is supporting them.
Just that.
Noticing the feet and the point of contact between the feet and whatever is supporting them.
Noticing the other points of contact between the body and whatever the body is resting on.
You know,
That could be around the thighs,
The buttocks,
Some part of the back.
Just noticing those parts of the body that are in contact with whatever is supporting it.
Kind of sensing into those pressure points and becoming aware of any sensations there of contact.
Maybe becoming aware of no sensation at all.
Noticing the hands now.
And just inviting the hands to be soft and open and resting.
Maybe noticing any sensations between the hands and wherever they're resting.
Just that point of contact.
Now,
Widening the focus to take in the whole body sitting here.
Just noticing the body.
Allowing the body to settle,
To arrive in a way.
Perhaps taking a moment to notice that just for these few minutes together,
We actually don't have to work so hard.
We really can let go even a little.
The chair or whatever we're sitting on will support the body.
The floor,
The earth beneath us will support us.
And the practice or the guidance supports us as well.
So in a way,
We really can settle or sink or let go even a very little.
And let's help the body to just settle.
Noticing now the very small of the back.
Just that part of the spine emerging from the sitting bone.
The very lower back.
Seeing if you might bring your awareness just to that part of the body.
Just the very lower back.
Or sometimes we carry or hold.
Maybe without even noticing.
Inviting some ease and some space into the lower back.
On up to the middle back.
Maybe travelling up vertebrae by vertebrae.
Nice and slowly noticing the middle back.
Allowing the middle back some ease and some space.
And then on to the upper back.
Noticing the upper back.
Really sensing into whatever might be here right now.
If there's tightness or holding.
Just inviting even a little ease.
And so to the shoulders.
Another part of the body where we can hold or carry.
So just noticing what's in the shoulders in this moment.
Seeing if we might notice as best we can without any judgment.
Just becoming aware of the shoulders right now.
Sensing into what is here right now in the shoulders.
Maybe for you that might be a sense of tightness or discomfort.
Or perhaps in your shoulders right now a softness and ease.
Just noticing.
And then whatever is in the shoulders right now.
Inviting the shoulders to drop even a little.
Noticing now the weight,
The volume and the length of the arms coming out from the shoulders.
All the way down to the elbows.
Spending some time becoming aware of the hollow on the inside of the elbows.
Noticing what is here inside the elbows right now.
Perhaps an awareness of warmth or moisture or softness in those little hollows.
And then noticing the outside of the elbows.
The bony structure.
Maybe an awareness of wrinkled skin or stretched skin.
Just noticing the elbows.
And nice and gently then down to the lower arms.
Just that part of the arms between the elbows and the wrists.
Might it be possible to just notice that part of the arms right now.
Registering any sensations in that part of the arms.
And then inviting some ease,
Some softness.
Even a little letting go in that part of the arms.
And the hands.
Noticing the hands right now.
Becoming aware of any sensations within the hands right now.
Maybe for you,
Sensation of pulsing,
Tingling,
Moisture,
Warmth or coolness around the hands.
Just noticing the hands.
And sending the hands some well-wishing.
Now bring the awareness to the neck.
Becoming aware of the front of the neck.
The back of the neck.
And inviting a little ease,
A little comfort to the whole of the neck.
Noticing the back of the head.
The top of the head.
Seeing if the whole of the back of the head and the top of the head might soften even a little.
Inviting some ease.
Even a little release of any tightness that might be in the head.
Noticing the forehead.
If there are lines on the forehead,
Seeing if they might dissolve even a little.
Becoming aware of the eyes.
And the area around the eyes.
Inviting this whole area of the eyes now to soften.
To have some ease.
To let go in a way,
Even a little.
Noticing the nose.
The cheeks.
And the ears.
Becoming aware of the jaw.
Inviting the jaw to drop even a little.
Noticing the mouth.
And the area around the mouth.
Just becoming aware of any sensations around the mouth right now.
If there are sensations of tightness or holding,
Just inviting the mouth to drop even a little.
Loosen.
Have some ease.
The chin.
And the chest.
Just becoming aware of the whole chest area.
Seeing if it's possible to notice any sensations within the chest area right now.
Just inviting a little ease.
A little letting go.
A softening of the whole chest area right now.
And on down to the tummy.
Just becoming aware of that part of the body.
And the organs there.
And seeing if you might allow a little ease and a little space into the whole tummy area.
And then on down to the pelvic girdle.
Again becoming aware of that whole structure.
Hip to hip.
And all of the organs within that.
Just inviting everything to soften and to have a little ease.
Just allowing the whole body now to simply be itself.
And to take this moment of ease.
And as we move into the practice of mindful breathing.
Just knowing that we're not trying to change the breathing in any way.
We're just going to invite a gentle focus and attention on the breath.
Just exactly as it is right now.
Nothing to do really.
Except noticing the breath coming in and going out.
No expectations at all.
Simply an awareness of the breath moment to moment.
So as the body settles.
Has some ease.
And is invited to rest.
Now gently bringing your awareness to the breath.
Simply noticing the breath as it is right now.
So no problem.
If your breath might be shallow and fast.
Or deeper and slower.
The invitation is literally just to notice the breath.
Exactly as it is right now.
Seeing if you might tune in as it were.
To the breath coming in.
And the breath going out.
Following your breath with your awareness.
So you might practice right now.
Following the breath all the way in.
And then following the breath all the way out.
Not trying to change the breath in any way.
Simply noticing.
Breathing in and breathing out.
As you breathe in.
Feeling the breath as it passes through your nostrils.
And breathing out.
Feeling the breath as it leaves your nostrils.
So just noticing the breath coming in.
And going out.
Sensing into the breath in the nostrils.
Keeping your awareness really lightly and gently on the breath.
Breathing mindfully into the present moment.
Breathing in.
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out.
I know I am breathing out.
Just practicing that now for the next moment or so.
Breathing in.
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out.
I know I am breathing out.
And if thoughts come in,
As they always do.
No problem,
No worry.
Nothing has gone wrong.
It's us being humans.
Noticing the busy mind.
So when you notice the thoughts coming in.
Seeing if you might acknowledge them.
Without judgement.
And then let them go.
So noticing the thoughts.
Acknowledging the thinking without any judgement.
And then letting the thoughts float on by.
Maybe seeing them like clouds.
Drifting across the sky.
And then each time.
Bringing the awareness back to your breath.
Back to your breathing.
Back to the present moment.
Breathing in.
I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out.
I know that I am breathing out.
Every time your attention moves away from the breath.
This is in fact a wonderful moment of mindfulness.
When you naturally become distracted by a thought.
About something you have to do.
Or something you need to remember.
Or maybe it is something that is bothering you.
Or worrying you.
Or a fantastic plan that you are dreaming of.
Whatever it is,
No matter.
Just notice the thought.
Acknowledge the thought.
And then let it go.
And again,
Bring your awareness back now.
To your breath.
Back to this present moment.
So all the while,
As best you can.
The intention now is to focus on just the breath.
Letting your full awareness be on the breath.
As it comes in.
And as it goes out.
Noticing the familiar rhythm of the breath.
Being with the breath.
Noticing the busy mind.
Coming back to the breath.
Breathing in.
I calm my body.
Breathing out,
I smile.
Breathing in,
I calm my body.
Breathing out,
I smile.
Breathing in,
I calm my body.
Breathing out,
I smile.
When you bring your awareness to the breath in this way.
You are actually connecting.
The mind,
The body and the spirit.
We know that the word for breath.
And the word for spirit.
Are the same in many languages.
So here now.
Becoming aware of the breath.
In a way that connects the mind,
The body and the spirit.
In this present moment.
Simply through noticing the breath.
Breathing in.
I calm my body.
Breathing out,
I smile.
Dwelling in the present moment.
I know this is a wonderful moment.
I know this is a wonderful moment.
Dwelling in this present moment.
I know this is a wonderful moment.
So the invitation now.
Is to continue to breathe mindfully in this way.
For the next couple of moments.
Without any guidance.
Noticing the breath.
Becoming aware of the busy mind.
Slowly coming back to the breath.
Dwelling in this present moment.
I know this is a wonderful moment.
Breathing in.
I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out.
I know that I am breathing out.
Breathing in ease.
Breathing out releasing.
Letting go even a little.
Breathing in ease.
Breathing out releasing.
Letting go even a little.
Breathing in.
I calm my body.
Breathing out I smile.
Breathing in.
I calm my body.
Breathing out I smile.
As we come to the end of this mindful breathing practice.
Inviting you to keep your eyes closed.
Or your gaze lowered.
For just another moment or so.
Noticing now the slight pause.
At the end of each in breath.
And again the slight pause.
At the end of each out breath.
Just doing that.
The little pause at the end of each in breath.
And the little pause.
At the end of each out breath.
And now staying with the breath in a way.
But now becoming aware of this whole.
Body breathing.
The breath in the body.
Seeing if you might tune in a way.
To this body breathing.
The breath coming in.
Bringing nourishment to every single cell in the body.
And the breath exhaling.
Releasing.
Letting go.
Of any toxins in the body.
Noticing now the body itself.
Becoming aware again.
Of the feet on the floor.
The body on the chair.
Noticing.
Any sensations of air around the body.
This breathing body.
In contact with air around us.
Wherever skin might be exposed.
Noticing coolness.
Or warmth.
Opening the eyes.
Or lifting the gaze.
And then bringing.
A little gentle movement to the body.
Whatever suggests itself to you right now.
That might be just wiggling some toes.
Moving a little finger.
Maybe it's neck or shoulder movement.
Maybe for you.
Maybe it's a long stretch.
Or a yawn or a sigh.
Just giving the body a little attention.
