Resting As The Space Beyond Breath

We often approach meditation like another task on our to-do list, focusing tightly, managing our posture, and trying hard to get it right. This 17-minute practice is an invitation to drop the effort entirely.

Rather than focusing on the breath itself, you will be guided to simply notice the natural, quiet pauses where the breath ends and begins. In that space, there is nothing to fix and nothing to manage. You are invited to leave the effort behind and rest as this open, quiet awareness that holds it all.
This is a gentle, effortless practice suitable for anyone looking to let go of striving and find their natural baseline of peace.

Transcript

Take a moment to let the body settle into whatever position feels comfortable. There's no need to force the posture. Just choose a way to sit that allows you to be still for the next 15 minutes or so. Just simply allowing the body to rest comfortably. Noticing how the weight of the body meets the surface beneath you. And if your system is carrying some tiredness right now, Just allow it to be tired. If the mind is busy, Allow it to be busy. There's no need to change anything. There's no need to fix anything to be here in the present moment. See if you can simply drop the reins. And allow yourself to be exactly as you are. Right now. Gently bringing awareness to the movement of the breath. There's no need to control it or breathe in any special way. Just noticing the physical sensation of the breath. Moving in. And the moving out. Noticing the gentle rise of the chest. The soft expansion of the belly. Now you may be noticing a narrowed attention that's watching the breath from behind the eyes. Might be focusing tightly or trying to get it right. If so, See if you can soften that grip. Can you rest the eyes a little? Just letting them float. Allowing the looking to give way to a sensing. Noticing how space widens and naturally drops backwards and down. To meet the breath in the body. Noticing that you don't have to try to breathe. And how breath is breathing itself. Been doing this your whole life. The breath doesn't need managing. Resting now into the breath. Allowing the movement of the rise and the fall. To simply carry you. Resting as breath itself. I'm beginning now to notice the natural pauses in the breath. The brief quiet moments at the very end of the exhale. Noticing the space that breath breathes into. A soft still moment just before the next inhale. The space that breath breathes from. And there's no need to hold the breath to find these moments. It's not about forcing the pause. Just noticing that there is a quiet space beneath the breath. Space where the breath naturally rises from. And falls back into. Resting as this space in which breath. Is simply happening. Noticing breath breathing itself. Thoughts rising and falling as they float through this same space. And maybe seeing how awareness simply notices. Breathing. The sensations, The sounds. Soul. All present in this space. And just simply holding it all. Allowing everything to move through you. Completely effortlessly. Resting as this space The open, Quiet. Awareness of your being. As we near the end of this practice. See if you can hold this sense of spaciousness throughout your day. Space is always here. Just waiting to be noticed. This effortless awareness is your baseline. Waiting just beneath the noise of daily life. And now gently bringing a little of movement back into your fingers. Your toes. Feeling the contact of your body on the surface beneath you. Sensing the space that you're in. And when you are ready, In your own time. You can softly open your eyes and return to the room.