Smiling Breath Awareness

Welcome to this practice combining breath awareness with the gentle technique of the inner smile. We'll begin by noticing the natural rhythm of your breathing, then bring a soft smile to your face and imagine that warmth spreading inward—softening your eyes, your heart, and your whole body. The inner smile isn't about forcing happiness; it's about offering yourself friendliness and care, the way you might smile at a dear friend. This practice is especially supportive when you're feeling stressed or simply need a moment of tenderness.

Transcript

Welcome to the Breath Awareness Meditation by Marie Bloomfield. We choose to meditate so we become more aware. Please make yourself comfortable, Sitting with your feet flat on the floor, Softening your face, Smiling gently within, To ease your mind, To ease your body. And when you're ready, You can close your eyes. Notice how the chair is supporting you, Being aware of your body and the point of contact with the chair. Noticing how your body is sinking into the chair, Observe your feet touching the ground, The feeling of your clothes on your skin, The sensations under your fingers, Scanning your body, Exploring sensations of warmth, Coolness, Tingling, Numbness, Vibration, Pulsing, Tension, Neutral, Discomfort, Comfort, Ease. Being aware with openness and curiosity, Letting judgments, Expectations, Come and go. Observing what is here in this moment, Letting it be just as it is, It is what it is. Notice how sensations may arise and then disappear. There's no right or wrong way of doing this. If you notice little, That is okay. If you notice a great deal, That is okay too. Observing what is there, Being the witness, Whatever it is, Putting judgments, Assumptions, Expectations aside, Being with what is, As it is. Now I'd like to invite you to become aware of your breathing. Starting with one long exhale, Breathing out slowly through the mouth, Then breathing in through the nose, Raising your belly as you breathe in, Then breathing out, Another long exhale, And flattening the belly as you do so. Once more, Breathing in, Gently raising the belly, Holding for a few seconds, And then breathing out, Contracting the belly, Long exhale, And now breathing easily, Normally, At your own rhythm, Observing the breath. Notice how your nose, Chest, Abdomen feel as the air enters and leave your body. Notice how your abdomen and chest rise as you breathe in and out. As you breathe in, Notice the air coming in through the nostrils, Expanding the ribcage, Pausing, Then breathing out, The chest and belly contract, Feeling the air leaving through your nostrils, Slightly warmer. And again, Breathing in, Air entering your nostrils, Expanding your chest, Then a short pause, Then breathing out, Chest contracting, Letting the air out, The air leaving your body through your nostrils. Observing your breath in a way that is easy for you, Now found in your own way. Observing your natural, Normal breath, Without any attempt to change it in any way. Letting your body breathe itself, Trusting your inner knowing, The wisdom of your body, Observing the ease of breathing, Enjoying breathing, Breathing easily, Resting in the breath. We would like to invite you now to choose a specific point of focus to observe your breath, Such as the point when the air enters and leaves at the nostril, Or the rise and fall of your chest or belly, Or the pose, The moment when the in-breath turns into an out-breath. Choosing a point where it is easy for you to observe the breath. This will be your point of focus, Your anchor, Where you bring your mind back again and again into the here and now. Now, This is a way of being present to yourself, To come to your direct experience to what you know, A way of coming home to yourself, Observing the breath, Again and again, Being present to yourself, One breath at a time, Choosing your point of focus. At times, Your mind will wander from your point of focus. This is very normal. Your thinking mind may start judging, Expecting, Planning, Criticizing, Analyzing, Thinking of the past, Anticipating the future, Focusing on problems, Focusing on solution. Whatever. To notice when your mind is wandering is a moment of mindfulness, A moment of success. When your mind is wandering, Notice what your mind is doing, The type of thought that you're having. You may wish to label the thought. And then gently come back with patience to the awareness of your breath, To your point of focus, To your anchor, To the awareness of this breath. And then this one. Observe again and again your breath in a way that is easy for you, Coming back to your anchor. And remember that your mind will wander. It is very normal. If your mind wanders 100 times, That is okay. Bring it back 101 times. Bring it back each time gently, Calmly, To the present moment, To your breath, Over and over again, Training your mind patiently. Feeling the breath coming in. Feeling the breath coming out. Observing, Noticing, Strengthening your ability to observe, To be the witness, To be aware, Intentionally to pay attention to this moment as it is. Enjoying, Observing the breath, Being aware one breath at a time, Being aware of this breath. And then this one. And now leaving the awareness of the breath, Opening your awareness to whatever is here, Your body, Your surroundings. What do you notice now in this moment? What does your body feel in this moment? How is your mind in this moment? Is your mind calm, Still? Maybe, Maybe not. It is what it is. Just being aware of whatever is here for you. Observing in an accepting way, It is what it is. Then becoming aware of being aware. Smiling within again. Wishing yourself well. Wishing others well. And now to end this, You can become more aware of the room where you are, Your position, The chair supporting you, Your feet on the ground. And in your own time, When you're ready, You can open your eyes.