Generosity of Breath A Breathing Meditation The practice of generosity helps connect you with others and with yourself.
A relationship is formed between the giver and the receiver of any generous act.
Generosity of Breath is the act of mindfully and intentionally living in a generous nature.
Let's start by settling in,
Taking a comfortable seat or lying down.
If you're sitting in a chair,
Just come to the edge so you can plant both feet firmly hip-width distance on the ground,
Having a nice straight spine.
Soften your gaze and tune into your breath.
Begin by noticing the nature of the inhale and the exhale.
Notice if there's a smoothness to your breath.
And just notice where it naturally wants to travel and flow.
And as you observe your breath,
Can you identify any places that are closed off to this generous life force?
Where are you holding back?
Where feels untouched by the breath?
Notice what keeps you from allowing breath to generously flow through every cell in your body.
Observe any thoughts,
Feelings,
Or sensations that might come up.
Let's take a couple of deep breaths,
Filling up first through the belly,
Widening out through your ribcage,
And opening up into your chest.
Allow tension to melt away as you exhale.
Just like your breath flows in a cycle of giving and receiving,
So does the loving energy of generosity.
The more you can direct your thoughts into acts of generosity,
The more in flow with nature you will feel.
Slow down your breathing.
Let your mind be clear.
Now begin to bring into focus a clear image of what generosity looks like to you in this moment.
See yourself being generous with others and seeing others be generous with you.
Take a full inhale as you observe these moments of generosity and embody the feeling you're experiencing in your mind's eye right now.
As you visualize these images,
Allow the warmth of a smile to generate through your entire being.
Breathe here into this generous nature and notice how it's creating the feeling of openness and allow that to move through you with each inhale.
Sense the natural release of each passing exhale.
This feeling of generosity can be yours.
It is here inside of you all of the time.
It's there in every compliment given or received.
It's there in every act of community,
In every act of faith that connects you to another.
Generosity is yours in the ever-turning cycle of breath that we share.
What you breathe out,
Others breathe in,
In a constant flow of offering out and receiving in.
Linger here in this moment of generosity.
When you are ready,
Blink your eyes open and continue out into your day.
Breathe well,
My friends.
