In this breath practice,
We will be tuning into the breath through using the internal body sensations.
Support yourself to find a position that offers you a sense of comfort and support,
Or a position of least discomfort,
Whether you are seated or lying down.
You might gently allow your eyes to close if that feels safe and comfortable,
Or if you prefer,
Leave your eyes open with a softened gaze.
I invite you to bring your attention into your body,
Becoming aware of your breathing,
And see if you can discover the place in your body where you most clearly experience the sensation of your breath moving in and out.
Some people most clearly feel their breath in the rise and fall of their chest,
Or in the movement up and down,
In and out of the belly.
Others notice the feel of air as it moves through the tip of the nose,
Or down the back of the throat.
Perhaps in your body today,
The expansion of the ribcage,
Or movement of the shoulders,
Is more apparent.
It doesn't matter where it is within the body,
You are trying to discover where you personally feel most easily the sense of the flow of your breath,
Safely inquiring into the experience of breathing.
Once you have discovered where you most easily feel your breath,
Allow your attention to settle there,
Observing with curiosity as the breath moves in and out of your body.
Allow your breathing to be at your normal pace.
For this practice,
We are not trying to control our breath,
We are simply observing it and becoming aware of it.
It's okay if your breath does change,
It might speed up or slow down,
Or your inhale or exhale might change length.
You might notice almost immediately that your attention wanders away from the sensations of breathing.
This is normal and natural.
We can easily be distracted by noises we hear,
Sensations we experience,
Or thoughts we have.
Without struggling or judging yourself,
Gently return to the sensations of your breath,
Breathing in and breathing out,
And as your mind wanders,
Softly refocus again on the sensations of your breath within your body,
Breathing in and breathing out.
We are,
With this practice,
Learning to notice the present moment and hold connection with the body and its experience,
Letting the body know that in this moment there is no threat,
Offering your body an opportunity to feel safer than it perceives.
You might like to continue breathing in this way for as long as you choose,
As the recording comes to an end.
