3-Stage Breathing Space

Picture an hourglass to help you learn this helpful and portable practice. Firstly, at the top of the hourglass, we check in to see what is in our mind and body. Secondly, we narrow into the middle of the hourglass, focusing just on the breath. Thirdly, we open out again to bring awareness to sensations in the body and the environment around us.

Transcript

Start by gently closing your eyes and turning your attention inward.

Asking yourself,

What's here in my mind and body in this moment?

Noticing thoughts,

Feelings and bodily sensations.

Trying to change anything that you become aware of.

Seeing if you can turn towards whatever's here with a friendly curiosity.

What's in my mind and body right now?

As we now change our focus to the movement of the breath.

And seeing if you can feel the breath low down in the body.

That's placing a hand on the belly and feeling the rise and fall with each in-breath,

Each out-breath.

Just breathing.

And if there's any discomfort here for you,

Perhaps offering the following phrases.

It's okay to feel this way.

Or even,

Let me feel it.

Breathing in,

Breathing out.

As we now expand our awareness around the breath to incorporate the full body.

Full body,

Alive and awake.

Feeling into the contact the body's making with surfaces beneath.

Contact of the air with your skin.

Noticing sensations within the body.

And becoming aware of the environment around you.

Hearing sounds.

Feeling the temperature.

Taking this expanded awareness into the next few moments of the day.

As you gently open your eyes when you feel ready to do so.