Hello,
This is Lindsay Johnson,
Your somatic nurse,
And today we will be using an exercise around breath awareness.
This somatic practice is a good one to use when you feel like your mind has a lot of clutter,
When you have a thousand things going on up in there,
And you just need some time to find your body and a slower moment.
So this might feel a little bit similar to a general meditation,
But there will be a little bit more focus on noticing what the breath feels like somatically.
I'll invite you to find a comfortable position.
This can be done in any position that you prefer.
You can lie down,
You can sit in your chair,
You can be standing,
You can do this anywhere that you are,
You can even do this with your eyes open.
Feel free to close your eyes if you'd like,
Or to just have a gentle gaze.
And if it feels okay,
Perhaps doing a gentle body scan,
Just a short look around your body from head to toe,
Using a neutral curiosity.
Just noticing without needing to change anything.
Notice any supports,
The ground holding you,
Maybe the back of your chair,
Maybe a person who is giving you a moment to do this for yourself.
Maybe just yourself.
Noticing those physical and emotional supports that you have.
And start to land on your breath,
Using again that neutral curiosity without any need to change or fix how you're breathing.
A lot of times we can go into meditation with noticing the breath and immediately need to change what is happening with the breath.
But instead,
I challenge you to just notice that impulse to fix or change.
Perhaps that impulse can just be noticed in the body.
Simply feeling what the breath feels like within the body.
Maybe there are areas of tension or areas of ease.
And each of these areas get the same neutral curiosity.
Not one is better than the other.
And if there are any distractions,
Just bringing your awareness back.
Just simply notice what that is in the body and coming back to the breath.
We'll do a short scan through the breath,
Starting with your airway.
Perhaps you're breathing through your nostrils.
Noticing the air is cool going into the nostrils.
And as the lungs warm your breath,
It becomes more warm on the way out.
Noticing the flow of air through your trachea into your throat.
And as we move down,
Feel free to use your hands if you'd like to place them on the area that we're talking about.
You're welcome to,
Or place them directly onto your belly.
Noticing what your upper chest and your shoulders feel like as you breathe.
Again,
Without any judgment or need to fix what's happening.
Just simply noticing with neutral curiosity.
Moving down into the upper chest or mid chest.
Noticing the lungs expanding and contracting.
This is a natural expansion and contraction that occurs in our bodies.
Without us even having to think about it.
Maybe feel what the breath is like on the front of your chest.
Noticing the breath contacting the back.
Noticing the breath's contact on the left side of your chest.
Noticing your breath's contact on the right side of your chest.
Moving down into the diaphragm.
The diaphragm connects from the front to the back and all both sides of your chest wall.
And expands and contracts as your breath moves in and out of your lungs.
Just giving some time to notice with that same neutral curiosity of what your diaphragm feels like.
Nothing that needs to be fixed.
No right or wrong.
Just noticing.
Maybe noticing some local places within the diaphragm that feel different from other places.
Or maybe taking in the whole of the diaphragm.
And now if you can,
If you haven't already,
And you'd like to,
Place your hands on your belly.
And again with the same neutral curiosity,
You notice if there is any rise and fall of your hands.
If there isn't,
There is no need to create any such thing.
This is simply just noticing.
And then if it feels okay,
Notice if the breath reaches the pelvic floor.
An inhale will drop the pelvic floor.
And an exhale will contract up.
Like you're a balloon.
Gently filling up with air.
And gently releasing that air.
And when this feels complete,
Maybe start to notice what might feel different.
Has your breath changed?
Even without trying to do so?
If you feel like doing another body scan from head to toe,
Just taking note of anything that may have changed.
Maybe the thoughts have melted away and you might feel a little bit more connected to yourself.
Thank you for completing this somatic practice with me.
And I will see you next time.
