Breath Focus ~ Guided Meditation

In this 10-minute meditation, Ahsa will guide you in different ways in which to utilize your breath to focus and relax. Extending the space between each breath signals the parasympathetic nervous system to relax, while counting the breath provides the mind with something "to do" to stay present. The session culminates with a moment of open awareness and an opportunity for a brief check-in at the very end.

Transcript

Hi, I'm Asa. Let's meditate. Begin by coming to a comfortable seat, With your eyes closed or eyes open, With a soft gaze on the floor a few feet in front of you. And once you get there, Slowly begin to deepen your breath. On your next inhale, Lift up through the crown of your head, Lengthening in your spine. And on the following exhale, Relax your shoulders down to the earth. Deep breaths in and slow breaths out. Bring your awareness to your body breathing, Noticing the expansion in your chest as you breathe in and the gentle softening as you breathe out. Notice the pauses, The pause at the top of the inhale and the pause at the bottom of the exhale. And if it feels okay, You might try extending those pauses just a little bit. Lingering in that space between each breath. When we slow the breath down, We send signals to our nervous system to relax. So see if you can breathe slowly, But also at a pace that's comfortable. And if at any point you become distracted, Just know that that is perfectly normal. And bring your attention back to your body breathing. Sometimes it can help to count the breath if your mind is feeling especially active today. So you might silently count in your head, One on the inhale, Two on the exhale, All the way up to 10. And then starting again back at one. And if you're counting and find yourself at 11, 12, Or even lose what number you're on, Take a deep breath and start back at one. And now I invite you to release the counting, Release the focus on the breath, And spend just a moment in open awareness. So without focusing on any one thing, Being aware of everything present, Whether it's sensations, Sounds, Thoughts, Just taking a moment to open your awareness to it all. And whatever's there, Just allowing it to be there. And as we wrap up our practice, I invite you to notice how you're feeling right now. And when you're ready, You can take a deep breath. And on your exhale, Sit back, Take a stretch, And blink open your eyes. Thank you for joining me today. Have a wonderful rest of your day.