Give it a rest.
For the next few minutes,
Give it a rest.
All of it.
Homework,
Parents,
The hallway gossip,
The internal gossip.
Let everything be exactly as it is and rest.
Let your body rest.
Sit or lie in a comfortable position.
Feel your body supported by the chair,
The couch,
The bed,
Or the floor.
Allow the muscles in your body and your face to rest.
Maybe even let out a long,
Slow sigh.
If it feels helpful,
Allow your eyes to close.
And let your attention rest on the breath,
The feeling of the breath in the belly.
Feel the belly expand with each in-breath and release with each out-breath.
Narrow your attention to the rhythm of the breath and allow everything else to fade into the background.
Breathing and resting,
Nowhere to go,
Nothing to do,
No one to be,
And nothing to prove.
Feeling the entire in-breath from the very first sip all the way through to where the breath is still.
And the entire out-breath from the very first whisper all the way through to where the breath is still.
Now see if you can let your attention rest in the still space between the in-breath and the out-breath.
And rest again in the other still space between the out-breath and the in-breath.
Breathing,
Resting,
Being,
It's more than enough.
Feeling the stillness and quietness that is always available inside of you.
And when your attention wanders,
Which it will,
Gently return it to the experience of breathing,
Feeling the rhythm of the breath in the belly.
Choosing to rest and focus your attention on the breath.
Allowing things to be just as they are,
Allowing yourself to be just as you are,
Nothing to change or fix or improve.
Breathing and resting,
Resting and breathing.
In our fast-paced,
Media-driven world,
Resting is a radical act.
With practice,
You can learn to breathe and rest anytime,
Anywhere,
Hanging out with friends,
Struggling in class,
Or arguing with someone.
And resting and breathing are especially helpful when you are nervous,
Depressed,
Bored,
Or angry.
So give yourself permission and rest.
