Mindfulness Of Breathing Exercise

Mindfulness of Breathing is a guided, formal mindfulness practice where we connect to the breath as the anchor of our focus and practice returning to the breath whenever we notice that the mind has wandered.

Transcript

Welcome to your mindfulness of breathing exercise.

I'd like you to begin by bringing your attention to your breath in this moment.

Just start to notice any sensations that you feel as your breath travels in and out of your body.

Connecting to your breath is a simple,

Effective way to connect to the present moment and practice mindfulness because your breath is always available to you,

Ready to welcome you to the present moment.

As you connect with your breath and focus on the sensation of your breathing,

You may start to feel an increased sense of calm and relaxation in your body.

This is the activation of the relaxation response.

You may also notice thoughts emerging in your mind.

That's normal and expected.

The goal of mindfulness is not to eliminate all thoughts and thinking,

But instead to just notice or witness your mental and physical experience while maintaining a connection to your breath.

So just notice the thoughts and sensations as they arise,

And then gently guide your focus back to your breath and your awareness of the present moment.

Continue focusing on the movement of your breath in this present moment,

And gently guide yourself back to your breath if you notice that your mind has wandered away from the present moment.

I'll be silent for a while to give you some time to practice.

We've come to the end of our guided mindfulness practice.

If you wish to continue meditating,

Focusing on your breath and noticing your thoughts,

Letting them come and go,

Please do so for as long as you wish.