Sit With A Breath

This is a 30-minute meditation which allows for spaces of silence and breath awareness. The silence offers opportunity to really sit with and discover the business of the mind along with the wantings, resistance, storytelling, worry, anger, joy, sadness and feelings of peace.

Transcript

So this is a seated mindful meditation and we're going to work on our being with the breath,

Following the breath and so finding that seat that's comfortable,

Making yourself again like 10% more comfortable in your seat,

A seat that you can hold.

So finding just that spot and also having a blanket nearby or on you to be warm.

This can be hard if you're feeling chilled,

So having something close by or on you.

I'm going to start this meditation with three bells and I will end with one bell.

And so having your eyes open or closed if they're open and down at about a 30 degree angle.

So inviting you to find that breath,

That anchor,

That assists in keeping you here in this moment.

Again,

Possibly looking at experiencing the inhale through the nostrils,

Noticing that difference in temperature.

On the inhale you might notice there's a coolness to the air,

To the breath.

And on the exhale after it's been in the lungs just a bit,

It feels a bit warmer.

And so bringing mind's awareness to the sensation of the breath through the nostril,

Maybe even the texture.

Is it dry or moist,

Crisp,

Hard,

Comfortable?

And that reminder that this meditation isn't about not thinking.

Thinking will happen.

It is a part of having a mind,

Of having a brain.

That's what it does.

What you'll be doing is noticing,

Practicing the noticing of the thoughts coming in,

The judgments,

The preferences,

The resistance,

And then guiding yourself back to your breath,

Back to your seat,

Over and over and over.

At times you might know that you're flooded with thoughts and other times there's more space.

Maybe also noticing the breath,

How the breath moves the body.

So noticing on the inhale the movement of the chest,

Maybe abdomen,

Shoulders,

Maybe even ribs.

And noting is the breath landing in the chest or deeper down,

The diaphragm being engaged.

Does the breath expand the chest or the tummy?

Again,

There's no right or wrong.

You're just becoming curious.

What is the breath doing?

This is the practice of finding that anchor over and over.

That the mind might start to create stories,

Judgments,

Cravings,

I'm hungry or how long is this going to take?

I'm bored.

To do less.

Frustrations,

Irritations.

Again,

Reminding yourself those are just thoughts,

Synapses.

And then come right back here,

Right back to your breath,

To your seat.

Being gentle,

But clear as if you're calling a puppy.

Come on,

Come on back,

Come right back here.

And then again,

That reminder that when there's areas that are uncomfortable,

That maybe hurt or there's a tickle or an itch,

To first sit with the discomfort or that thing that you might not like and watch it,

See it.

Maybe with your mind's eye,

Bringing breath to it,

Diving in a little bit closer.

And then if this sensation keeps hijacking you,

Mindfully reposition,

Mindfully,

Slowly itch that itch.

But first,

Give yourself some time to be with it,

To watch it.

Watch how it moves and changes.

And then bring yourself back to the breath.

At some point,

You might note that you're in a story or deep in a thought.

Again,

You've done nothing wrong.

You just had the chance to become aware of it.

And so,

Bring yourself guide yourself right back,

Right back to your breath.

Riding that inhale and that exhale.

Maybe noticing the pauses or those spaces in between the breath.

That space,

That hangout place before you have that next breath in.

Being curious,

When does the body need to breathe?

What is that point where it takes its next breath?

Maybe doing a scan of the body.

Are there any areas that are tight,

Tensing up?

You might note that a thought might create a tense or tension in the body.

And then coming to that anchor,

To that breath.

Maybe even bringing the breath to those spaces.

Now I invite you to bring your attention or have your anchor be sound.

Not attaching to any one sound,

But just noticing what sound comes into your awareness.

Maybe it's a sound within your body,

A sound from someone else or outside in the room,

Outside of the room.

It's not that you have to search for a thought or a sound,

Just note what presents itself to you.

With curiosity.

Maybe it's even ringing in the ears.

And then you sit with that and then maybe another sound comes.

Then there may be silence.

Then just note what's next,

What's there.

Okay.

Okay.

There's no need to feel like you need to stay with one sound.

Just allowing whatever sound arises to note that and then note the next and then the next.

Okay.

Okay.

Right now that thinking comes in.

You're thinking about something.

Then it's like,

Oh that's right,

What sound?

Where's the sound?

And then coming back to the sound that's present for you.

Okay.

Now we're going to transition into becoming aware of the body in this sitting meditation.

So inviting you to note what sensations do you experience in the body.

This can be from sensations in your hand to the texture of clothing to an ache or a discomfort,

A tickle,

A coolness,

A rumbling,

A strain.

And again just kind of navigating in the body,

Seeing what's there without judgment,

Noting if there's resistance and seeing it with your mind's eye.

There's no need to stay there or you may just keep noting,

Noting.

If there's an itch you might just say feeling,

Feeling,

Feeling,

Noting.

Bringing the breath into any spaces that might feel tricky.

If there's a tickle,

What happens if I just notice,

Really feel that tickle,

See the edges,

Notice how it changes.

And then you might note that,

Oh there's another sensation that I jumped to.

Maybe a sensation in the hands,

A coolness or a warmth,

Or a strain in the shoulders,

Whatever is present for you.

Has mind gone off into a story,

Into thinking?

And if so,

Guide it back to the body,

With curiosity,

No need to judge.

Just note what's there.

You may note that maybe an emotion has created a feeling in the body.

So what does that emotion feel like?

Where does it sit?

How thick is it?

Where are the edges?

Does it move?

Does it pulsate?

Is it warm?

Is it cool?

What color might it be?

Maybe noting a tightness in the chest or a strain in the shoulders,

A resistance.

Mind has gone off.

Note it,

Be gentle with yourself.

Yes,

That's what the mind does.

And then come back to the body,

Sensing,

Experiencing,

Instead of pushing away.

Now I invite you to enter into choiceless awareness.

So this is whatever comes into your awareness,

Noting it.

And so it might be a sound,

Might be an itch,

Might be a thought.

Letting that breath be your anchor that's always there for you.

So noting breath,

Thought,

Sound,

And then seeing those thoughts as they come in.

And coming back into the moment,

Those things that are right here,

Right now.

So just noting what comes into your awareness about picking and choosing.

Just noting what is here for you.

You might notice,

You skip around from awareness,

From what there's a thought.

There's a sound,

There's an itch,

There's a tickle,

There's a pain,

There's another thought.

Again,

It's all good.

There's no right or wrong with this.

Or there may be long spaces in between while Otherwise we're just limiting the breath.

.

Noting,

Are you still alert?

Or has mine gone off into a story?

And then being gentle with yourself and bringing yourself back and then noting what is in my awareness at this moment?

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Reviews

Pleasant, relaxing. Good to be reminded that I can notice without getting pulled in to judgement.