In this meditation,
You are going to learn how to deepen and cultivate mental concentration by focusing on the natural rhythm of your breath.
You are not going to force,
Control or change your breath in any way.
You are simply going to observe and witness the breath,
However it is in the moment.
So please sit in a comfortable and relaxed position.
You don't need to be sitting cross-legged on the floor.
You may sit in a comfortable chair or you may even practice lying down.
But please be aware that the natural tendency for your body is to drift off to sleep whenever it is in a prone or lying down posture.
You want to prevent this because the point of this practice is to be alert,
Attentive,
Aware and awake to your breath.
You can close your eyes or if you wish,
Keep them slightly open.
Now let's begin by taking a few deep cleansing breaths together.
So please take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Take another long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Take one more long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Now allow your breathing to become relaxed and at this point all your breathing,
Both the inhalation and exhalation should be through your nose.
You should not be forcing,
Controlling or regulating your breath in any way.
Just allow it to be however it is.
If it's fast,
It's fast.
If it's slow,
It's slow.
If it's shallow,
It's shallow.
If it's deep,
It's deep.
Just let your breath be as it is and just observe your breath in this moment.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Take another long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Try to notice wherever the breath is most pronounced.
It may be easiest to feel the breath as it moves in and out of the nostrils.
It might be more helpful to pay attention to the breath or aware of the breath in the rise and fall of the chest or the expansion and contraction of your abdomen.
Wherever it is that you can really feel the breath,
Just put your awareness there and rest your attention there.
See if you can feel the coolness of the breath on the inhalation and the slightly warmer breath of the exhalation.
Just be with your breath.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Whenever you find that thoughts,
Sounds,
Emotions,
Feelings or anything else might distract you and pull you away from the breath,
Just gently bring your attention back to your breathing.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
If your awareness gets pulled off 100 times,
Just calmly and gently come back to the breath 101.
This is the practice.
This is the exercise.
This is how your mind will be reconditioned and how your mental concentration will build up.
Just gently come back to the breath and begin again.
It's not failure to start over.
Whenever your mind wanders,
Just calmly and gently put your attention back on your breath.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
Our meditation has ended and so whenever you feel ready,
You may slowly open your eyes.
Let's take a long deep breath in and slowly exhale out.
