Let's begin by finding your comfortable meditation position,
Whether that's lying on a couch or seated on the floor,
Whatever position allows you to be most comfortable,
Relaxed and at ease.
Our first meditation will be around 8 minutes in length,
So make any final shifts or move any area of your body that needs to be adjusted before you begin to fall deeper and deeper into your relaxation,
Gently closing your eyes if you feel comfortable to do so and ready to begin.
Bring your awareness to the sensation of your breath,
Notice the path it takes as you inhale and exhale,
Observe the air as it travels through your nostrils,
Up into the nose,
Down the throat and finally filling the lungs,
And then notice as it proceeds to reverse the pattern,
Travelling from the lungs as the belly deflates,
Up through the throat and nose and out again,
Inhaling,
Exhaling,
Breathing in and breathing out.
Bring one hand to your chest and place one hand on the abdomen,
Notice which hand moves more as you breathe,
Is it your chest or your belly,
Are you breathing predominantly into the lower or upper area of the trunk of your body?
Try to focus your breath into the belly,
Taking nice big deep inhalations,
Becoming aware of the hand that is gently placed there,
Rising and falling.
As human beings we have become accustomed to breathing into the chest with short shallow breaths,
This ultimately leads to our bodies living in the sympathetic nervous system,
Otherwise known as the fight or flight response.
Too much time spent in this response can result in feelings of anxiety,
Stress and agitation.
Bringing the body into its rest and digest response allows your body and mind to relax and calm down.
This is where meditation is so beneficial,
As you continue to focus on the rise and fall of the belly,
Notice yourself beginning to unwind,
Feel your limbs becoming looser and your muscles slowly relaxing,
Become aware of your heart rate slowing down as you inhale and exhale deeply.
I will leave you for a moment to focus on the breath,
As thoughts begin to arise which is completely normal and they will.
Acknowledge the thought for what it is and then let it go,
Returning your focus back to the breath,
Repeating this pattern as I leave you to meditate alone for a moment.
Take a deep breath in,
Hold it at the top and as you release the breath,
Release your attention of the breath.
Slowly begin to regain your consciousness of the environment that you are in.
Begin to wiggle your fingertips and toes,
Introducing movement back into the body and as you become more and more aware of your current surroundings,
You can gently open your eyes and carry on with your day.
Thank you for joining me for this meditation practice today.
