So just taking a moment to acknowledge for yourself that you are giving yourself some attention.
And finding a place to do so,
Sitting down in a comfortable chair or lying on your back,
On the bed or on the couch.
Just acknowledging that so much attention is given outside of yourself all day long,
Taking care of things,
Responding to people's needs,
Completing responsibilities.
And that just for a few moments you're turning your attention towards the responsibilities you have for yourself,
Just as you are,
Not by accomplishing anything or doing anything,
But just by simply paying attention to your breath.
Noticing that sensation of the breath coming into the nostrils or the lips and filling up the chest and the belly and experiencing that breath leaving the body and feeling the belly sink and deflate.
Just continuing to follow that natural in and out of your breathing.
Acknowledging and paying attention to the fact that this breathing is always working for you,
Always moving in and out,
Keeping your body functioning and an indicator of the life within you.
And paying respect and honor to it by giving your full attention to it now.
Just as it is,
Not changing the breathing in any way,
Just noticing the shallowness,
The heat,
The coolness,
The depth,
However the breathing is for you,
Just becoming aware of simply that.
And then for a moment just drawing your attention to each place where your body is touching that which is supporting it.
So if you're on the floor or on the bed,
Just noticing the backs of your heels,
The backs of your calves,
The backs of your thighs,
Your lower back,
Your middle and upper back,
Your arms and your head.
Each place where your body is being supported and as you're breathing out just allowing yourself to sink a little deeper into each of these places,
No longer having to hold your body up,
Giving up that responsibility just for now of holding yourself up and instead allowing yourself to be held here in this moment.
And as you're continuing to sink a little deeper,
Being supported and feeling your breathing,
Pay attention,
Paying attention to your breathing in and out.
Just connecting with that part inside of you that is completely still.
You may be noticing the stillness anywhere in your body.
It could be in your chest or in your belly,
It could be in your arms or legs or head.
It could be anywhere that you're feeling that little space inside of stillness,
Of just being with nothing to accomplish or do.
Just for right now,
In this moment,
Seeing that it's okay simply just to be right here.
Becoming aware of any sensations that are arising in your body that may be resistant to simply letting go of having to accomplish anything or do anything or be better than you are,
Be more,
Obtain more.
Just connecting with that part of you that is simply just fine as it is right now.
Residing there with yourself as an act of love.
And within that love,
Feeling the breath moving in and out of the body.
And you may notice that your mind will wander into the future or the past or to your to-do list or the things that you feel responsible for and just having compassion for yourself and how difficult it is to just be slowing down and taking a moment to simply be.
And when you notice that your mind has wandered away to the past or the future or somehow judging yourself,
Just bringing it right on back to this breath simply coming in and out of your body.
Being very gentle and compassionate with yourself with whatever is rising and knowing that whatever it is that's coming up in emotions or thoughts or simply the experience of being human.
So having compassion for that,
That experience that has all of those myriad of pleasant,
Wonderful,
Rewarding,
Challenging,
Hurtful,
Sad,
Disappointing and hopeful experiences.
These arising thoughts and emotions help you see you're alive.
Feeling the breath just coming in and out of the body,
Acknowledging it in this moment and seeing that that's all that is needed for you right now.
The only thing to be paying attention to right now.
Feeling it in your belly,
Feeling it in your chest,
Feeling it in your mouth and throat and nose.
And then just with a warm understanding and appreciation for yourself acknowledging that you took this short time to simply be yourself and knowing that each time you connect with who you are and the life within you that you're giving yourself very much needed attention and love.
This will have great effects for you and for all those that you're caring for.
Keeping this attention to your breathing with you as you're moving throughout the rest of your day,
Simply beginning to rotate your ankles and your feet and stretching in any way that would feel appropriate and helpful for you right now.
And yourself a little pat on the center of the chest,
Acknowledging your effort and then going about moving through the rest of your day.
