Come into a comfortable position and gently invite your eyes to close.
Relax your muscles,
Release tension throughout your body.
Your body will continue to relax as you stay here.
Observe your breathing.
Notice how your breath flows in and out.
Make no effort to change your breathing in any way.
Simply notice how your body breathes.
Sit quietly,
Seeing in your mind's eye your breath flowing gently in and out of your body.
When your attention wanders,
When any thoughts arise as it will,
Just bring your awareness back to your breath.
Notice any stray thoughts,
But don't dwell on them.
Simply let the thoughts pass.
See how your breath continues to flow,
Deeply,
Calmly.
Notice the stages of a complete breath,
From the in-breath to the pause that follows,
The exhale and the pause before taking another breath.
See the slight breaks,
The space between each breath.
Feel the air entering through your nostrils.
Picture the breath flowing through the cavities in your sinuses and then down to your lungs.
As thoughts intrude,
Allow them to pass and return your attention to your breathing.
See the air inside your body after you inhale,
Filling your body gently.
Notice how the space inside your lungs becomes smaller after you exhale and the air leaves your body.
Feel your chest and your stomach gently rise and fall with each breath.
Now as you inhale,
Count silently one.
As you exhale,
Count one.
Wait for the next breath and count again one.
Exhale one.
Inhale one.
Exhale one.
Continue to count each inhalation and exhalation as one.
As thoughts arise,
Allow them to pass and return your attention to your breathing.
Inhale one.
Exhale one.
Continue to count each inhalation and exhalation as one.
When your attention wanders,
When any thoughts arises,
Just bring your awareness back to your breath.
Continue breathing and counting.
Edition Excerpt from The Wooaremos Notice again maybe your mind has wonder.
Observe the types of thoughts that hook or distract you.
Noticing is the richest part of learning.
With this knowledge you can strengthen your ability to detach from thoughts and mindfully focus your awareness back on the qualities of your breath.
Practice coming back to the breath with your full attention.
Allow yourself to be completely with your breath as it flows in and out.
You might become distracted by any discomfort in the body or twitching or itching sensations that draw your attention away from the breath.
You may also notice feelings arising,
Perhaps sadness or happiness,
Frustration or contentment.
Acknowledge whatever comes up including thoughts or stories about your experience.
Simply notice where your mind went without judging it,
Pushing it away,
Clinging to it or wishing it was different and simply refocus your mind and guide your attention back to your breath.
Letting go of the counting,
Breathe in and breathe out.
Maybe present moment by moment with your breath.
Again if your mind wanders away from your breath just notice without judging it.
Be it a thought,
Emotion or sensation that hooks in.
As this practice come to an end,
Slowly allow your attention to expand and notice your entire body and then beyond your body to the room you are in.
Any sounds in your environment,
Feel your clothes touching your skin,
Feel the floor beneath you,
Remain sitting for a few moments longer.
Sit for a few moments more,
Enjoying how relaxed you feel and experiencing your body reawaken and your mind returning to its usual level of alertness.
Bring your hands together into prayer position and again notice how you feel,
How your mind and spirit are now back on track.
Remember you can come back to this scenario every time you need to feel connected again to nourish your soul even more.
Take another calming relaxing moment,
A long breath in,
Feel the peace flowing again all through your body and exhale release.
Feel your practice with a grateful bow.
Namaste.
