So this is a guided breathing meditation.
It lasts about 10 minutes or so and we're just going to be focusing our attention on our breath.
So let's start by just gently closing the eyes and to begin let's focus our attention externally and to do that just see if you can find a sound.
Perhaps you can hear cars,
Maybe it's other people,
Machinery of some sort,
Birds,
The wind.
Whatever sound you can hear just focus in on that one sound and maybe even see if you can get some sort of image in your mind's eye of what's making that sound,
Where it's located,
Just some sort of image.
And now that we have that external focus let's focus our attention internally and start by imagining a feather gently stroking the inside of your forehead.
A feather gently stroking the inside of your forehead.
And with that internal focus let's just begin to relax the body.
You can start with our facial muscles,
Just relax all those muscles around the mouth,
The cheeks,
The jaw.
Relax those shoulders,
Shoulders nice and relaxed.
Make the tummy nice and relaxed,
Arms,
Hands,
Legs all nice and relaxed.
And now just let yourself gently become aware of your breath.
Perhaps you can feel your breath as it moves in and out of your nose or mouth or perhaps you can hear your breath as it moves in and out.
Perhaps you can get a sense of your tummy moving in and out,
Chest and shoulders slightly rising and falling as your breath moves in and out.
See if you can get a sense of being an observer of your breath as it moves in and out.
The just moves continuously without any effort on your part,
Just noticing how it's automatic.
And if your mind begins to wander just simply refocus on the effortlessness of breath.
Let's just now shift our attention very slightly to the point where in-breath becomes out-breath.
That split second where perhaps you can notice your tummy stops moving out and begins moving in.
And once you've got in touch with that,
With that sensation,
That briefest of moments where in-breath becomes out-breath,
Then just for the next minute or so just simply begin counting from one each time you notice it.
If you lose count then just simply begin again,
Just counting from one each time you notice in-breath becomes out-breath.
And if your mind begins to wander just simply begin your count again.
And now just gradually bring your focus back to the physical movement in your body as you breathe in and out.
Your tummy moving in and out,
Chest and shoulders moving slightly up and down.
And maybe depending on how you're positioned perhaps you get a sense of your body rocking back and forth as you breathe in and out.
See if you can get some sort of image in your mind's eye of your body moving as breath moves in and out.
Perhaps imagine you're outside of your body,
Maybe looking down from above,
Observing your own body move as breath moves in and out.
Some sort of image in your mind's eye of your own body as it moves with breath,
As breath moves in and out.
And if you want you could even allow your mind's eye to float higher.
Perhaps you can get a sense of other people and their bodies moving as breath moves in and out.
All living things breathing in and out.
Now let's gently come back down,
Back into your own body and just get in touch with the physical sensation of breathing in and out,
Your tummy,
Chest,
Shoulders.
Just sitting with that physical sensation of breath moving in and out.
And now let's move back up to the forehead.
Imagine a feather lightly stroking the inside of your forehead.
Just that internal focus again and once you have that internal focus move back to the external sound you heard at the beginning of the meditation.
Getting a sense once again in your mind's eye of where it is located.
And soon it will be time to open your eyes and return back to wherever it is you are.
But first just begin by gently wriggling your fingers,
Toes,
Stretching arms,
Legs,
Whatever is necessary.
Just gently moving your body.
And you can rub your hands together just to generate a bit of warmth.
Place them gently over your eyes.
And just in your own time when you're ready you can let a bit of light through the fingers if you wish.
And gently opening the eyes and returning back to your space.
Just taking a minute or so to adjust back to your surroundings.
