I'll be leading you in a breath awareness meditation for about 10 minutes.
Here's how it will look.
I'll sound the bell one time to begin,
Guide you through a short meditation practice that uses your breath as the focus,
And then sound the bell three times to end.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable position.
Breathing with your back upright and relaxed,
Resting your hands comfortably in your lap.
You can tilt your chin downward just slightly to lengthen the back of your neck.
It's important to be comfortable,
So if you need to shift or move during your meditation,
Simply pause for a moment and move mindfully rather than reactively.
Now gently close your eyes.
You may notice that simply by closing your eyes,
Your other senses become enlivened.
You may become more aware of sounds and sensations you hadn't noticed before.
Give yourself a moment to notice the way your body feels as you sit.
Notice your upright relaxed posture with your shoulders down and away from your ears.
Notice where your body meets the chair or cushion and where your feet make contact with the floor.
Now as you take in the sensations in your body,
Notice that one of these sensations is the sensation of your breath.
Bring your awareness to the breath,
Focusing on the movement and sensations the air creates as it moves in and out of your body.
As your breath enters and leaves through your nose,
Notice the air might be a bit cooler on the inhale and slightly warmer on the exhale.
Notice the feel of your breath as it passes over your throat.
You may feel your chest and back rise and fall as you breathe in and out.
You may notice how your belly expands and contracts with each inhalation and each exhalation.
Where do you feel the sensation of your breath the most in your body?
Wherever you feel your breath the most,
Most predominantly,
Place your attention there.
Allowing the breath to come and go in its own natural pattern,
Realize there is nothing to figure out,
Nothing to control and nothing to change.
Allow your breath to become your anchor,
Your anchor to the present moment because really your breath is always in the present moment.
There's really ever only this breath.
Gently remain aware of your breath being with each inhale and each exhale.
And when you notice your attention is no longer on the sensation of your breath,
Gently and kindly bring it back.
It doesn't matter how many times you drift away toward a thought or a memory or a sensation.
When you notice,
Simply return your attention to the sensation of your breath.
This noticing,
This return,
It's not a problem.
It's training.
And whenever you notice your attention has drifted away,
Gently and without judgment,
Bring your attention back to the breath.
You've been given another opportunity to choose again to return to the focus of your breath.
It's something different here.
Now,
For the last minute or so of this practice,
Let go of the focus of your breath,
And allow yourself to simply sit here in the stillness without really seeking anything.
Just being present with everything that arises,
Just as it is,
Just as it unfolds.
I will turn my shrine this way.
As our practice comes to an end,
Begin to take some deeper breaths through your nose.
And give yourself credit for taking this time to nourish yourself and build a little more resiliency and connectedness.
And as you move into your day,
Allow the benefits of this practice to expand into every aspect of your life.
As I sound the bell,
See if you can stay with this sound until it completely disappears.
This is a great way to transition from your meditation into the rest of your day.
