Mindfulness of breath.
Settle into a comfortable sitting position,
Either on a straight back chair or lying on the floor.
Sitting or lying comfortably,
But firmly supported.
Allow your back to adopt a dignified and comfortable posture.
If sitting,
Place your feet flat on the floor.
If you're lying down,
Have your legs uncrossed.
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Bring your awareness to the level of physical sensations by focusing your attention on the sensations of touch and pressure on your body where it makes contact with the floor or chair.
Notice all the parts of your body making contact.
Notice all the parts of your body not making contact.
Spend a moment or two exploring these sensations.
Now bring your awareness to the changing patterns of the physical sensations in the lower abdomen as the breath moves in and out of this area of your body.
You may want to place your hand on this spot to help facilitate this awareness.
As you settle your attention on this area in this way,
Notice the sensations of the whole of the in-breath and the whole of the out-breath as best you can.
There is no need to control the breathing.
Simply allow the breath to breathe itself.
Bring an attitude of allowing to the experience as best you can.
There is nothing to be fixed.
No particular state of mind to achieve.
Just allow your experience to be your experience,
Whatever it is from moment to moment.
Sooner or later your mind will wander away from the focus of the breath to other thoughts or planning,
Imagining,
Drifting,
Daydreaming,
And that's okay.
You may even have an inner monologue providing you an interpretation of this experience.
Whenever you notice that your awareness is no longer on your breath,
Gently congratulate yourself as you've come back and you are once more aware of this moment.
Using your breath as an anchor for this present moment just as it is.
You may want to acknowledge where your mind has been briefly,
Perhaps even tagging each of your thoughts for what it contains,
Thinking,
Wandering,
Planning,
Or name the content of that thought.
Then you can gently escort your attention back to your breath again.
Each time your mind wanders,
Reconnecting with the breath once you have noticed.
As best you can,
Bring a quality of patience or compassion to your awareness to experience the inevitable wandering as an opportunity to practice mindfulness and to cultivate awareness.
Continue this practice on your own over the next few
