Welcome.
This is Brooke Stevenson and I am so glad you are here.
Whether you're taking a pause in the middle of your day,
Transitioning from one thing to the next.
Or simply noticing that you could use a moment to reconnect to yourself.
I'm grateful you've chosen to spend these next few moments with me.
Throughout the day,
It's so easy to become distracted from ourselves.
Belly breathing offers one gentle way to reconnect.
As with all my guided practices,
Everything I offer is simply an invitation.
Take what feels supportive,
Leave what doesn't,
And know there is no one right or wrong way to experience this practice.
To go ahead and find a position that feels comfortable and supportive for you today.
And if you'd like,
You can gently close your eyes or simply soften your gaze.
And if it feels comfortable,
Place one hand on your belly.
And perhaps the other on your heart space or chest.
Take a slow breath in through your nose.
And as you inhale,
See if you can gently invite your belly to rise first,
Almost like you're slowly filling up a balloon.
Your chest may move a little too,
But let your belly do most of the work if possible.
And as you slowly exhale through your mouth,
Allow the balloon to gently empty.
Feeling your belly soften.
Now let's try that again together.
Breathing in slowly through your nose,
Letting your belly expand.
And breathing out,
Allowing your belly to soften.
Continue at your own pace.
With each inhale gently filling the balloon.
With each exhale,
Allowing it to empty.
There's no need to force your breath.
Simply inviting it.
As you continue breathing,
You might notice your mind drifting.
And when that happens,
Simply acknowledge it.
And gently come back to the feeling of your belly rising.
And falling.
Each breath providing another opportunity to reconnect.
Seeing if you can allow just a little more softness with each exhale.
Just letting go of a little effort each time,
Maybe even 1% softer.
Now go ahead and take two more slow,
Comfortable breaths.
Breathing in,
Letting your belly rise.
And breathing out,
Allowing it to soften.
One last breath,
Feeling your belly gently expand.
And gently soften.
And now take a moment to check in with yourself.
Whatever you notice is exactly right for you right now.
And as you move into the next part of your day,
Remember that reconnecting doesn't have to be complicated.
Sometimes it begins with one gentle breath.
And when you're ready,
Bring your awareness back to the room around you.
And thank yourself for these moments that you took to reconnect with yourself.
And thank you for sharing this time with me today.
I'm Brooke Stevenson.
Until next time,
Take gentle care of yourself.
