So begin by establishing a comfortable position in which you're both relaxed and alert.
You might be sitting with your spine long,
Your hands resting in your lap or on your thighs.
Become aware of the body and if you notice that there's any obvious tightness or tension in the body that you can easily release now,
Go ahead and do so.
Maybe filling your body with a half smile of kindness.
And now bring your attention to the simple fact of your body breathing.
Noticing that it's always breathing quite naturally.
And notice where it's easiest to feel the breath.
It might be a coolness you feel in your nostrils on the in-breath or maybe a warmth on the upper lip with the out-breath.
Or maybe you sense a swirling in the back of the throat or a tingling.
Or it might be the rise and fall of your chest or your belly.
Or maybe just sense this whole body breathing.
Wherever you find the breath easiest to feel,
Just rest your kind attention here.
If the breath feels hard to feel,
You can always place a hand on your belly and feel the rise and fall of your belly in the palm of your hand.
It's a beautiful way to stay with your breath.
And now let yourself feel and rest in the next three in and out breaths.
As you feel each breath,
Let the mind calm.
Let the body relax.
And now feel three more.
Now just continue with this relaxed and calming attention on the breath.
And each time the attention wanders and you notice,
Just gently bring it back.
It's like training a puppy.
There's no judgment.
Just a kindly return.
Just sit and stay with the breath.
This breath right now.
Just staying with the breath.
And if it's helpful,
You can notice the beginning and middle and ending of the in-breath or rise.
And the beginning and middle and end of the out-breath or the fall.
Notice the space between the breaths.
And find some rest here in this space.
Relaxing with each breath.
Each breath rising and passing with mindful awareness.
Notice where your attention is.
And if it's drifted,
As it often does,
It's totally normal.
Just gently return to the sensations of breathing.
As you feel each breath,
Let the mind calm.
The body relax.
Feel yourself here.
Fully awake and at ease.
And feeling nourished with each in-breath and releasing with each out-breath.
And while keeping your eyes closed,
Bring your awareness into the room.
Imagine the room that you're resting in.
And bring awareness to your body.
To your body in this room.
And then begin to bring some movement into your wrist.
Maybe rolling your shoulders up towards your ears and down along your spine.
And then take a deep inhale to reach your arms over your head.
Your palms coming to touch one another.
And exhale to lower your palms in front of your heart.
And when you feel ready,
You can slowly begin to blink your eyes open and return back to the room.
