Please begin by establishing a comfortable posture in which you're both relaxed and alert.
If there's any obvious tightness or tension in the body that you can easily release,
Please do so,
Perhaps filling your body with the half-smile of kindness.
Now you might bring your attention to the fact of your body breathing.
Notice that it's always breathing quite naturally.
Begin noticing where it's easiest to feel the breath.
It might be a coolness you feel in your nostrils on the in-breath,
Or warmth on the upper lip with the out-breath.
Or maybe you sense a swirling tingling in the back of your throat.
It might be the rise and fall of your chest or belly,
Or it might be the sensations of the whole body breathing.
Wherever you find the breath easiest to feel,
Or most pleasant,
Rest your kind attention there.
If the breath is subtle or 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.
This is a great way to stay with your breath.
Now let yourself feel the next three in- and out-breaths.
As you feel each breath,
Let the mind calm and the body relax.
Now feel three more.
Continuing with this relaxed and calming attention on the breath,
And each time the attention wanders and you notice,
Just gently bringing it back.
Each time this happens is a moment of mindfulness.
Like training a puppy,
No judgment.
Simply a kindly return to the present moment.
Sit and stay.
And this breath,
Just now.
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.
You might notice the space between breaths.
Rest yourself and relaxing with the breathing.
Each breath arising and passing with mindful awareness.
You might notice where your attention is,
And if it's drifted,
Gently return to the sensations of breathing.
As you feel each breath,
Let the mind calm and the body relax.
Fully here,
Awake,
And at ease.
