Welcome to the Awareness of Breath practice.
The intention of this practice is to pay attention to the breath and the process of breathing,
Moment to moment.
Finding a comfortable,
Upright way of sitting,
In a posture that embodies a sense of balance and support.
Sitting so that the sit bones are underneath you.
Shoulders soft and moving down.
Chin tucked gently towards your chest so the back of the neck can lengthen slightly.
Closing your eyes now if that feels right for you.
Or dropping your gaze.
Becoming aware of the sensations of sitting.
Your body in contact with the floor beneath you.
The air around you.
The touch of your clothes on your skin.
Turning your attention inward now to the process of breathing.
Noticing where you bring your attention in order to sense the breath.
Perhaps in the belly.
The diaphragm.
The chest.
The back.
The shoulders or the nostrils.
Wherever the breath feels most vivid to you,
Allow your attention to rest there.
Noticing the breath coming and going.
Entering and leaving.
Perhaps becoming aware of the rising of the body on the in-breath and the falling of the body on the out-breath.
Following each breath as best you can.
Following all the moments of the inhalation.
Up to the small pause where it turns around.
And then following the exhalation for its full duration.
Noticing all the small movements of inhaling and exhaling.
You may become curious about the quality of the breath,
Whether it's shallow or deep.
Whether there's a sense of constriction or ease.
Paying attention to the breath as best you can without needing to change or alter anything.
Just being with the breath as you're experiencing it right now.
And if your mind wanders to other things,
Noticing that and gently and kindly bringing the attention back to this breath.
And then following the exhalation for its full duration.
And then following the exhalation for its full duration.
Simply allowing yourself to be where you already are.
And to feel the sensations of whatever is here to be felt in this moment.
And then following the exhalation for its full duration.
This inhalation,
This exhalation.
Each breath a new beginning.
And you may notice as you attend to the breath in this way,
That there are thoughts and feelings arising about the breath or perhaps about other things.
Noticing how all these things arise and then with kindness turning your attention again to the sensations of breathing.
And then following the exhalation for its full duration.
And then following the exhalation for its full duration.
Being with the breath as it is right now.
Right now.
Right now.
Right now.
Right now.
Right now.
Thank you.
Thank you.
