Begin this meditation seated so that you are alert.
Maybe sitting with your legs crossed or in a chair with your feet grounded upon the floor.
Rest your hands open on top of the thighs,
Connecting the index finger and thumb if you wish.
Relax at the elbows and just taking the time to make sure you are physically at a place of ease.
Inhale gently through the nose and as you exhale gently close down your eyes,
Let your eyelids and lashes relax.
Allow the breath to become calm.
We begin with a few moments of mindfulness.
Notice if you are slouching forwards or leaning too far back.
If so adjust and sit up tall,
The vertebra of the spine ascending upwards.
Your chin parallel to the floor so that you can feel the length through the back of the neck and skull.
Swallow once to relax the throat.
Soften the jaw,
A small gap between your upper and lower teeth.
The tongue is relaxed and rests lightly in the roof of your mouth.
The chest is proud as you lift the heart ever so slightly upwards.
The ribs are floating on top of the hips and the shoulder blades are melting a little deeper down each side of the spine.
Stay focused.
Bring the whole of your attention inwards into your breath.
Become aware of the quality of this natural breath.
The location of the breath.
Is it high in the chest or deep in the lungs?
Don't try to change it,
Just watch it.
Notice as you inhale how the ribs move out sideways and as you exhale how they fall back inwards.
Feel the breath in the nostrils,
The coolness as you breathe in and the warmth as you breathe out.
Now to the breath practice.
Take a deep slow breath in through the nose and then a deep sigh out through the mouth.
Repeat a breath in through the nose and let it go through the mouth.
One more time.
Now breathe for counts of six,
Inhaling slowly through the nose.
Hold briefly at the top and exhale through the nose for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Hold briefly at the bottom.
Repeat,
Inhale through the nose,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Hold and exhale through the nose,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Hold.
Continue.
Inhale,
Counting silently to yourself.
Hold,
Exhale.
Hold.
You have four more rounds.
Inhalation brings strength and a controlled body.
Retention gives steadiness of mind and longevity.
Breathing purifies body and spirit.
Inhaling now in this present moment,
Let the breath be your anchor.
Exhaling now in this moment,
You are alive.
Breathing in positivity,
Vitality,
Love.
Breathing out fear,
Pain and just letting go of what doesn't serve you.
Breathing in,
I calm the body and mind.
Breathing out,
I smile.
Everything is just the way it should be.
Now relax.
Just come back to your natural breath.
Keep the focus on your breath.
Focus its newfound quality,
Its depth,
Its breadth.
As you inhale,
You breathe in oxygen,
Energy,
Life force.
And as you exhale,
You breathe out negativity,
Pain,
Suffering.
Let every breath happen naturally and just the way it should.
Continue exploring the breath,
Maximizing the benefits.
You can continue for as long as feels intriguing or interesting.
Observe the effects.
How does it feel in your mind,
Your body and your spirit?
Perhaps witnessing the clarity of mind,
The openness of heart and body and feeling energized in the spirit.
Time to bring the awareness back into the room.
Just take your time to first of all open the eyes.
Perhaps a couple of deeper breaths here and just enjoy a few moments of silence and contemplation before continuing with your day.
Allow yourself to be receptive.
