Morning Mindful Breathing

Beginning your morning mindfully sets your day on a positive and intentional note. On waking, so many of us connect in with social media or our emails before ourselves. This meditation allows you to connect in with your breath, keeping you present as you set an intention for the day ahead and guides you in positive affirmations.

Music by Silencio Music UK

Transcript

Welcome to my mindful breathing morning meditation.

If you want to begin by making sure you're as comfortable as possible with any cushions or blankets you may need.

Whether you're sitting up or choosing to lay down,

Making sure your arms rest where they're most comfortable.

Morning is a sacred time for practice and allow yourself to ease gently into this meditation.

Begin by tuning into your body,

Perhaps noticing any sensations.

This noticing,

Becoming aware is our first step to arriving in the present moment.

And just allowing your body now to relax in its own time,

In its own way.

I invite you now to become aware of the sensation of your breath.

The gentle rise and fall of your stomach,

Your chest,

Feeling a soft expansion and a soft contraction.

There's no need to change the rhythm of your breathing at all,

Just observe it.

This technique is called breath watching,

To observe our breath without judgment.

Whether it's shallow or deep,

Fast or slow,

Just let it be natural and honest.

Observing the rise and the fall.

Feeling life giving force and exhaling what we do not need.

This automatic process of breathing values your attention.

Learning to understand our own natural breathing rhythm helps us to harness the power of the breath.

We cannot control external events which shape our lives,

But we can learn to control our breath and in turn our reactive responses,

Our biological and emotional state.

We learn to ride the waves of change rather than tossing,

Turning,

Battling against them.

Let your attention remain resting on your breath.

In and out.

One breath at a time.

Feeling your body surrender into this state of relaxation with each exhale.

If you notice yourself becoming distracted by external sounds,

Sensations or your own thoughts that's okay,

It's all part of meditation.

Just gently return to the focus of the breath.

Always do notice any thoughts,

There's no need to battle with it.

But notice it without attachment.

There's no need to add any energy to the thoughts.

Let it go as a cloud drifting across your mind and always returning to the sensation of your breath.

The inhale and the exhale.

Observe now the feel of the earth beneath you,

Always there supporting you.

Notice any areas of tension and give yourself permission to relax these areas.

Perhaps in the shoulder,

The jaw,

The forehead.

Just let the muscles melt and find a softness to accompany you in this meditation.

Let your limbs lie heavy as you surrender to this practice.

Feel your body with breathing.

You are with the inhale and the exhale.

Your mind is with the air as it moves into and out of your body.

Breathing in peace,

Harmony.

Breathing out anything residual that does not serve you,

Is unneeded.

Every breath cleanses and restores you.

Let's try this in silence for a few minutes.

Let's try this in silence for a few minutes.

Let's try this in silence for a few minutes.

Let's try this in silence for a few minutes.

Let's try this in silence for a few minutes.

Let's try this in silence for a few minutes.

I invite you now to continue our breath work with a technique to deepen our breath further.

We will inhale for the count of six and exhale for the count of six.

When you are ready,

Inhale three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Exhale three,

Four,

Five,

Six.

Inhale three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Exhale three,

Four,

Five,

Six.

Perhaps noticing the point of pause before the inhale and before the exhale.

Inhale three,

Four,

Five,

Six.

Exhale three,

Four,

Five,

Six.

If this is too challenging to inhale and exhale for six,

You're welcome to change it to four.

So continue breathing with this rhythm on your own for a few rounds.

Inhale three,

Four,

Five,

Six.

Inhale three,

Four,

Five,

Six.

Letting your breath settle back into its own natural rhythm now.

Whatever is comfortable for you,

Feeling completely relaxed.

Maybe you notice this difference in the natural rhythm now.

You may have found more space in the expanse of your ribcage,

Moving with ease.

You don't need to do anything right now but listen to my voice.

Taking one breath at a time.

Your breath is your guide.

If your mind wanders,

Which is very natural,

Just leave.

It is a gentle hum in the back of your mind,

Any internal chatter.

It may not fully silence but it's not of importance right now.

Your attention is at the forefront of your mind and always comes back to your breath.

Observing its natural flow.

I offer you a visualization now to complement your attention to breathing.

I invite you to visualize a beautiful beach on a warm sunny day.

It can be a real beach,

One that you know,

Or an imaginary one.

You can choose to make this beach look exactly as you wish.

Perhaps surrounded by lush rainforest or familiar coastal pathways.

There's no right or wrong,

It is your beach to choose.

Imagine yourself sitting there on the warm soft sand with the gentlest of breezes soothing your soul.

You are watching the waves gently lapping on the shore in front of you.

You watch them as they gently come in and slowly flow out again.

Begin to breathe in as the ocean wave laps into shore and breathe out as the waves ebb away.

Then pause and wait,

Wait for the next wave,

The next breath to come.

It will always come.

We will sit with the calming soothing ebb and flow of the ocean now.

Totally connected to its rhythm.

It is time to gently shift your focus away from your beach now as I invite you to set an intention for the day ahead.

To do this I ask you to rest with the question what quality do I most want to engage with today?

It may be patience,

Generosity,

Wisdom,

Mindfulness or self-compassion.

Anything you choose is right for you for today.

Once you have chosen your quality take this time to give it your full attention.

Intend this quality for yourself today.

Breathe in your intention such as I intend to be patient today and breathing out your intention into the universe.

So I invite you to visualize now how this quality will manifest itself today with the people you will see and the places you will go.

Perhaps this makes you feel wonderful or a challenge comes to mind,

A situation or a person who often awakens negative emotions or reactions in you.

If it does visualize yourself embodying your chosen quality.

Notice how good it feels to cultivate your good intention and how it may change your perception of that given situation or person.

Let your quality manifest within you to share with the world today.

Remaining now with your gentle attention and good by your breath the inhale and the exhale.

Silently repeat the following affirmations to yourself.

I bring with me today clarity.

I bring with me today patience.

I bring with me today self-compassion.

I bring with me today my ability to love.

I bring with me today my intention.

This meditation will stay with you today.

In moments when you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure you can return here.

Simply stop,

Tune in and allow yourself to consciously breathe.

Your breath supports every choice you make,

Every challenge you may face.

It is your steady guide towards clarity.

It is a beautiful thing that your breath is available to you always.

May the positive energy of the universe surround and flow through you today and bring peace and love to your heart and mind.

Supporting your spirit.

And when you're ready find some small movement in your fingers and toes.

Perhaps a stretch.

And bring your hands together to your heart space and thank yourself for committing your mind,

Body and soul to this practice this morning.

To spiritual growth and positive transformation.

Namaste.

Reviews

Thank you Emmeline. A wonderful way to start the day.

Amazing, wonderfully calm and felt a great sensation within. Thank you.

That was lovely. Perfect for a Sunday morning.
Thank you 🙏🏾