This will be a period of meditation that uses the breath as the primary anchor for attention and supports what might be called unification of mind.
In bringing our focus to breathing,
We can simplify our inner experience and give our minds a chance to take a break.
And so welcoming all of yourself to be here for this period of practice,
Letting go of having any particular kind of experience,
Even a quiet mind,
And just being with what is,
Allowing the eyes to gently close.
And now bringing awareness to sensing the rhythm of the breath in the body,
Feeling the body breathing,
Just acknowledging the breath.
No need to breathe in any particular way.
Just sensing the breath flowing in,
The breath flowing out.
Letting the mind rest with the full duration of an inhale,
Followed by the full duration of an exhale.
If the mind wanders,
Simply shifting attention back to the breath.
Breathing in with awareness of breathing in,
And breathing out with awareness of breathing out.
Again if the mind wanders a thousand times,
Coming back to the breath each time you recognize that it's wandered.
Breathing in with awareness of breathing in,
And breathing out with awareness of breathing even if for just this moment.
Allowing yourself to pause and cultivate stillness,
Making space internally as the body makes space for the breath.
And considering that this simple act can help restore balance and ease.
If today it might be helpful to have an additional anchor for the mind,
Adding a soft noting of a number following each breath,
Counting to a low number like four and then returning to one.
Allowing the noting of the number being like a soft whisper,
So the breath can remain the primary anchor.
Breathing in with awareness of breathing in,
And breathing out with awareness of breathing out.
Enter may enter into awareness,
Feelings,
Thoughts,
Tensions,
Simply making room for everything.
Whatever arises is already here,
So making space for the experience can help ease any struggle to exchange this experience for an imaginary better one.
Simply breathing and experiencing whatever is happening as the moments unfold.
Exhaling with awareness of inhaling,
Exhaling with awareness of exhaling.
Simply preferring the breath.
Allowing the breath to be an anchor for being present right here and right now.
And in the last few moments of this meditation,
Affirming that no matter what's going on,
This resource is available at all times.
By opening up to the fullness of each moment,
We're developing the inner resources that help us access stillness and calm at any time of day or night.
