So coming to either a sitting or standing position and taking a couple of moments just to find the posture that is right for you.
One that will support you in being alert and awake during this meditation.
And one that is upright but not uptight.
So initially just checking in with the position of the head.
Just noticing its alignment on top of the neck.
Noticing the height of the body stretching up into the sky.
And now just checking in with the shoulders and the arms.
Allowing the weight of the arms just to hang at the sides of the body.
The hands in the lap or on the legs.
And it's really normal for us to hold residual tension in this region.
So maybe on the next out breath as we exhale just easing,
Letting go of any tension that may be there.
And now just allowing our attention to run down the spine and finding the angle of our spine so that each vertebra sits on top of one another.
Allowing us to sit in an upright way comfortably.
Feeling a posture,
An arrangement that signifies dignity,
Wakefulness,
Alertness.
Now just allowing the attention to drop down into the backs of the legs and the buttocks.
Feeling the weight of the body held by the chair in this moment.
Perhaps exploring those regions where the pressure is most vivid for you.
Perhaps exploring the feeling of the fabric of our clothing and where that makes contact with the body or the feeling of the chair against the skin.
Now just dropping our attention further down the legs and into the feet.
Soaking our feet in our awareness in this moment.
Perhaps becoming aware of our connection with the ground.
And as we do so perhaps becoming aware of tingling sensations or pressure,
Buzzing or pulsing or maybe just registering a blank.
Our intention is simply to notice whatever sensations arise,
Whatever they may be,
Fostering a sense of just allowing our experience to unfold in its own time,
In its own way.
And now inviting you to let go of the sensations of the feet on the ground and gathering the attention and choosing a part of the body where the physical sensations of breathing are most vivid for you.
Perhaps noticing the air moving in and out of the nostrils.
Or perhaps down in the back of the throat.
Or maybe the sensations of the chest gently rising and falling may make themselves known to you.
Or even down in the belly.
The gentle stretches we breathe in and the gentle releases we breathe out.
Knowing that there isn't a right place or a better place to place our attention.
Allowing the body's messages to guide our attention into whichever place,
Whichever region just makes sense.
So just allowing our focused awareness to tune into the physical sensations,
Those changing patterns that occur as the body sits here breathing.
We don't need to control the breath in any way,
Just honouring the wisdom of the body,
Allowing the breath to breathe itself and simply observing,
Appreciating.
And it's really normal as we direct our attention in this way for the mind to wander off to become distracted by thinking or planning or daydreaming.
And just reassuring yourself that that's not a mistake,
Nothing's gone wrong.
Our intention is simply to notice the patterns of mind wandering.
So acknowledging where the mind has gone and maybe then even congratulating yourself on noticing a wandering mind before coming back to the breath in the body.
It may support you to say this in breath.
Coming back to this in breath.
And as best we can,
Staying with the whole of the in breath and even the pauses between.
Understanding if your breathing is shallow or deep.
Whether it's fast or slow.
And perhaps even exploring that moment where the breath pauses and changes direction.
By observing,
By exploring these patterns of breathing within the body,
We are supporting ourselves in reconnecting with the present moment.
Seeing the breath as an anchor tethering us to the present moment.
And also noticing that the breath is always with us from the moment we're born till the day that we die.
Always there in the background.
Simply breathing.
And if you notice the mind wandering off over and over,
Inviting you to see this as an opportunity to develop a greater sense of patience with your experience.
Noticing any sense of judgement creeping in,
Disappointment or frustration.
And just letting go.
Knowing that it isn't our intention to control the experience in any way,
But just acknowledging those moments where the mind has wandered off.
Noticing the weather patterns of activity.
And each time with a sense of kindness,
Gently but firmly bringing the attention back to the breath in the body.
Each in breath offers us a new beginning,
A chance to start again.
Inviting you to bring that sense of playful curiosity to each and every breath.
Lines appears Allowing the breath to breathe itself in its own time.
And in doing so,
Just sitting here,
Being,
Reconnecting with this moment.
.
.
.
And now inviting you just to let go of that sense of awareness around the breath and just allowing the body to sit here for a few moments resting in this sense of being.
And now perhaps becoming aware of the sounds around us in the room,
Becoming of our place within the room and in your own time just allowing the eyes to begin to open,
Those parts of the body that have remained in stillness to begin to move.
And transitioning into the rest of your day knowing that that resource of the breath is always there reconnecting us whenever we need it to.
