Meeting The Breath

The Journey Into Meditation for beginners is supported by forming a relationship with breath. This practice raises consciousness of breathing, and guides the listener in developing a relationship with breath as a means to support success in meditation and everyday magic, as the breath becomes the vehicle on a path towards harmonious, mindful living.

Transcript

Welcome. This is Nadine. I'll be your guide today on your journey inward. Thank you for joining me on this journey. Today we will be forming a relationship with our breath. We can use the breath as the vehicle that carries our attention inward. Forming daily practices that are connected to the breath, Help us soothe and focus our body and mind. Not only during meditation, But also we can find the same effects carried into any moment of our life, Because the breath is always with us. During our seated meditation, We can practice methods for using the breath as a tool for stress relief and shifting our attention and energy. But we really need to be consciously aware that meditation is the practice for using our breath mindfully and effectively in every other corner of our life. So when we meditate on the breath, This is practice for life. Breath in essence is life. When we improve our breathing, We improve the quality of our mind, Our body, And our soul. Learning to focus on the rhythm and the sound of your breath can help us redirect thought patterns, Emotional disturbances, And energy fluctuations. When we can redirect with the focus of our breath, We can bring about a deep sense of balance, Peace, And harmony within. We feel this reflection of the energy within us being balanced and harmonious, Similar to when we look out a window into nature or the landscape of the sea, And we see the harmony that resides within the universe. The harmony and balance that divine has granted the universe around you is also within you. There's nothing separate. You, However, Can use your breath to bring that harmony back to your inner being, To release the chaos of your life, The day, The surrounding events, And turn inward in an effort to become again, That harmonious balance that divine has intended for you. So as with the breath is our vehicle to our path to this harmony, Our path to higher consciousness within, And the journey of this trip and this learning to connect with the breath, That is our destination. There is nowhere that we're trying to get other than to arrive, Meet the vehicle of the breath, And begin this journey on our pathway in. Let us begin now to explore calming breath in meditation. Find your seat and explore the presence of gravity. Where is gravity? Gravity comes from above, Meets the body, And invites it downward to connect with the earth. We can use our out breath, A deep exhalation to invite gravity to become effective for our seat. We can let the in breath flow as the universe desires. We don't have to try to breathe in. The universe is going to do that for us. The universe will fill those spaces within naturally. What you can control with your breathing meditation is an emphasis on the out breath. You create the space. You create this empty presence within you by exhaling, And the universe will fill that space with the in breath. When we try to fill that space by breathing in too deeply, And sucking air in or gasping for air, We can fall into our patterns of shallow fight or flight breathing. However, When we can focus on letting go, Deeply letting go, The out breath can become so full of empty presence, And we create this container ready to receive and open. The out breath can be supported, And that can be how we can begin this practice today. It can be supported by yawning, Sighing, Laughing out loud. While this sounds so silly, This is so helpful to support us in letting go. We want to release anything that's holding us back from letting go and receiving. So take the next moment, And now that I've planted this seed, It will be so easy. Just yawn, Sigh, And if you're able to just laugh at yourself trying to do this. You'll notice the features of the face release, Your throat releases, And your abdomen becomes soft and receptive to let go. Any time during this practice you start to notice tension arise, And it certainly will. Just yawn, Sigh, And be easy with yourself, And let go again and again. Go ahead and take one hand and place it on your belly and the other over your heart. Yawn again, Notice the effects on the out breath. With the hands over the belly and the heart, Continue to notice what's happening, The wave of the breath and the torso that naturally is flowing without you trying to modify it. Where do you feel your breath most prominently today? Is there a place that you feel absence of breath? I'm going to invite you to join me in relaxing the belly and intentionally moving the breath to swell from the belly up over the heart, Just touching the edges of the collarbones before letting the belly release under the hand, Moving back towards the spine, The ribs release, And the heart feels that it sinks back into the cave of the body. When the in breath follows, The belly expands into the abdomen and we feel the breath opening and moving against that hand. We feel the chest lifting, The heart shining out from the cave of the inner body, Shining its light and lifting. Again, We let go, Feeling the swell of the breath release and fill. Give yourself time to feel the swell of the breath, Just like a wave growing and expanding through the container of the body. And letting go slowly, Intentionally, Letting the out breath become longer. A long, Deep out breath is going to support a calm, Steady, Relaxed state of mind and soul. Let the in breath just come to you, Welcoming the in breath as the universe provides it. Then you provide the space of the out breath, Each breath longer and slower than the breath before, Inviting in that sense of emptiness. If you're an experienced meditator, Or you're ready to continue this exploration, We might begin to notice the gaps that reside between the fullness of the in breath and the complete letting go of the out breath. Exploring those gaps is exploring the magic that resides within you. The space between the breath is said to be the space of who we really are. The space of the God, The divine that resides within you. The breath is your vehicle into that space of your truth. This out breath and letting go can lead to this deep release on our pathway to consciousness within, To our truth and our reality. Don't rush away from those empty moments and the gaps between the breath. Allow yourself to dwell there for a moment, Noticing and allowing the natural flow of the in breath to come in when it's time and fill. If you wait in that gap too long, You'll notice that you gasp or suck for air. You don't need to do that. Just be. Be there into your time and your level of comfort. And let the next breath rise and fall. If pausing in those gaps of a full breath or an empty presence is too much at this time in your practice, It's OK. Return to your focus on the exhalation and allow gravity to reground mind, Body and soul. Feel the X hail dropping your consciousness towards the earth beneath you, Holding you. Let the universe fill and open, Returning to your natural breathing, Noticing the effects of this practice on your state of body, Your state of mind, Allowing yourself to sit as long as you'd like in this moment. Breath was our vehicle today on our journey inward. And in conclusion, I remind you that the breath is always with you. We practice the breath in our meditation. We begin to notice how we can use the breath in our daily life. Supporting peace, Tranquility and balance as divine intended for you. May the peace of this practice remain with you today. Bringing both hands over your heart to receive my blessing. Allow the peace of this practice to surround your heart, Feeling the love. May this practice remain with you in the form of the breath as you transition into today, Surrounding you with tranquility. Filling you with healing energy and guiding all of your journeys inward. The journey is our destination. Namaste.