So let's inhale for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7.
Exhaling through the mouth for 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
And again,
We'll do that a second time.
Inhaling for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7.
Exhaling through the mouth for 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
One last time.
Inhaling for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7.
Exhaling through the mouth for 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
And now release the longer breath and just let the breath flow naturally.
Let the breath settle into its own natural pace.
Gently close your eyes.
Let the body settle.
Feel that point of stillness in you.
And now begin noticing the breath.
Begin to notice just the two points where the breath enters your nose.
And that light tickling as the breath is in your nose.
So many places your attention can be.
Can you bring presence to the breath as it reaches your nose?
As if you're just noticing it for the first time in your life.
And keep your forehead relaxed.
Keep your face and your jaw relaxed.
And bring a quality of warmth and relaxation to how you observe the breath.
Welcoming each breath and holding it in your awareness with care.
Staying with the breath for 2 minutes.
Letting the mind stay with the breath.
And if your mind wanders,
Just offer yourself forgiveness.
And stay with the breath for a few more moments.
Keeping your eyes gently closed,
Begin to breathe right into your heart.
Imagine you can send the breath right into your heart,
Lungs,
And chest.
And release from the chest,
Lungs,
And heart.
From this heart space,
Now think back to a moment when someone forgave you very easily and completely.
Maybe you did something quite serious to hurt them.
Something you later knew was a mistake.
But they treated you with love and with lightness and with welcoming.
They didn't hold it against you.
There was no sense of grudge.
Maybe it was something small like you were late to something.
Or maybe it was a big mistake.
Maybe you accidentally bumped into someone on the street and bumped them and they just gave you a smile.
Just remembering that sensation of receiving forgiveness.
Think back to that situation.
Think back to that feeling and let your body experience it.
Of release,
Of being released.
Connect to that lightness.
Connect to that receiving and that ease.
And that full heartedness.
The generous heart.
A big heart with space.
Acknowledging that to be human is to be unskillful sometimes.
To be human is to wish we had acted otherwise sometimes.
And know that you can always offer forgiveness to yourself and to others.
And now ask yourself,
If anything were possible,
Who would I like to offer this to?
Who do I want to give the same experience of release?
If anything were possible,
Who would I like to release?
And we'll end this practice by putting a hand on the heart.
Feel your own heart.
And set the intention,
I will protect this heart.
I will only go at this heart's pace.
I will listen to this heart's rhythm.
May what I do reduce the suffering of this heart.
Ease this heart.
May I feel lightness,
Joy,
And ease.
May this heart know that its own warmth is always available to itself.
May this heart connect with joy to other hearts.
And may I offer myself unconditional acceptance,
Unconditional forgiveness,
Warmth in every moment.
Setting that intention for your own heart.
Because all this heart has ever wanted was to be happy and accepted and understood.
And releasing the hand back down.
Feeling your feet on the floor.
Feeling the air against your skin.
And opening your ears to sounds.
