Soothing rhythm breathing.
Taking a moment to choose a posture that feels supportive,
Whether that is seated or lying down.
And becoming aware of the posture that you've chosen.
Noticing the weight of the body going down.
Supported by the surface that you are resting on.
Can you allow gravity to hold the weight of your body and rest?
And at the same time noticing the sense of uplift through the spine to the top of your head.
So there's a gentle holding of the body with a sense of dignity and presence.
Inviting you to bring a friendly expression to your face.
Softening any tension that you might become aware of.
And when you're ready,
Inviting you to bring your attention to your breath,
Breathing itself.
Noticing the physical sensations of breathing.
Gentle inhalation on the in-breath.
And the letting go that happens naturally as we breathe out.
And if your attention leaves the breath,
Then knowing that this isn't a mistake,
It's okay.
Gently and kindly returning your attention back to the breath.
And as you sit or lie here with this sense of the body as a whole,
Breathing.
Inviting you now to explore whether you can find a rhythm of breathing that feels soothing or calming.
What would it be like if your breathing now had a soothing or calming quality to it?
Perhaps slowing down the rhythm of the breath,
Breathing more deeply than usual.
But in a way that feels comfortable for your body as it is in this moment.
Seeing if it's possible to breathe in a smooth way with the breath,
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Having the in and the out breath at equal lengths if that's possible for you.
Noticing what might support this practice.
Perhaps counting,
Gradually slowing down the length of the in and the out breath.
Seeing what feels right for you.
Perhaps the count of three or four or maybe reaching five.
And again,
If your attention moves away from the breath,
Gently bringing it back as best you can with a sense of kindness and gentleness.
Returning in particular to the calming and soothing quality of your breathing rhythm.
So inviting you now to spend the next minute or so practicing this soothing rhythm of breathing.
Can you imagine a sense of the body slowing down as you breathe in and breathe out?
Paying particular attention to this sense of letting go,
The body becoming more settled and grounded as we breathe out.
And you can continue with this practice for as long as feels helpful.
And when you're ready,
Letting go of any counting or any effort to breathe in a certain way and just allowing the breath to return to its natural rhythm of breathing.
Gradually opening the awareness again to include a sense of the body wherever you are sitting or lying.
And opening to the space around you in the room,
Eyes open.
Taking in the sights and the sounds.
And knowing at any time that you can come back to this practice of soothing rhythm breathing.
Perhaps practicing this so that it might be easier to access in those moments where we need to settle.
Taking a moment to congratulate yourself in some way for having taken the time out to practice.
Go well into the next moments of your day.
