05:21

5-Minute Sitting And Just Being

by Esther van Hout

Rated
4.9
Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
181

Take a pause for 5 minutes to breathe and simply be. In the middle of a busy day or during challenging moments, this short practice offers a peaceful space to reset and reconnect with yourself. Easy to follow and completely portable, you can do it anytime, anywhere - whether you're at your desk, on a park bench, or finding a quiet corner to take a mindful moment. Perfect for times of stress, overwhelm, or when you just need a break to settle your mind and come back to the present. No pressure, no effort - just sitting, breathing, and being.

MindfulnessBreathingRelaxationStress ReliefBody AwarenessNon JudgmentFocusAwarenessBreath AwarenessNon Judgmental ObservationSound AwarenessMind Wandering ManagementGentle FocusPost Meditation Awareness

Transcript

Body and Breath Meditation Let's begin with sitting comfortably.

Sit in a position where you can be relaxed and alert at the same time.

Maybe on crossing your legs,

Have your feet flat on the floor with a straight back.

And then having your hands on top of your legs or folded together in your lap,

Whatever feels most comfortable.

And then perhaps closing your eyes.

And just becoming aware of your body sitting here.

Allowing to settle down.

Letting your body be held and supported by the chair beneath you.

And perhaps noticing what thoughts are going through your mind,

What feelings are here.

And whatever there is,

Trying not to judge it.

But just noticing what is here right now.

And then tuning in to the world around you.

What sounds are here?

Sounds near you?

Sounds further away?

Just noticing them without making up any stories around them.

Just listening to the sounds for a few moments.

And then we're letting go of the sounds and we're moving our attention to our breath.

We're just trying to follow one whole in-breath and one whole out-breath.

Trying to be really curious about the sensations of breathing.

Perhaps noticing your chest expanding.

Or maybe feeling the colder air moving into your nostrils.

And warmer air coming out as you breathe out.

Or perhaps you feel the breathing sensations in your stomach,

Where your stomach moves slightly up and down.

Just trying to follow another in-breath and then another out-breath.

And sometimes it helps with the focus to simply say to yourself when you're breathing in,

Breathing in.

And then when you breathe out,

Breathing out.

So perhaps trying that now.

Breathing in.

Breathing out.

Not forcing it.

Not forcing the breath,

Just following your natural breathing.

Breathing in.

Breathing out.

And each time the mind wanders,

As it will,

Nothing's gone wrong because that's just what our minds do.

You simply notice that.

And then very kindly but firmly,

You take your attention back to the sensations of breathing.

And we just spend a few moments more just focusing on our breath.

Breathing in.

Breathing out.

And then as we come to the end of this meditation,

Perhaps taking some deeper breaths,

Becoming aware of the sounds around you,

Maybe wiggling your toes and your fingers.

And then when you're ready,

Opening your eyes and perhaps having a nice stretch.

Meet your Teacher

Esther van HoutUnited Kingdom

4.9 (46)

Recent Reviews

Lexie

September 24, 2025

Thank you for that lovely gentle meditation. I really enjoyed the pace. It was perfect for me. Thank you Esther. 😊💖

Sarah

September 3, 2025

Feeling much more relaxed after listening - thank you!

Jane

August 20, 2025

I liked the space created within me through the pacing of this grounding meditation 🙏🏼

Clare

July 24, 2025

What a wonderful way to spend 5 minutes. Thank you ♥️

Angela

July 23, 2025

Beautiful pace and gentle guided simplicity. I’ll definitely be coming back to this one. 👌💚🙏🏻💚

Patricia

July 23, 2025

Quick and great exercise to ground you if you're in your head.

Brigitte

July 18, 2025

Thank you for this short and sweet little break, very soothing!

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© 2026 Esther van Hout. All rights reserved. All copyright in this work remains with the original creator. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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