Welcome to this 10 minute awareness of breath with counting practice.
Our intention today is to deepen our capacity to focus our attention and concentration on a single object,
Cultivate awareness of subtle sensation of breathing and establishing the breath as an anchor to the present moment for when we're distracted or when we're looking for a safe refuge for an upset mind.
Find a posture in a seated position on a chair or on a cushion on the ground and settle in.
Find a comfortable position for the next 8 to 10 minutes.
Let's begin.
Turn your gaze inward by noticing the subtle sensation of breathing,
Noticing the natural rhythm that is most accessible and available to you right now.
Whatever feels normal and start to notice sensations that are most easily accessible to you.
Perhaps around your nose,
The movement of your chest or in and around your belly.
Notice any thoughts or stories that you may be experiencing and just allow them to fade to the background.
There's nowhere to be,
Nothing to do.
Nothing to prove to others or even to yourself,
Our only aim for the next little while is to focus our attention on the sensation of breathing.
Continue to rest your intention on the cycle.
Follow the breath cycle from inception.
Continue the inhale,
Noticing the slight pause at the top of your breath.
Noticing the sensation of the exhale right through to the completion.
And then noticing the hold at the bottom of your breath.
In this way,
We're playing a game of follow the leader.
Simply noticing as you go through each breath cycle.
Noticing any mind wandering.
Things that are taking your attention away from you.
Perhaps things in your environment and then making conscious effort to return to noticing the sensation of breathing.
We're now going to experiment with the counting practice as a possible way to help settle and focus the mind.
Now begin practice of counting one at the inhale and two at the exhale.
And once you reach 10,
Simply begin again at one to start another cycle.
Counting up to 10.
And then restarting at one.
If at any point you lose count.
It's normal.
Likely to happen.
Simply notice that you've lost count and then start again at one.
Notice where you are now.
Keep coming back to the direct experience.
Resting your attention on the sensation of breathing.
And continuing with the counting practice.
Now as we come towards the end of our practice.
Continue to drop the counting.
Stay with the breath.
Continue to follow it through its cycle.
Realizing obvious sensations and also more subtle ones.
And now taking a moment to acknowledge yourself for taking the time to cultivate mindfulness in your day.
And with a deeper than normal inhale.
And an audible exhale.
We can return to our surroundings.
And that concludes our practice today.
