The breathing space practice.
The intention of this practice is coming back and turning towards our present moment experience.
Making this practice with curiosity,
Openness,
Acceptance,
Kindness,
Non-judging.
And starting with the first step.
Awareness,
Coming back and waking up to automatic pilot.
Dropping into the present moment,
Becoming aware of how things are in this moment by deliberately adopting an erect and dignified posture,
Whether sitting or standing.
If possible,
Closing the eyes,
Bringing awareness to our inner experience and acknowledging it,
Perhaps asking,
What is my experience right now?
What thoughts are going through the mind?
As best we can,
Simply acknowledging thoughts as mental events.
Perhaps putting them into words,
Thinking,
Planning,
Remembering,
Dreaming.
What emotions are here?
As best we can,
Turning towards any sense of discomfort or unpleasant feelings,
Recognizing them,
Acknowledging them.
What body sensations are here right now?
Perhaps quickly scanning the body to pick up any sensations of tightness or bracing.
Is there a familiar pattern?
And coming to step 2.
Gathering,
Anchoring awareness on the breath or feet on the floor.
Then gathering our attention to focus on the physical sensations of the breathing itself.
Maybe on the sensations of the breath in the nose or moving in close to the sense of the breath in the tummy.
Feeling the sensations of the tummy wall expanding as the breath comes in and falling back as the breath goes out.
Practicing following the breath all the way in and all the way out.
Or perhaps gathering awareness on the feet on the floor or sitting bones on the seat.
Practicing using the breath or feet on the floor as an anchor into the present.
And moving to step 3.
Expanding into the body as a whole.
Practicing using the sensations of the breath or feet on the floor as an anchor.
While opening to experience in this moment.
Expanding the field of awareness around the breathing or feet on the floor.
So that includes a sense of the body as whole,
The posture and facial expression.
If there are sensations of discomfort,
Tension or resistance as best we can,
Gently turning towards and breathing into them.
Having the intention to soften,
Releasing,
Letting go on the out-breath as best we can.
Bring this expanded awareness to the next moments of the day.
