Hi,
I'm Gail and I'm here to guide you through a simple belly breathing practice.
This practice can be beneficial in the morning,
In the evening,
Or any time you would like to reconnect and tune into yourself and your breath.
For me,
It's a way to ground,
Calm and recenter.
Many people find it offers a moment of stillness,
A simple way to reconnect with yourself.
So let's begin together.
Find yourself a really comfortable position.
This can be sitting or lying down.
I recommend a place where you are really held by the surface beneath you and can get really cozy and supported.
So you can really just let your body soften into the chair,
Bed or ground beneath you.
And really just let go.
So making any adjustments that I needed.
And when you're ready closing your eyes if that feels comfortable or softening your gaze.
To begin we'll start with a deep clearing breath.
Picking and inhale,
Filling up the belly,
Filling up the lungs.
And on the exhale,
Sigh it out,
Releasing whatever has happened today.
And letting be what is to come.
And taking a couple more in your own time if you'd like.
Fully arriving here,
Release any last tension from your body.
Really seeing your shoulders and your jaw.
Releasing any gripping in your hands.
And relaxing all the way down to your feet.
Then placing one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly.
Just notice the natural rhythm of your breath,
Which is here now.
There's no need to change it.
Just feel how it's moving under your palms with each inhale and exhale.
Letting the breath move in and out through the nose.
Or however feels most natural to you.
On an inhale,
Feeling your body rise,
Expanding and filling.
On an exhale,
Feeling your belly soften,
Releasing and settling down.
Just keep noticing your breath moving in and out of your body.
Is one hand moving more than the other?
Experiencing the sensations of the breath.
Notice how the belly rises and falls beneath your hand.
And your mind may begin to wander and that's perfectly okay.
As we notice when the mind has wandered.
We bring it gently back to experiencing the belly rise and fall.
The in-breath.
And the out breath.
Experiencing this rhythmic movement of the body.
Breath which is happening all day long.
Which we barely get time to notice or experience.
It's only natural when we pause like this that the mind begins to start its internal chatter.
So we can just label that as talking,
Thinking.
And coming back to the breath.
Steady rising.
Very fooling.
And back to the simple rise and fall of the belly.
Staying with that in your own time,
At your own pace.
I will leave you in silence to connect more deeply for a few moments.
As you gradually come back the sound of my voice.
Gently bringing your awareness to your hands.
Notice how the breath feels from when we started.
Is one hand moving more than the other?
It the same as the beginning or has it changed as the practice has gone on?
There is no right or wrong.
Just noting.
Taking a moment now to fill in the whole body.
Sensing the whole body here.
You can stay here a little longer.
And when you feel ready to move you can release your hands away from your chest and belly.
Wiggling your fingers and toes.
Take an inhale.
And an exhale.
Moving your body in any way which feels right for you.
Opening your eyes if they were closed and taking a moment to notice the space around you.
You can come back to this practice at any time,
Ground and reconnect with yourself.
Thank you for your practice.
Take care.
