Welcome,
My name is Gil Elhart and I want to lead a brief breath meditation.
This is a simple practice that will bring your attention to your breath.
We'll use a silent count,
Well I'll guide you,
To get the breath and the mind to sync together.
Near the end of the practice,
We'll dissolve the formal focus on counting the breath and just let the mind come to a natural state of equanimity.
Let's begin.
Find a comfortable seated position.
You could also do this practice lying down,
But make sure that you're staying alert.
Just to begin,
Slowly inhale and try to fill up your lungs,
Bottom,
Middle and top.
As you breathe out,
Again release all the air from the lungs,
Bottom,
Middle and top.
Do this a couple more times on your own.
With our attention on the breath,
We naturally begin to deepen and expand our lung capacity with both our inhalations and our exhalations.
Now that we've worked to expand our lungs,
We'll do a balanced breath.
Clear the lungs with an exhalation.
Now breathe in for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale 1,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale 1,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 4,
3,
2,
1.
I'd like to add a pause at the top and the bottom of each breath.
Not a hesitation,
Just a natural retention of your inhale and a very sweet and soft retention at the end of your exhales.
Starting together again,
Exhale completely.
Breathe in for 1,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale 1,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 4,
3,
2,
1.
Now it may be natural for some of us to feel that we can breathe longer,
Extend the duration of our inhales and exhales.
So I'm going to allow space for this now and I'll let you create your own count internally.
You can attempt to hold the retention at the top of the breath and the bottom of the breath for close to the duration of the inhale or about half the duration of the inhale and likewise at the bottom of the breath.
So it will sound like this internally.
Inhale 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Hold the breath.
1,
2,
3.
Inhale slowly.
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold the breath.
3,
2,
1.
We want to make sure that there's no strain with our breath,
That it's calming and it's relaxed.
So continue on your own now using your own inner guide for how long the breath should feel comfortable for you.
This is known as samavritti or symmetrical breathing.
We're establishing equal wavelengths,
The pattern of the breath is symmetrical,
Equal.
And thus it creates a very balanced state of being in our body and with our mind.
As you continue the practice,
You may feel comfortable expanding once again,
Increasing the duration just slightly.
Or you can always just stay with the starting point.
Or if you're expanded and you feel more comfortable with a little bit less of a count,
Then please adjust.
Great.
We will continue the Samavritti practice for a few more moments.
Giving the mind a focal point,
Like the breath,
Is really amazing for centering,
For clearing the mind and creating a more lucid mind space.
We're able to more easily release distractions and stay focused.
Another benefit of this breathing practice to build our concentration and the ability to sustain it,
And therefore it becomes a meditation.
So let's begin to dissolve that formal practice of counting the breath and allow the mind to abide still on the breath,
But more naturally just riding the waves as if we were more passively floating on a raft,
Gently flowing downstream perhaps.
The formal practice creates the fertile ground for the mind to stay in this place where it is centered,
Focused,
Alert,
But not sharp.
Enjoy being in this space now.
If and when the mind strays,
That's natural for the mind to do,
So we let go of any judgment,
We just bring our attention back to the breath with compassion,
Understanding that our mind,
It wants to think,
That's what the mind does.
So again,
We give it a place to think upon,
Just come back to the breath,
Letting go of any thoughts that have found their way into your consciousness.
Bring your attention back to your breath and feel its movement within your body.
The breath is also quite effective in helping reinforce our posture and help support better alignment in our seated or even reclined posture.
I hope you enjoyed this breath meditation.
The balanced breathing can help ensure a more balanced energetic state throughout the remainder of your day.
It was my pleasure to guide you in your meditation today.
Thank you again for joining me.
Namaste.
