Sit in a balanced upright position with your feet on the floor with legs crossed.
Get comfortable but not too comfortable.
Imagine a string going from the top of your head attached to the ceiling holding you up.
If possible sit a little bit forward with your chin slightly tucked.
This will assist you to maintain your attention.
Rest your hands gently in your lap or on your thighs and as you begin remind yourself of your intention for your practice the positive benefits for yourself and others.
Now gently close your eyes or gaze through hooded lids and begin by connecting with your breathing.
Take three slow deep breaths in through your nose and out through your nose.
Feel your breath go all the way down to fill your abdomen and then exhale slowly feeling your body soften and relax pausing slightly before gently inhaling deeply again.
Now allow your breathing to settle back to its natural rhythm and observe your breath flowing in and out.
When you notice your mind wander you can choose to bring your attention back to your next breath.
Now notice any sounds around you or the sound of your own breathing.
Take your attention out to the most distant and softest of sounds.
Now become aware of your physical body.
Feel the weight of your body pressing down.
When your mind wanders you can choose to bring your attention back to your next breath,
The sensations of the air going in and out or to the weight of your body or to any sounds.
Now move your attention to your feet.
Notice where your feet touch the surface.
With a gentle curiosity notice any sensations in your feet,
Your toes,
Heels,
All through your feet.
And stay with whatever sensations you feel comfortable or uncomfortable.
Perhaps you notice feelings of pressure,
Warmth or coolness.
Can you sense the subtle aliveness in your feet?
And as you feel into your feet continue to notice the flow of your breath coming in and going out.
Now bring your attention to your hands.
Notice the feeling of wherever your hands are resting.
Notice the temperature of your hands and the subtle aliveness there.
Explore the sensations on the surface and deep inside your hands.
And if you notice your mind wander simply choose to bring your attention back to your hands into the gentle flow of your breath in and out.
Now bring your attention to your feet.
If you notice your shoulders have slumped at all you can gently correct your posture.
Just notice the feeling of the muscles across the top of your shoulders and into your neck.
There might be a softness or a hardness,
Pressure or tingling.
Just notice any sensations and stay with them as you feel the flow of your breath in the background.
Now open your awareness to your entire body.
Scan your body from head to toe.
Notice whatever sensations are there as you gently feel your breath flowing in and out in the background.
When thoughts appear as they naturally will simply see them as clouds floating across a clear blue sky and allow them to pass without getting lost in the storyline and choose to bring your attention back to your next breath.
If you notice that your mind has wandered bring your attention back to your next breath or to your body and simply stay here for a few moments more.
I'll let you know when time is up.
If you notice your mind has wandered bring it back again to your breath,
To the body or to the sounds and as you come to the end of your practice consider taking this feeling of awareness and stillness with you into your day.
Use it to remind you to bring your attention back to what you're doing wherever you are.
Now when you're ready slowly open your eyes again.
