Find a comfortable position.
You can sit,
Lie down or stand.
Whatever feels most supportive for your body right here,
Right now.
Then allow your body to relax and settle.
Now I invite you to close your eyes and take a slow breath in and notice any areas of tension,
Especially in your face,
Jaw,
Shoulders or belly.
Observe these sensations without judgment,
Without attachment.
Just being here like an audience.
And if it feels comfortable you might bring one hand on top of your belly,
The other hand on top of your chest.
As you begin to slowly deep breath here.
Inhale through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath gently for two counts and exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of six.
Repeat this cycle for several breaths,
Focusing on the rise and fall of your belly.
As you inhale through your nose for a count of four,
Hold your breath gently for two and exhale slowly through your mouth for six.
As you exhale,
See if you can really exhale fully,
Pulling your belly in.
And with each inhale,
Notice the gentle rise of the chest,
Movements in your belly.
As you finish this current breath,
Let's release it all.
Let's come back to your natural rhythm.
Just let the breath be.
Let the body breathe itself.
As you're currently breathing in,
Exhale fully,
Pulling your belly in again.
Then next inhale halfway through your nose and pause.
Inhale fully and then pause again.
And now exhale with a long slow sigh through your mouth.
Let's do that again.
Exhale fully the current breath,
Pulling your belly in.
Now next inhale halfway through your nose,
Pause.
Inhale fully,
Pause again.
And exhale with a long slow sigh through your mouth.
Repeat for a few rounds of breath,
Keeping your breath gentle and smooth.
As you finish the current breath,
Let your breath again come back to its natural rhythm.
No need to force the breath or control it.
Here we really just want to let the body breathe itself.
Now next invitation,
As you inhale,
Take a deep breath in.
And on the next exhale,
Make a gentle humming sound.
Chant VU.
Feel the vibration in your chest and throat.
Either gently humming or chanting VU.
Feel the vibration in your chest and throat.
Let's repeat this for several breaths.
With each exhale,
Making a gentle humming sound or chanting VU.
V-U,
VU.
Noticing any subtle shift in your body and mind as you keep going through the next few rounds of breath.
Making the gentle humming sound or chanting VU with each exhale.
Now once again,
As you finish the current breath,
Let it all go.
Let your breath come back to its natural rhythm.
No need to control it.
No need to influence it.
Let the body breathe itself.
Gently bring your hands to the area just above your ear canal.
Gently,
We're going to start massaging in small circles.
We're going to do that for about 30 seconds.
Gently on each side.
So feel free,
If you'd like to do both sides at the same time.
Or gently going one side first.
Gently massaging small circles.
And as you continue to gently massage your ears,
Notice the state of your mind.
The state of your body.
No judgment,
No attachment.
We're just here curious.
Noticing the way we're feeling.
Noticing what's happening in your mind and in our body.
As when you're ready,
You start to release your hands.
They may come back each side of your body.
Gently returning to your natural breathing again.
And noticing any changes in your body,
In your mind,
In your mood.
And then when you're ready,
Ever so gently,
Starting to flick the eyes open.
And gently bringing tiny movements back in your body.
You might start to wiggle your toes,
Wiggle your fingertips.
You might come into a full body stretch.
Just taking a few moments to really embrace every movement,
Every sensation happening in your body.
Taking another deep breath in.
And slow breath out.
