Take a moment to settle into a space that feels comfortable for you,
Letting your body mold the support beneath you,
And distractions fleet off into the far distance.
Ideally,
You get to land in a posture that allows a simple sort of relief from tension,
Maybe an un-fro-ing of the eyebrow,
An un-clenching of the jaw,
A peeling of your shoulders down and back,
Away from your earlobes,
A releasing of your grip from your fingers and your toes.
It may even help to physically shake out through your fingers or toes,
Or find a full body tense with an inhale and a release with the exhale.
Give yourself permission to take whatever allows you to fully arrive.
And then once you've found this welcoming sense of ease in your body,
I'd encourage you to shadow down your eyes or to steady your gaze.
Take a deep inhale in and a long exhale,
Let it go,
Over settling into your natural breath.
The natural inhale,
The natural exhale.
In your next natural breaths,
Can you begin to notice only the inhale?
Can you feel where your breath enters your body?
Maybe the weight of it being felt through one specific nostril,
Or the temperature as it filters through the small hair follicles that have set up a careful watch guard at the entrance of your nare,
Protecting your body from intruders.
What else does this breath carry with it?
Maybe a sense of safety or nurturing as it envelopes your body.
A feeling of peace,
Of hope,
Of refuge.
Maybe a spark that jump starts your spirit.
Take a moment longer to notice only how your breath enters and what it intentionally brings with.
How can you notice how and where this breath travels your body?
Does it sit heavy in the back of your throat?
Does it land somewhere in your chest?
Does it free flow to your belly?
Maybe you feel this breath as it expands outward,
Curving into your back,
Demanding the free space between your ribs and requiring the work of some of your largest breathing muscles.
Realizing non-judgment,
Can you notice where this breath travels?
Know that there is no extra credit or gold star for your breath looking or feeling a certain way,
And there is no need to force or to fix how you find it right now.
How your breath travels offers its richness and vitality to only you,
And where your breath takes you,
It takes nobody else.
Rest assured,
It is your most unique,
Precious,
And intimate way of being.
Where is this breath taking you now?
Take a moment longer to travel with it.
How can you notice this breath as it leaves?
Is it the same or opposite nostril that takes this work?
Is the temperature the same or different as when it first entered?
Is it light,
Heavy,
Or resistant as it says its goodbyes and continues on its journey?
Aside from the waste of carbon dioxide,
What other toxic build-up does this breath carry on its back,
Removing from your existence?
Maybe unruly expectations,
Self-resentment,
Or self-sacrifice,
Hateful thoughts,
Or deep grief?
What else does this breath take with it as it leaves?
Take a moment longer to notice the noble exiting of this breath.
Take a deep inhale in,
Filling all the way up.
Take a long exhale out,
Letting it all go.
Taking a few final breaths,
Extend to yourself gratitude.
It's easy to fear that in stillness we're not doing enough work,
That steadiness is symmetric to that of stagnance.
But as we travel with ourselves one breath at a time,
We realize that even when we're not beating ourselves to the brim in duties and obligations,
Our body is still picking up over time and doing miracle work.
It is here in these moments of rest that you get to truly honor this breath.
You get to give this breath the time,
The energy,
And the space that it begs for to restore your mind,
Your body,
And your spirit.
So befriend this breath of yours and don't forget to befriend yourself.
You are so loved,
You matter,
And this world would not be the same without you here.
Be well,
Dear friend.
