Beginnings And Endings

This is one of a series of 5-minute meditations, all set to the same lyrical music, so they can be used as single meditations or as a collection that you flow through in whatever order feels right for you. Here we practice noticing beginnings and endings, seeing how the breath reflects the natural cycle of the seasons, and how in our lives too there are beginnings and endings that flow one to another to another - noticing it all with the utmost compassion.

Transcript

Sit comfortably in whatever position is best for you.

If you wish to lie down,

Then please do.

If you're sitting,

Settle into a supported position with your back supporting your head,

Upright but not stiff,

Shoulders and jaw relaxed.

Become aware of the movement of your breath as it comes into your body and as it leaves your body.

Not manipulating the breath in any way or trying to change it.

Simply being aware of it and of the feelings associated with breathing.

Notice wherever it is you notice your breath.

It may be you sense the air on your nostrils,

Cool as you breathe in,

Warm as you breathe out.

You may feel it deep down in your belly.

Feeling the abdomen as it expands gently on the in-breath.

And as it falls back towards your spine on the out-breath.

Or you may feel the expansion of your chest as your breath rises and falls.

Wherever you feel it is okay.

Just be totally here in each moment with each breath.

Giving full care and attention to each in-breath and each out-breath.

As they flow one after the other.

Notice how each out-breath is an ending.

Each in-breath a beginning.

And the space between is the liminal space where change happens.

Out,

Something ending.

In,

Something beginning.

The endless cycle of renewal and release.

Renewal and release.

The endless opportunity for change to happen as one breath ends.

And a new breath begins.

In this microcosm of change we see the cycles of the natural world.

The season,

Flow from one to another.

Just as our breath flows from one to another.

Never changing,

Always new.

Breathing,

Soft,

Slow,

Deep.

Just breathing,

One breath after another,

After another.

Accepting each one as it arrives.

Releasing each one as it leaves.

Enjoying the space between.

Reviews

That was very insightful, Hilary. Beginnings and endings, as natural as breathing
Thank you for that perspective

Lovely!! I loved the pause..everything. Thank you. 🙏🏾

I enjoyed the space inbetween, the soothing voice & the pretty music ❤️🙏🏻

That was so calming and grounding. I felt my mind quiet gradually. Thank you!

Peaceful, thank you! As I’m feeling this moment in time I’m stepping in so much new, it was very soothing to focus on the in breath being new and the change settling inbetween breaths. The simpleness in that. Felt again grounded in trusting how natural it is to constantly change.

Thank you for this welcome interlude in a time of profound change which will help to assimilate my new landscape of life. Namaste

For such a short meditation, it felt grounding. Thank you 🙏🏽