This is a five-minute breathing space practice that you can use anytime,
Anywhere,
To regain a sense of calmness,
Clarity,
And confidence.
To begin,
Become physically still,
Wherever you are,
Either lying,
Sitting,
Or standing.
Be still.
Choose a posture where you will be as comfortable as possible,
And where your breath,
And your blood,
And your energy can flow with ease,
Unhindered.
And gently close your eyes.
Bring your awareness to whatever is going on for you right now,
Whatever it is.
Gently rest your awareness on whatever is going on for you.
Give the weight of your body up to gravity.
Allow your weight to sink into the points of contact between your body and the floor,
The chair,
The cushion,
Or the bed.
Release the weight of your body.
What sensations are there right now?
Scanning your body,
If you notice any tension,
Or resistance towards painful or unpleasant sensations,
Gently turn towards them now.
You're practicing acceptance.
Accept what is right now,
As best as you can.
And if you feel yourself beginning to feel tension around the breath,
Then intentionally let go a little bit more with each exhalation.
Soften into gravity.
Notice any thoughts as they arise and pass through the mind.
See if you're willing to let them come and go without being identified with them,
Without connecting to their content.
Simply observe them as if they were clouds in the sky of your mind.
Gently notice any feelings or emotions as they may arise.
Are you willing to let them come and go?
Include everything within your awareness,
Whatever that is.
Include it all with a gentle,
Kind perception.
And now allow your awareness to gather around the experience of the breath,
Breathing deep in the body.
Drop your awareness inside the breath,
And feel the different sensations in the front,
The back,
And the sides of your torso.
Can you feel your awareness within the flow and the movement of the breath?
And now use the breath to anchor your awareness in the present.
Breathing in the body,
Noticing each inhalation and exhalation again and again.
And each time you notice your mind has wandered,
Gently,
Lovingly guide the mind back to the breath deep within the body.
And now gently expand your awareness to include the whole body,
The physical body.
Feel its weight and shape as it sits,
Stands,
Or lies.
If you've got any pain or discomfort,
Make sure that your awareness stays open.
You're cultivating acceptance and acknowledgement for all of your experience,
The whole of it.
Befriend it.
Use the breath to anchor your awareness in the present.
Breathing in the body,
Noticing each inhalation and exhalation again and again.
