This is a short meditation that you can use at any time.
Try it first thing in the morning to set the tone for your day,
As a transition between work calls or tasks,
Or as an late afternoon reset to decompress.
Let's begin by coming into a comfortable position with a supported posture,
Arms and hands resting comfortably in your lap.
Your eyes can be closed or softly gazing down.
Give yourself a moment to come into this space,
This transitional moment between activity and meditation.
Notice the movement of the mind and any thoughts that you're still processing.
Without judgment,
Get a sense of how you're feeling today,
Physically,
Mentally,
Emotionally.
Begin by taking a long,
Slow,
Deep breath through your nose,
Directing the inhale into your lower belly,
Then slowly exhaling also through your nose.
Repeat that long,
Slow,
Deep breath two more times,
Noticing the sensation of the breath and the filling and emptying of your lower belly.
After that last breath,
You can allow your breathing to return to its natural rhythm.
While breathing naturally,
You can rest your attention on the sensation of the breath,
Or if you prefer,
You can mentally label the breath in on the inhale and out on the exhale.
In out.
There's no need to control the breath.
And remember,
The goal is not to empty your mind.
The intention is to train your awareness to notice when your mind wanders and to choose to return your attention to the breath.
Continue on your own.
I'll keep time.
We'll be focusing on our breath for about 30 more seconds.
You can release your attention to the breath and take a moment to notice how you feel.
Does your mind feel more settled?
Did it feel hard or easy?
Be careful about judging the experience as good or bad,
Whether you were able to maintain your awareness on the breath or if you had to refocus a lot today.
Each time will be different and like any other skill,
It gets easier with practice.
When you're ready,
You can begin to shift in your seat,
Transitioning back into the rest of your day,
Maybe giving yourself a gentle stretch.
Imagine when it feels right,
Opening your eyes,
Getting ready to move forward,
Being you mindfully.
