Day 9 - Feel Rest In Exhale - UM 30-Day Challenge

This short meditation with lots of guidance is part of a 30-day Unified Mindfulness challenge I offered at CarMax, and am now happy to share it with the Insight Timer community. The 30 sessions are designed to be done in order, however, you can jump around if you wish, just keep in mind I may refer to a previous recording. There's a short introduction followed by a 5-minute practice.
This session explores feeling restful body sensations associated with the out-breath.

Transcript

Today we're going to do the feel rest technique again, But we'll work specifically with the restfulness of the exhale of the breath. So this is a variation of a breath meditation. We'll be emphasizing the sensations of breathing out that are restful. So every time you breathe out, Notice what feels relaxing and restful about it. You may even let out a sigh as you exhale to really exaggerate the relaxation. And just get really curious about what that feels like. Explore those body sensations and really soak your attention into them. Let's begin. Take a moment to stretch up and settle in. Come into a posture that is both relaxed and alert. Release whatever tension you're able to. Come to an awareness of your breathing. Tune into the feeling of relaxation that comes as you breathe out. You may also notice a brief pause after the out breath and before the next in breath, During which time the parts of the body associated with breathing become totally still. Tune into that stillness and restfulness. When you feel it, You can label it rest and soak your full attention into it. You can also choose not to label and simply to notice and focus fully on it. You can stay with whatever restfulness you notice in the body as you breathe in, But notice especially the restful sensations that come when you exhale, Particularly at the end of the exhalation. With each breath out, Let your experience of rest deepen and spread through the body. How does this feel to just let go, Release, And sink into it? If you notice discomfort, Do your best to have equanimity with it. Sometimes when we rest, Discomfort can actually spread. This might be upsetting at first, But it's just because you're letting go of the tension and the resistance to it. Just keep bringing your attention back to the rest, Even if it's subtle. Bring clarity to your experience. What parts of the body are most restful? Are there some that are holding tension still? Is that tension necessary to maintain your posture or unnecessary and could be let go? As we prepare to conclude our five-minute session, Notice how you feel. Continue on your own for as long as you like or end here. When you end, See if you can maintain some contact with rest as you do.