Hi.
This mindfulness practice is your breathing anchor practice,
A meditation where you root
your awareness into the present moment like an anchor that roots a ship to one place.
This practice may help you to dissolve anxiety,
Decrease stress,
And allow the body and mind to experience peace and relaxation.
Let's begin by getting into a comfortable position.
It's often best to be sitting,
But you can do this meditation in any posture,
Standing,
Lying down,
Sitting,
Or even walking.
Become more relaxed with your spine following its natural curves.
See if you can establish a position that feels dignified,
Alert,
And yet relaxed.
Next,
Allow your body to settle,
To rest down into gravity,
Letting it be supported by the floor beneath you.
Now gently close your eyes if that's comfortable.
Gradually allow your awareness to gather around the sensations of the breath in your body.
Where do you feel the breath most strongly?
Be curious about this experience,
Letting go of what you think should be happening
and being with your experience without judgment.
Now very gently rest your awareness within your upper torso.
Can you feel your belly swelling on the in-breath and subsiding on the out-breath?
Drop down into your body a little more deeply with a sense of kind curiosity
towards whatever you're experiencing as you breathe.
Become accepting of whatever's happening,
Holding your experience with gentle awareness as it is.
Allow your awareness to rest on the natural movement of the breath in the body.
Allow the breath to be saturated with kindness as it rocks into your body.
Letting go of any thoughts and emotions you might have.
See if you can look at your thoughts and emotions rather than from them.
Anchor your awareness back into your breath.
Use the awareness of the in-breath to allow your body to settle into its natural state of being.
See the in- and out-breath in your body as an anchor for the mind over and over again.
As thoughts arise,
Know that they are not facts even though we often think they are.
As you develop perspective on your thoughts and emotions,
Can you let go of being so caught up in them?
Notice how they're continually changing from one moment to the next,
Exactly the same way your breath is always changing.
Your thoughts and emotions are not as fixed as you might think.
They do flow and dissipate when noticed.
And always come back to your breath.
Follow the breath all the way in and all the way out.
In,
Out,
In,
Out.
Each time your awareness wanders,
As it will,
Simply note this
and return to the breathing anchor time after time,
Moment by moment.
Try to be kind and patient with yourself,
Even if you have to start again,
Which is normal.
Starting over and coming back is perfectly okay.
This is what the training is all about.
Remember that each time you notice you've wandered is a magical moment of awareness,
A moment where you've woken up from a distraction,
A moment of choice.
Know that when you catch yourself having wandered off,
You're succeeding in the practice,
Just as you're succeeding when you manage to stay with the breath,
Even if just for a moment.
Let's practice this further now.
Did your mind wander?
What were you thinking?
Just note this without latching on and guide your awareness back to the sensation
of the breath in the body,
Over and over again.
Now gently begin to bring the breathing anchor practice to a close.
You may wiggle your fingers and toes,
Become a little bit more relaxed.
Bring the breathing anchor practice to a close.
You may wiggle your fingers and toes,
Become aware of the sounds around you,
Inside and outside the room.
Feel your whole body and gradually,
Gently begin to move,
Opening your eyes slowly and in your own
time.
Being sure to try and make a smooth transition from this breathing anchor practice
into the rest of your day.
