Welcome to our awareness of breath practice.
Allowing a time and space where we won't be disturbed.
Finding a position of support and comfort where we can feel awake and alert.
This practice is not one of striving but of awareness of the presence of our breath in our body.
Noticing the inflow and outflow of our breath.
Making any last-minute adjustments to our body.
Resting our hands on our knees,
Our thighs,
Or maybe our lap.
Softening in the jaw,
The shoulders,
The chest,
The belly,
The hips,
The legs,
And the feet.
Allowing this moment to just be.
Finding awareness of the breath and where the feeling is most prominent or where we choose.
Focusing attention maybe on the nose.
Feeling the coolness on the in-breath and the heat on the out-breath.
Noticing the breath in the chest,
The rise on the in-breath,
And the fall on the out-breath.
And this is not a practice again where we are trying to get anywhere or control.
Simply allowing ourselves to notice our breath and maybe the mind will start to gain attention from sounds in the room or outside the room or think about future plans or past rememberings.
That is okay.
Smiling and thanking ourselves for the awareness and bringing ourselves back to the breath.
Allowing the next breath to be inhaled in a softening belly.
This breath and now this breath.
Feeling the awareness that the breath is always there for us.
No need to strive or control the rhythm.
Softening in the body as we recognize and find awareness in the in-breath and the out-breath.
And if the mind wanders,
Acknowledging that,
Not labeling or judging.
Finding our way back to the present moment of the breath and maybe as we are noticing this breath we say to ourselves,
I am aware of my in- breath.
I am aware of my out-breath.
In-breath,
Relaxing into the physical stillness as we are feeling if and when the mind wanders.
Noticing and coming back.
In-breath,
Out-breath.
And as we come to the end of this practice,
Thanking ourselves for the awareness of our mind,
The thoughts,
Sensations in the body,
And awareness of our breath.
Coming back into the space where we are seated,
Wiggling the fingers and the toes.
And when you're ready,
Slowly blinking your eyes open.
Thank you.
Namaste.
