Mindful Focus Meditation

This meditation is to help develop a greater sense of presence and focus with the self and the breath. By focusing on the breath, and each individual part of the breath, we are able to slow down, and hone in on the things that are most important to us. We become a bit more mindful about what we are doing in our lives outside of our meditation practice, and figure out where we need to prioritize our attention.

Transcript

Hi there,

My name is Joey and this is a meditation to help to improve your focus.

So we'll start by finding your favorite position,

Whether that's seated or lying down,

And see if you can make yourself just five percent more comfortable.

And perhaps letting the eyes settle closed,

And we'll take a deep breath into the belly,

Fill all the way up to the top,

Pause at the top,

And then open your mouth and sigh that out.

Let your body soften,

Your shoulders relax,

Breathe in deeply,

Pause briefly,

And let it go.

And take one more deep breath in here,

Pause,

And let it go.

Now if possible,

Seal your lips and continue to breathe in and out through your nose for the rest of this practice.

And start by becoming aware of your breath,

Of your inhales and your exhales.

Notice how your body physically changes shape as you breathe in and out.

Notice if there's anywhere on your body currently that's holding you back from relaxing completely.

Maybe it's the shoulders,

Maybe the jaw is clenched,

Maybe soften the skin on the forehead,

And notice if that has any effect on your breath,

If it slowed it down at all.

And start to take your awareness to that little space at the bottom of each exhale,

Right before it becomes an inhale.

And just notice how that space feels,

How long it lasts.

Give yourself permission to get curious about that little space.

Notice how the more you focus on it,

The bigger it might feel.

You might find yourself able to spend just a little bit more time there with each passing breath.

Then begin to count that space from 10 down to 1.

The next time that you exhale and enjoy that space,

You'll count 10.

And then 9,

Continue on all the way until you get to 1.

It doesn't matter what happens as you're inhaling or as you're exhaling.

Try to remember to bring your attention back at the bottom of each exhale,

Each time you come around.

And as you reach 1,

Just allow your focus to wander.

Allow your breath to settle back into its natural rhythm,

If you found any control over your breath.

And notice how your body feels,

And notice how your mind feels.

As you're ready,

Perhaps you start to flutter open your eyes,

Taking a moment of gratitude for this time that you've taken to sit and be with yourself.

I thank you for taking the time out of your day to share your practice with me,

And I look forward to practicing with you soon.

Take care.