To start.
Take a seat and find a comfortable and relaxed posture.
Not too relaxed.
You don't want to fall asleep,
But comfortable enough so that you don't have any aches and pains during this meditation.
Your eyes can be opened or closed.
Either way is okay.
Take a few deep breaths.
As you bring attention to your body.
Now,
Let your breathing fall into its natural rhythm.
This is your time to relax.
There's nothing else you need to do.
No place else you need to be.
No decisions you need to make.
Very gently,
Focus your attention on your breathing.
May be noticing the rise and fall of the chest and abdomen,
Or the air entering and leaving the body through the nostrils.
Find one place in the body where you can feel the breath most prominently and focus your attention there.
Periodically,
The mind will wander.
You'll have other thoughts or be distracted by sounds or physical sensations.
Whenever this happens,
Forget about it.
It's normal.
It's natural.
Just bring your attention back to your breathing.
Concentrate on each breath in and out.
And out.
It's almost like you're standing on a subway platform trying to focus on your breathing.
Then the distraction train pulls up.
Do you get on?
If you do and you find yourself getting caught up in thinking as the distraction train heads uptown,
Just get off at the next stop and focus again on your breathing.
It's your job to try and stay rooted on that platform.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Where's your mind now?
Rooted on the platform and focusing on your breathing or riding that distraction train?
Feel the breath in the body.
Now,
Gently release the focus on your breathing.
If your eyes are closed,
You can open them.
Take a moment to appreciate what you just did.
Even if you are often distracted,
That's fine.
You're learning how to focus as well as learning how to be kind to yourself.
