In Breath's Wisdom

I received the most wonderful note about a meditation The Wisdom of Breath, which I posted a while back. And the writer wondered if I might offer another version of this particular meditation. And so listening to some really great suggestions, I have created another meditation. I hope you find it helpful.

Transcript

Hi,

My name is Karen.

Thank you for joining me on this sit.

I hope that you're well today.

I received the most wonderful note about a meditation which I posted a while back,

And the writer wondered if I might offer another version of this particular meditation.

So if you'd like to explore the wisdom of breath,

Please take a moment to arrange your body into a comfortable position,

One which allows you to breathe freely in and out.

If you're seated,

Lengthen your spine,

Not allowing it to become rigid.

Instead,

Allow some movement.

Place your hands where it feels comfortable.

If on your lap,

Palms turning up or down.

If in a chair,

Shift slightly forward so that your back is away from the backrest of the chair,

And arrange your feet so that they are flat on the floor.

Your eyes can be opened or closed,

And if closing your eyes doesn't feel available today,

Soften your gaze and turn it slightly downward.

Before we begin,

Let's check in to see how it is that you've arrived today.

Become aware of any thoughts.

Not searching for thoughts,

But instead letting the thoughts move through you.

Notice the nature of the thoughts.

Thoughts are neither good nor bad,

Really.

Individual thoughts can be a distraction to our ability to be present in the moment.

And so,

As you become aware of individual stories,

Let them go.

Not continuing the story,

Not validating or embellishing it.

Instead,

Allowing each thought to pass,

Like a leaf floating downstream.

Let the stream take it where it's meant to go.

Now become aware of any emotions.

Emotions are the traveling companions to our thoughts.

And like our thoughts,

They're not really good or bad.

But emotions make thoughts personal.

At best,

Our thoughts are a version or a limited perspective of reality.

When you notice an emotion bubbling up in you,

Acknowledge its presence.

Notice where you feel it,

And then let it go,

Like a leaf floating downstream.

And now,

Scanning your body,

Check in and see if there are any places in your body that feel uncomfortable or painful.

If you find something there,

You don't need to explain it or apologize for its presence.

It's simply there.

And so we begin from where we are,

Without expectation of ease,

No promise of good or bad outcome.

But we allow ourselves to rest in this place,

Just as we are.

Let's take a deep breath in,

Breathing in deeply through your nose,

And exhaling slowly,

Opening your mouth,

Let the breath tumble out.

And now allow your breath to find its natural cadence,

Its rhythm,

Not trying to alter the breath.

Instead,

Become the breath itself.

The observer of your breath as it comes and goes.

Breathing in and breathing out.

Where do you feel your breath in a physical sense?

Where do you feel it most vividly?

This could be in the chest,

The nostrils,

The belly.

Let your attention rest lightly there with your breath.

Begin to draw your focus of the breath upward in the body.

If you're already resting at the nostril,

Just stay there.

If you're in the belly or the chest,

Shift your attention upward with the breath to study it at the nose.

At the tip of the nose,

The breath moves in and out,

Following its own natural rhythm.

The breath moves.

You're not controlling it.

Notice the changes in your breath.

Some breaths in are so deep,

So powerful,

And others so quiet and shallow.

The breath changes.

The body knows exactly when to breathe and how to breathe.

If you find yourself trying to control your breath,

Simply note that you're trying to control it.

And then,

Allow yourself to simply release it.

Release that desire to control the breath.

Become the observer of the breath,

The witness.

When we sleep,

We are not in control of our breath.

Our body knows when to breathe.

The breath will move both in and out and change constantly.

When we let go of the reins,

The control of our breath,

We are creating a relationship.

We begin to understand the nature of the human body,

Each breath changing,

Filling the needs of the body,

The body breathing in exactly as much as it needs and letting go all of that breath.

There is a moment when the body will feel completely satisfied,

Satiated,

Full with breath.

Even with the most shallow breath,

It will be enough.

Notice the transitions within the breath cycle,

Between the in-breath and the out-breath,

And then the transition between the out-breath and the next in-breath.

At the height of the breath cycle,

The transition between the in-breath and out is very brief,

Then notice after this transition,

So brief,

So seamless.

As you exhale,

Breath exiting the body,

And then a moment when there is no breath at all.

There is no anxiousness for the next breath.

We trust the body.

The body will breathe in again when it needs to,

Learning to trust the wisdom.

You might notice that there are some breaths that are pleasing to the body,

More satisfying.

Simply notice those breaths without trying to recreate it,

Without trying to pursue it,

Just notice.

Where is the place of calm within the breath cycle?

A sense of stillness.

Can you sense the moment when the body says,

Yes,

It is time to breathe in?

Where is the greatest expansion or draw of energy?

Simply observing,

Allowing the breath to pass.

Let the moment pass,

Remaining the observer.

What is observed is released,

And the mind is allowed to rest in equanimity,

An equanimous mind.

Upekkha We can remind ourselves through the observation of breath that a thought can come,

And we can choose to let it go.

As emotions come,

We can release them,

Just as you release the breath,

Just as you allow the stream to take the leaf on its journey.

We can only exist in this present moment,

And as the breath leaves,

The moment passes,

And we make space for the new moment.

Sit a few moments longer here,

Noticing your breath,

And the stillness of your mind,

As you allow yourself to be the observer of your breath.

When you're ready,

Gently open your eyes.

May you be well.

May you be safe and free as is the right of all beings,

With so much love.

Namaste

Reviews

Amazingly, it took me half a year to discover this meditation, even though I check daily for new releases from my favorite teachers — and Karen Roy, whom I listen to frequently, is definitely one of them.

Karen herself says this is, in a way, a revised version of Connecting to the Wisdom of Breath, and naturally, the two meditations are closely related in theme. While I can’t help but compare the two, I don’t see this “Version 2.0” as a replacement for the first one — both definitely have their own value. (For everything I’ve shared from my personal perspective about the original Connecting to the Wisdom of Breath, please see my review of that meditation.)

What I especially appreciate about this new version is the overall calmer pacing of Karen’s voice and the complete absence of background sounds, which helps me focus fully on the matter at hand. The topic itself is essential, as nothing is more directly connected to life than the breath. With a lifelong history of breath-related challenges, I am deeply aware of how something so simple and fundamental can also be fraught with great difficulty.

This guided meditation gently brings awareness to some key issues that can hinder a free flow of breath — challenges that are surely common for many. Alongside this, Karen offers subtle, compassionate guidance on how we might begin to overcome these difficulties. I especially love the beautiful image of a leaf falling into a stream and being carried along with the current. Key words like control and trust have touched me deeply, moving me to tears more than once while listening.

Thank you, Karen, from the bottom of my heart, for this new offering, shared with such loving kindness.