Week 2,
Grounding oneself through conscious breathing.
When you're ready,
Assume a comfortable sitting posture.
Keep the spine straight and let your shoulders drop.
You may now close your eyes if it feels comfortable or you may want to keep it open if it helps staying awake.
But choose what is most convenient to you.
Now you may gently bring your attention to your belly.
Feeling it rise or expand gently on the in-breath and fall on the out-breath.
You may keep the focus on your breathing.
Starting with each in-breath for its full duration.
And with each out-breath for its full duration.
As if you are riding the waves of your own breathing.
Every time you notice that your mind has wandered away of the breath.
Notice what it was that took you away.
And then gently bring your attention back to your belly.
And the feeling of the breath coming in and out.
If your mind wanders away from your breath a thousand times,
Then your job is simply to bring it back to the breath every time.
No matter what preoccupies it.
Breathing in.
Become aware that you are breathing in.
Breathing out.
Become aware that you are breathing out.
And take your time to breathe.
Notice if there is a tendency to breathe quick.
So purposefully breathe in.
Taking your time.
And as you breathe in and out.
Relax your body.
Relax your mind.
Feel as if you are riding on the waves of your own breathing.
As you breathe in and out.
Feel your abdomen rising and falling.
Rising and falling.
And simply be in touch with that.
Be aware of your abdomen.
Rising and falling.
Rising and falling.
As you breathe in,
Take your time to breathe in completely.
And when you breathe out,
Take your time to breathe out completely and fully.
So you are not rushing in any way.
Just taking your time to experience the breath completely and fully.
As if you are being alive.
Taste the breath.
Feel the breath.
Sense the breath.
Enjoy the breath as it is.
And feel the miracle of breathing.
Feel grateful that the breath is keeping you alive.
And because of the breath that your body is working well and surviving,
It's keeping you alive.
So feel grateful.
Feel happy.
Now let go of all the effort to practice mindfulness.
Get a sense of your whole body.
Feel yourself as complete,
Just as you are,
At peace,
Just as you are.
And remember this sense of being is always available to you whenever you need to rest in this stillness.
Acknowledge the time that you have taken to nourish your body and mind.
You've done really well.
Well done you.
So now,
When you are ready,
Come up from this meditation gently,
Being aware of the transition into whatever next that you need to do.
And endeavor to bring this mindful awareness to whatever activity you engage in next.
