This is an introduction to basic mindfulness meditation to train yourself to meditate anytime,
Anywhere.
You have set aside this time to be present with yourself.
Everything else in your life can be put aside and you can pick it up later.
This time is for you to be with yourself for yourself.
You have nowhere else to be and nothing else to do other than to be present in this place and this time.
Take three slow deep breaths and on every exhale try to let go of any tension you may notice in your body.
You may notice tension in your jaw,
Your neck,
Your shoulders,
Your back or other places in your body.
Release whatever tension you become aware of with each out breath and relax into this moment.
Try to be present wherever you are.
Feel the surface you're sitting on beneath you,
Supporting you.
Feel the pressure points where your body makes contact with the surface.
Notice the feeling of any clothing making contact with your skin.
Observe if you can feel the air in the room brushing against your skin.
Now I invite you to move your attention to your nose and the air moving in and out of your nostrils.
If you need to breathe through your mouth,
Notice the rising and falling of your chest and belly.
Notice what it feels like to breathe in.
Notice what it takes for your body to breathe in.
See how the lungs fill with air.
Observe the muscles and ribs which move on each breath.
Notice how your body releases on each out breath.
See the muscles relaxing and letting go.
Now focus on the breath itself.
See if you can feel the air inside your body.
Where does it make contact as it enters and leaves your body?
You may notice it in the back of your throat.
You may notice it on the mucous membranes in the back of your nose.
You may feel it brush against the tiny hairs inside your nostrils.
Or on the rims of your nostrils.
You may even feel it on your upper lip.
Just observe any sensations you can detect of the air moving in and moving out.
It may be challenging to focus your attention.
If so,
Be patient with yourself.
And keep bringing your attention back to the center of your focus on the air.
And where you feel it entering and leaving your body.
No matter where your attention may wander,
Gently and lovingly bring your attention back to the act of breathing.
Be patient and kind with yourself.
Put aside the urge to be critical.
And just focus on the act of breathing over and over again.
Let go of any urge to control the breath.
You are just observing the act of breathing and being present with whatever happens.
You may notice one breath may be shorter or longer than another.
You may notice if the breaths are smooth or ragged.
See if you can sense the beginning,
The middle,
And the end of a breath.
Do you see that moment in time where there is a gap between one breath and the next?
A moment when you are not breathing at all.
You may even say to yourself,
Isn't that interesting?
You may hear sounds around you trying to capture your attention.
Just label them sounds and let them fade into the background.
You may notice thoughts trying to pull your attention away.
Just label them thoughts or thinking and let them float away like clouds in the sky.
If you feel a body sensation like an itch,
A twitch,
Any pain or discomfort,
Tell yourself it's only a sensation and return your attention lovingly back to the breath.
To help yourself refocus,
You might say to yourself,
In breath,
When you are breathing in and out breath,
When you are breathing out.
All you want to do right now is observe yourself breathing in and breathing out.
One breath at a time.
Nothing else is important other than to observe this simple act of breathing.
Something you do every day and never notice.
This is a time of observation.
If you notice thoughts trying to take your attention away,
Just acknowledge their presence and turn your attention back to the breath.
Release any urge to suppress or resist the thoughts.
Simply accept their existence and refocus your attention back to the breath over and over again.
Merely breathing in and breathing out.
This time and place,
Nothing else matters.
I will pause here for a few minutes as you practice focusing on the breath.
And at the end of the meditation,
I will sound a chime three times ending the meditation.
See if you can notice if the first chime rings on the in breath or the out breath.
Release any urge to suppress or resist the thoughts.
.
.
.
.
