Begin by bringing attention to your posture,
Trying to find one in which your spine is both erect but at ease,
Sitting with dignity and in a position that supports the weakness and alertness.
Setting the intention to spend the next several minutes focusing our attention on the breath as a way to practice being present in the moment that is here now.
Closing your eyes or keeping them open,
Softening your gaze and directing it at the floor a few feet in front of you if that is more comfortable.
Begin now by taking a few deliberate deep breaths in and out in order to focus our attention on the sensation of the breath,
Following the full in-breath and out-breath.
And now relaxing into a natural and gentle breathing rhythm and bringing our attention to the area where you feel the breath most strongly in this moment.
Perhaps noticing at the tip of the nose or the mouth as the breath enters,
The back of the throat,
Noticing the chest as it expands and contracts,
Or following the rise and the fall of the belly.
Resting your attention wherever you feel the physical sensation of the breath most strongly in this moment and noticing how the sensations change,
Breathing in and out and following the full cycle of the breath before beginning again.
Noticing as the mind wanders and gently but firmly bringing the attention back to the breath without judgment or story,
Always able to begin again with the next breath.
And now relaxing into a natural and gentle breathing rhythm and following the full cycle of the breath before beginning again.
Beginning again,
Each time the mind is wandered and perhaps congratulating yourself for having noticed that the mind has wandered away from the breath,
Having caught yourself in a moment of mindfulness,
Coming back to the present moment.
And now relaxing into a natural and gentle breathing rhythm and following the full cycle of the breath before beginning again.
Noticing thoughts when they appear and when the mind wanders into story,
Perhaps noting thinking is here,
Stories are here and then bringing the attention back to the breath.
And now relaxing into a natural and gentle breathing rhythm and following the full cycle of the breath before beginning again.
The breath is always present as our anchor to the present moment,
Always able to begin again with the next breath.
And resting our attention on the physical sensation of the breath because sensations can only be experienced in the present moment.
Staying here now and bringing our attention back whenever the mind is wandered,
No need for judgment or story,
Just coming back to the present moment.
And now relaxing into a natural and gentle breathing rhythm and following the full cycle of the breath before beginning again.
If restlessness appears,
Perhaps noticing restlessness is here,
Allowing its presence and then bringing the attention back to the breath.
And in these last few moments,
Expanding the awareness to include the breath and the rest of the body,
To include the room around you and opening your eyes when you're ready with the sound of the bell.
