Welcome to this meditation.
Allow yourself a graceful moment to get settled,
To meet yourself in this moment.
Maybe taking that extra moment to pause the meditation and go grab a blanket or anything that feels soothing in this moment.
Maybe a crystal you want to meditate with or smell.
Just allowing yourself to get comfortable.
Today we're going to be doing some gentle breath work.
Allowing the nervous system to switch into that rest and digest state.
So first coming into your position that you chose and noticing where you're finding the breath.
What is the texture of that breath?
Is it choppy or smooth?
Is there a temperature to it?
What is the sound of the breath like?
Noticing the state of your body and how you came to this meditation.
Maybe you're experiencing a lot of joyful energy or heavy energy.
Chaotic energy or grounded.
Just noticing,
Not judging.
Almost embracing the state you showed up with with an energetic hug.
Rather than rushing to change or alter how you are.
And then as we shift to contact the breath.
We're going to aim for some box breathing with a four count inhale,
Four count hold,
Four count exhale,
Four count hold.
At any point not forcing,
Just meeting yourself where you're at.
Together we'll begin inhaling for three,
Two,
One.
Holding for three,
Two,
One.
Exhaling for three,
Two,
One.
Holding for three,
Two,
One.
Gently repeating this on your own.
Inhaling for four.
Holding for four.
Exhaling for four.
Holding for four.
Letting the counting be a soothing thought to the head rather than a gripping.
Maybe imagining a wave.
The inhale,
The wave building.
The hold,
The wave curling.
Exhale,
The wave crashing.
And the hold at the bottom.
The wave pulling back out into the ocean.
Staying with this,
Doing three more rounds at your own pace.
Maybe switching to a five count feels supportive.
Maybe sticking with three feels perfect.
And as you're ready,
Gently letting the breath go.
Inhaling and exhaling naturally.
Noticing any sensations in the body.
Noticing if there's an energetic shift.
Maybe you're someone who sees in colors.
Noticing if there's a certain color in your body.
Noticing where you feel energy flowing in the body.
I like to start in extremities like the feet and the hands.
Noticing any sensation there,
Pulsing.
Noticing perhaps where there's energy stuck.
Maybe a knot.
Tension.
And then we're going to shift into a different breathing exercise.
Focuses more on the exhale.
And maybe making the intention to exhale to the places that you still notice a lot of tension or tightness.
So the practice is an inhale of four to five counts and an exhale of eight to nine counts.
Like always,
If this is too uncomfortable or too forceful,
Just honoring your body and where you're at today.
And taking a count or breath that soothes you.
Together we'll begin inhaling for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Gentle retention at the top.
And a slow exhale for eight,
Seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Beginning again.
Inhaling for four.
Gentle retention.
Exhaling for eight.
Being patient,
Noticing that as you go through the rounds,
The longer exhale gets a little bit easier.
Bringing your mind back if you wander.
And then as you continue along,
Coming back to that intention of using the exhales to release tension from those places in the body you're noticing or gripping or stuck.
The longer exhales signal to the body that we are safe.
We can truly rest.
Three more rounds at your own pace.
Honoring your body at any point,
Extending the inhales and exhales feels right.
Perhaps cutting them back.
Seeing if as you exhale,
Rather than gripping your palms or scrunching your forehead to try and get a longer count,
Seeing if you can exhale with ease in the body,
Letting the shoulders drop,
Unhinging the jaw.
Prolonging the exhales with ease rather than a grip.
And as you're ready,
Letting that go.
Coming back to the natural breath.
Checking back in with the body,
Your energy,
And the landscape of your mind.
Observing any shifts without attaching.
Maybe offering a kind gesture to yourself,
Maybe a hug or a kind affirmation,
Thanking yourself for taking the time to reconnect with your center.
I hope you have a beautiful day.
Take care.
