Mindfulness of Breathing

This practice is about beginning to feel the subtle movements of the breath in the body vs thinking about it. It's about coming into relationship with the breath in the body and experiencing the whole body breathing. It's about connecting to life itself as it unfolds moment by moment.

Transcript

Mindfulness of breathing. This practice is about coming into relationship with the breath in the body, The breathing body. Connecting to the breathing body, To life itself as it unfolds moment by moment. Beginning now by taking a moment to settle into our meditation posture. What helps us settle into the body, Into this moment? Do we need to sit or lie down to be fully present, Awake and alive? Sensing into the posture that feels most helpful right now, So we can bring all of us to this practice. Taking another moment now to arrive a little more in the body. Sensing the contact points of the body with the ground and the earth beneath. Feeling the sitting bones in contact with the chair. The hands resting inside each other in the lap or on the thighs. The upper body is poised, The spine is lengthening naturally and only as much as it feels right. So that the shoulders can drop down into the hands and the heart can gently open and lift. The head is poised on top of the shoulders. If there's tension in the jaws, We may want to move the jaws gently from side to side, Releasing any tension. Having the eyes closed or open. Sensing for what feels right. If you prefer to have your eyes open, That's fine. You can lower and soften your gaze, Perhaps find a spot in front of you to rest your eyes on. It helps focus and calm the mind. Really tuning into this posture. What do you notice? What does it feel like to inhabit this posture? Being here now in connection with the body. As much as this is possible for you in this moment. The earth beneath, The sky above. The sounds, The space, The world around us. Taking the awareness now deep inside the body. Taking the awareness now deep inside the breath. Noticing where you most feel the breath in the body. If focusing on the breath feels activating for you, You can notice that with kindness and care. You can choose another body part to focus your attention on. The hands or feet. Or the sitting bones. Or you may want to gently place your hands on the belly to the left and right of the navel to help you connect to the breath. This can help us to gently come into connection, Into relationship with the breath. Feeling the subtle movements of the breath in the palms of the hands. What does it feel like? What do you notice? Sensing the sensations of the breath in the body. Noticing the air flowing in and flowing out. What does the breath feel like? Is it warm, Smooth, Soft? Don't know? Can we get interested in the breath? The breath is already here. We don't have to do anything to make it happen. We don't have to change anything. Simply allowing the breath to breathe itself. Westing back with kindly awareness of the gentlerism of the breath in the body. If the mind has wandered off, We can notice it and slowly guide the attention back to the breath in the body. Where do you feel the breath? And where do you feel the breath now? And if the mind feels unsettled, Busy, Distracted, It's helpful to extend the out-breath a little. Breathing out long, All the way through, Dropping down into the body. Breathing out long. Each out-breath is a letting go. Finding ease and release on the out-breath. Softening the body a little more with each out-breath. Keeping the attention on the breath and the chest, Ribcage or lower down in the belly. Coming back again and again to the breath in the body. Staying with the breath. Breathing in, Breathing out. And now very gently broadening the awareness to include the whole body breathing, The subtle movement of the breath in the body, The front of the body, The back, The sides. Noticing the subtle movement of the breath in the shoulders and how the shoulders are moving up and down ever so slightly with each in and out-breath. Where else can you notice the breath in the body? What is it like to sit in awareness of the breathing body? This body that is alive. Breathing in, Breathing out, Moment by moment. And now releasing the effort we have been making. Noticing the effect of this practice in your body, Feelings in the mind. What do you notice? And now gently bringing this practice to a close in whatever way works for you. . .