Welcome.
Find a place to settle,
Somewhere you can be still and won't be disturbed.
You can sit in a chair,
Sit on the floor,
Or lie down.
Whatever lets you feel comfortable and reasonably awake.
If it feels okay,
Let your eyes close.
If you would rather keep them open,
Lower your gaze and let it rest softly on the floor in front of you.
There is nothing you need to make happen here.
Nowhere else you need to be.
This is your time.
Let's begin with three slow breaths.
Breathe in through your nose.
And let it go slowly out through your mouth.
Again,
Breathe in.
In and out.
Let your shoulders drop.
And one more in.
And a long,
Slow breath out.
Now let your breathing go back to its own rhythm.
You do not need to control it.
Just let it breathe itself.
Bring your attention to the places where your body is supported.
Notice the points of contact.
Your feet on the floor.
The weight of your body in the chair.
Were against the ground.
Your hands resting.
Wherever they are.
Feel how the ground is holding you up.
You do not have to hold yourself.
You can let the floor.
The chair,
The earth underneath,
Take your weight.
Let your body be heavy,
Soft,
Settled.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Not changing it,
Just noticing it.
Find the place where you feel it most clearly.
Maybe it is the cool air in your nostrils.
Maybe this light rise and fall of your chest.
Or the gentle expanding of your belly.
Pick one of those places.
And let your attention rest there.
This is your anchor.
Feel the whole of each breath,
The start of the in-breath.
The middle,
The end.
And the small pause before the out-breath begins.
There's no perfect way to do this.
You're just feeling one breath and then the next.
At some point,
And this happens to everyone,
You will notice your mind has wandered off.
A thought,
A memory.
Plan a sound.
And suddenly you're somewhere else and the breath is forgotten.
This is completely normal.
It's not a mistake.
It's not a sign you're bad at this.
The noticing is the practice.
When you realize you've drifted,
There's no need to judge it.
Just notice where the mind went.
And kindly bring your attention back to the breath.
Back to the anchor.
Back to this breath right now.
You might do this once.
You might do it 50 times.
Each time you come back.
Is one repetition.
That is how the practice works.
Let's stay with the breath together now.
I will be quiet.
If your mind wanders,
Just come back.
If you have drifted off,
This is your invitation to return.
Back to the breath.
Now let your attention widen.
Let go of the single point of breath.
And become aware of your whole body sitting here.
The shape of your body in the room.
The air on your skin.
Notice any sounds around you,
Near or far.
You don't need to chase them or name them.
Just let them come and go.
Sit here breathing.
Aware.
Nothing to fix.
Before we finish.
Take a moment to notice that you showed up for this.
You made this space for yourself and that matters.
If it feels right,
You might carry one small thing with you into the rest of your day.
A little more patience,
A slower breath when things start to speed up.
Now begin to bring your attention back to the room.
Notice the sounds again.
The surface underneath you.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Let a little movement come back into the body.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Take this calm with you.
You can come back to your breath anytime you like,
Today or any other day.
It is always there.
Thank you for practicing and take care of yourself.
