Welcome.
This meditation practice is called affectionate breathing.
Please find yourself a comfortable posture.
A posture that will be supportive and hold you whether you are seated or lying down.
And then let your eyes gently soften all the way or partially.
Let's start by taking a few deep breaths.
Breathing away any unnecessary tension.
With each breath in,
Filling your belly and your lungs with fresh air.
With each breath out,
Giving yourself permission to release some of the tensions of the day.
With each breath,
Also allowing your body to soften a little further.
Softening the body,
Softening the mind and the emotions.
Releasing a little further with each breath.
Letting your eyes close all the way or softening your gaze into one particular spot.
If it feels right,
Putting a hand on the heart,
The belly,
Or another region of the body.
Letting the soothing supportive touch be a reminder of bringing affectionate awareness to your experience.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
As a reminder of this practice,
You can either leave your hand on the body or let it gently rest in your lap or to the side.
In this meditation practice,
We will be feeling the breath in our bodies.
However,
Focusing on the breath is uncomfortable for some people.
If you feel that way,
It's perfectly fine to simply return your attention to the sensation of soothing supportive touch.
Or perhaps even allowing your body to sway back and forth or side to side as you breathe.
And now,
Only if it feels right,
Please begin to notice the sensations of breathing in your body.
Feeling the sensations of your body breathing in,
Feeling the sensation of your body breathing out.
With each breath further embodying the feeling of breathing in,
The feeling of breathing out.
Perhaps even noticing how your body is gently nourished on the in-breath and relaxes with the out-breath.
Nourished on the in-breath,
Relaxed on the out-breath.
Just letting your body breathe you.
Now noticing the soothing rhythm of your breathing.
Soothing rhythm flowing in,
Soothing rhythm flowing out.
Perhaps even inclining your attention towards your breathing as you might towards a beloved pet or dear friend.
And now notice how your body is gently nourished on the out-breath,
Relaxed on the out-breath.
Noticing how your body is gently nourished on the in-breath,
Relaxes on the out-breath.
Feeling your whole body gently moving with the breath.
Gently moving like the waves of a calm ocean.
Waves gently moving in.
Waves moving gently out.
Know that at some point your mind will naturally wander like all of our minds wander.
It's absolutely okay.
When your mind wanders,
Just gently returning it to the rhythm of your breath.
The rhythm of your body breathing itself.
Feeling your whole body gently moving with the breath.
If you notice,
There's a sense of watching your breath.
See if you can gently let go and just be with your breath,
Feeling it.
Feeling your entire body breathing itself.
Allowing your whole body to be internally rocked and caressed.
Internally,
Gently rocked and caressed by your breathing.
If you'd like,
Even giving yourself over to your breathing.
Just breathing.
And now,
Gently releasing your focus on your breathing.
And simply rest your attention and awareness itself.
You are bigger than any experience.
You are the awareness that holds all experience.
Simply being aware of being aware.
Before you open your eyes,
I'd like to share a poem.
This poem is called My Bomb and it's by Jane O'Shea.
I close my eyes and sigh.
Here I am lying in the hammock of my heart.
Moving gently with a soft air of my breath.
When I fall from my head past my words,
I'm caught lovingly by the hammock of my heart and rocked to its rhythmic beat.
It is my peace,
My rest,
My quiet.
Cradled in the hammock of my heart.
It is constant.
It is safe to be held in the hammock of my heart.
No place to go.
Nothing to do.
Nobody to please.
It is my altar,
My blessing,
My bomb.
Here in the hammock of my heart.
And now when you are ready,
Slowly and gently opening your eyes.
Maybe even stretching your body if that feels right.
Thank you for this practice.
