Hi,
Let's go ahead and get started by first stopping whatever it is that you're doing right now and giving yourself permission to take a break,
To take a time out.
If anything,
I give you permission.
But it's a lot more powerful,
A lot more meaningful for you to give yourself that permission.
So as soon as you have given yourself that time and that space to sit back for a minute,
Allow the eyes to close and settle into a position of your choice,
Whether it be seated or lying down,
Any way that allows you to be alert but still relaxed.
Just settling in,
Settling down into this quiet space and bring the attention to the breath as it flows in and out.
Not manipulating it in any way,
Not changing it,
Just allowing it to come and go in whatever pace feels most natural at this time.
Focusing in on where you feel the breath the most,
Perhaps in the belly or in the chest.
For me,
It's right beneath my collarbone,
But for you it could be elsewhere and that's okay.
One of the most poignant places to feel the breath is at the tip of the nose,
Where it's fairly easy to feel the breath as it enters in,
Cooling the nostrils and gently flows out,
Warming the area around the nose.
Just being curious about how the breath is coming in and out,
Allowing it to be exactly as it is.
And every once in a while the mind will wander,
Perhaps there's a sound that catches your attention or a thought that flows through,
And that's normal,
Nothing wrong with that.
Just release it and return the attention back to the breath.
And maybe if you feel a little bored with the place where you were focusing in your body where you feel the breath the most,
Maybe try sensing it somewhere else,
Gently,
Mindfully allowing the breath to come and go.
And as you continue breathing,
Try to allow every muscle to relax with every out breath.
Feel nourishing air enter the body,
Cooling,
Refreshing and nourishing.
And upon exhaling,
Allow anything you no longer need,
Any tension,
Any stress,
To flow out along with the breath.
Breathing in nourishment and breathing out tension.
And notice what happens to the body as you breathe in this manner.
Notice it relaxing and softening little by little with every breath,
Gently inviting the mind back anytime the mind wanders off.
Now as we begin coming to the close of this practice,
If it feels nourishing,
Go ahead and place a hand on your heart.
See if you can feel the heart beating beneath the palm,
Beneath your fingers.
And say to yourself,
Thank you.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for taking this time to care for yourself.
Because that's really all this is.
It's caring for ourselves,
Taking a moment to step away from the busy day and just breathe.
Just be here with the mind,
With the body.
And slowly beginning to reorient yourself with your surroundings.
Taking note of the surface beneath,
How it holds you,
How it supports you.
The different points of contact between your body and the surface.
Maybe shifting a bit,
Noticing how with movement these points of contact change.
The pressure between the body and the surface beneath changes ever so slightly.
Just allowing movement back into the body.
Taking a big deep breath.
And beginning to once again open the eyes and welcoming yourself back to this day,
To this moment.
And here you are.
Welcome back.
