Take a minute to find a comfortable position.
You can sit or you can lie down.
And if you're sitting.
See if you can find a spine that is loosely straight.
Upright but not rigid.
A posture that gives the breath a little room to move.
And if that means lying down today,
That's completely fine.
The invitation is simply to find a position where you can breathe freely.
And whenever you're ready,
Allow your eyes to close fully or partially,
Simply softening your gaze.
Arms at the side and if you're sitting you can just set them on your legs just having that space where you can breathe.
And before we change anything about the breath just really noticing that you're already breathing.
That we're not really here to make anything else happen,
But more of noticing the body and the breath.
So for a few moments just arriving here Breathing in.
.
.
Breathing out.
And now noticing where you feel the breath most clearly.
Maybe it's at the nostrils,
Maybe in the chest.
Maybe the lower down in the abdomen,
Just noticing this.
There is no right place to feel it.
And now,
Only if it feels comfortable.
We're going to gently invite the breath to become a little slower and fuller.
Just a little more space for the breath.
I invite you to place one hand on your belly if you'd like and as you breathe in,
Allow the belly to gently expand.
And as you breathe out.
Let it soften back toward you.
Inhale.
Let the belly receive the breath.
Exhale letting the body soften.
Again and again.
That slow,
Easy inhale.
And a long comfortable exhale.
And one more time,
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
Now we will begin a simple rhythm.
You can breathe in gently for about 4 counts and breathe out for about 6.
There is no need to count perfectly.
Just let the rhythm be a guide rather than a rule.
And if 6 feels too long,
Let your exhale be shorter.
Your breathing should remain comfortable.
Let's begin.
Inhale 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 5 6 Again inhale 2 3 4,
Exhale 2 3 4 5 6.
Inhale 2 3 4 Exhale 2 3 4 5 6 And you can do this on your own.
For a minute or so.
Just inhaling and exhaling,
Making the exhale a little bit longer than the inhale.
And now letting go of the counting.
And letting the breath find its own rhythm.
Noticing.
If there has been any changes,
Perhaps the body feels a little quieter,
Perhaps the mind feels a little less busy.
Or perhaps you don't notice much at all and that's also perfectly okay.
You're not really trying to produce a particular state.
Or just simply practicing being here.
Feel the breath moving through the body.
Feeling that gentle expansion.
And gentle release.
Almost like a wave.
Coming in.
And going out.
Still continuing breathing,
Maybe noticing how the out-breath naturally gives you an opportunity to soften the jaw,
The shoulders,
The belly,
The hands and maybe we're just here to allow for all that Just breathing,
Just noticing.
And if your mind has wandered and maybe you lost count of the breath,
That is perfectly okay.
That is all part of it.
Maybe you've just been thinking about something that happened earlier.
The invitation is to just go back to the counting or go back to the breath.
Remember the moment you notice,
You're already back and that's mindfulness.
That's the return.
Breathing in.
.
.
Here.
Breathing out.
Here.
Now allowing your awareness to become a little bit wider by noticing your whole body,
Noticing the breath moving through you.
Noticing the points where your body is supported.
Noticing the sounds around you.
And the space you are sitting or lying in.
There is no need to concentrate so tightly.
Just be here.
Just breathing.
Just having this awareness of yourself breathing.
And perhaps taking one final slow breath in.
Just receiving.
And a long easy breath out.
Releasing everything.
Then letting the breath return completely to its natural rhythm,
Nothing to do,
Nowhere just breathing.
Whenever you're ready,
Begin to gently move your fingers and toes maybe just slowly opening the eyes if they were not yet open and Bringing this little bit of awareness with you into whatever comes next,
Just taking the time and thanking yourself for taking this few minutes to pause,
To breathe and to come back to the present moment.
