Today,
I invite you to a practice of sequenced breath for creating inner stillness and peace.
To begin this practice,
Find a comfortable seated position,
Either on the floor or on a chair.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath,
Allowing yourself to settle in to this present moment.
Take a moment to become aware of your natural breath.
Notice your inhale and your exhale,
The rhythm and depth of your breath.
Breathing all the way down into your belly,
Your pelvic floor,
Your ribs and up through your chest.
And as you exhale,
Exhaling out the chest,
The ribs,
The belly,
The pelvic floor,
Gently pulling the navel up and in.
Inhaling into the pelvic bowl,
The belly,
The ribs and the chest.
And exhaling out the chest,
The ribs,
The belly and pelvic floor.
With each inhalation,
You relax your muscles,
Inviting this deep,
Expansive breath to fill your body.
And with each exhalation,
You gently pull the navel up and in,
Releasing,
Expelling that which is no longer serving you.
Inhaling,
Allowing the body to expand,
Receiving the nourishing breath.
Exhale,
Navel pulls up and in,
Ever so gently releasing any sense of tension,
Any sense of constriction in your breath.
And staying here for three more rounds of breath.
And after this last round of breath,
I will introduce a sequenced breath pattern.
Inhale deeply through your nose to the count of four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold your breath for a moment at the top of your inhalation for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Exhale slowly through your nose or mouth,
Releasing the breath to the count of four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold your breath for a moment at the bottom of your exhalation for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Repeat the sequenced breath pattern,
Inhaling for four counts,
Holding for four counts,
Exhaling for four counts,
And holding again for four counts.
As you continue with this breath pattern,
Allow each inhale to bring a sense of peace and tranquility.
Feel the calm energy filling your body,
Washing away any tension or stress.
As you hold your breath at the top,
Feel the peace expanding within you,
Allowing it to settle deeply into your being.
As you exhale,
Release any worries or anxieties that may be weighing on your mind.
Let go of anything that is no longer serving you and feel a sense of release and lightness with each breath out.
As you hold your breath at the bottom,
Experience a sense of deep stillness and inner peace,
Allowing yourself to rest in this quiet space,
Fully present and at ease.
Continue with this sequenced breath,
Allowing it to guide you deeper into a state of inner peace.
Feel the gentle rhythm of your breath grounding and centering you.
If your mind starts to wander,
Gently bring your focus back to your breath and to the sequenced pattern.
Let go of any distractions and come back to the present moment,
Finding solace in the simple act of breathing.
And again,
If the mind wanders,
Gently bring your focus back to your breath and the sequenced pattern.
Letting go of any distractions and coming back to the present moment,
Finding solace in the simple act of breathing.
As you near the end of the meditation,
Take a few moments to breathe naturally,
Returning to your normal rhythm.
As your breath restores this normal rhythm,
Feel the residual peace and calmness within you,
Knowing that this deepened sense of peace is always accessible.
Noticing how your breath allows you to touch this space,
Even in moments of chaos and unrest.
Taking the last full deep expansive inhalation of this practice,
Exhale perhaps letting out a big audible sigh.
And when you are ready,
Gently open your eyes,
Bringing the sense of inner peace and tranquility with you into your day.
May this practice of sequenced breath guide you to a place of deep inner peace,
Providing a sanctuary within yourself whenever you need it.
