Follow Your Breath Training Wheels

This is a great breathing meditation for beginners. When you first try to meditate using your breath to anchor your attention, the biggest obstacle is staying put! Gentle encouragement is given to help stay with your breath and combat the influence of distracting thoughts. Just like training wheels on your bike, over time you will build your mindfulness muscle, improving your ability to be aware of the present moment for longer periods of time.

Transcript

Moving your body into a comfortable position. Closing your eyes or gazing down gently. And noticing the sensation of your body breathing. Notice the inhalation and exhalation. Feeling your body expand and contract with each breath. And as you follow the breath, You can continue to let go of thoughts as they come up for you. Each time you're distracted, Come back to the breath. You'll keep doing this over and over again. Continue to feel your body breathing, Noticing your ribcage expanding as you breathe in. And if you find it difficult to stay with the breath, You can use simple words to anchor to the breath. Like I'm breathing in. I'm breathing out. In. And out. Feeling your belly rise as you breathe in, Fall as you breathe out, Ensuring to fully exhale as you breathe out, Letting go of the belly. Let the air completely expel before you allow the breath to move back in. Dismissing those thoughts as they come up and returning to your breath. Breathing in. Breathing out. Breathing out. In. And out. You can feel your breath relaxing the body as you deepen your attention. Breathing in. Hold for just a moment before you breathe out again. Slowly releasing the belly. In. And out. Continue this awareness of your breath, Letting go of any thoughts that come up and return to the breath as many times as it takes. In. And out. Notice that you're thinking, Letting that thought blow away in the wind and come back to breathing in and breathing out. In. And out. And we'll transition gently back. For a spell, You can begin to move your body slowly. Opening your eyes to gaze about you. And slowly reintegrate into your day, Fully refreshed and fully aware. Namaste.