9 minute Awareness of Breath

Becoming aware of the breath, over and over, is the practice. This brief meditation supports a new or established practice with simple, gentle language.

Transcript

This is a guided awareness of breath practice. So beginning by sitting in a place where you feel secure and at a time when you won't be interrupted by your phone or other people and finding a comfortable, Supported way to sit in a chair with a straight back or on a cushion on the floor so that your back can be upright and straight without being tight or rigid. Sitting in a way that feels stable and steady, Allowing the body to be alert and relaxed at the same time. The eyes can be closed if that feels okay for you or open, Gazing toward the floor, Resting the eyes. Telling yourself to stop, To pause, And settling into this stable seat, Being alert and at ease. Now becoming aware that you're breathing, Noticing the movements of the breath, Feeling sensation as breath comes into the body and as it leaves the body, Allowing your attention to meet the breath wherever you feel it in the body. Maybe you sense movement of air at the nose, Perhaps coolness on the in-breath and warmth on the out-breath. Perhaps you notice the sensation of air moving in the throat. You may feel movement at the chest or the back, A sense of expanding and stretching as air fills the lungs. Or perhaps noticing a sensation in the belly, Rising on the in-breath and falling on the out-breath. Or you may feel the breath somewhere else. So noticing where it's easy to feel the sensation of breathing and resting your attention there, Noticing how the breath feels, Coming and going. Wanting the breath to be just as it is, It may feel shallow and rapid. It may feel long and slow. You can just leave the breath as it is without needing to change it or make it any different. You may notice you're judging the breath, Wanting it to be different from how it is right now. See if it's possible to be interested and curious about how this breath feels. Noticing perhaps the very beginning of a breath and following it along through the nostrils, Along the throat, Expanding the lungs, Maybe feeling motion in the chest or the belly. And then sensing that little moment when the breath turns around and becomes an out-breath, Making its way out of the body, Being there for a full cycle of the breath. You may notice from time to time that the attention wanders away from feeling the breath into thoughts about the future or what happened before, Into daydreams, Planning, Or worry. And this isn't a problem. It's just what minds do. So in the moment that you notice that the attention is no longer linked up with the feeling of the breath, You can simply guide the attention back with kindness and gentle effort to feeling the sensation of the next breath. Is it an in-breath or an out-breath? Can you notice the qualities of the breath? Is it short, Long, Smooth, Rough? Is it ragged or even, Shallow or deep? Just gently noticing how the breath is in this moment without needing to make it any different than it is. No matter how many times you become distracted, Each time you realize it and return the attention to the breath, You're practicing kindness and patience, Which strengthens attention and mindfulness. So noticing where is the attention in this moment. If it's with the breath, Continuing to feel sensations as air moves into and out of the body and if the attention has wandered or been pulled away into the past or the future, There's no need to give yourself a hard time or feel that there's a mistake. See how it's possible to begin again with kindness, Settling the attention on the sensations of breath, Feeling directly, Breathing in and knowing it and breathing out and knowing it. One breath following the next. And as we come to the end of this practice, Congratulate yourself if you like for taking the time to be with yourself in this way, Realizing that this kind of attention and presence is really an act of love. And in a moment, I'll ring a bell. See if you can listen to the full length of its sound. And then when you finally hear it dissolve back into silence, Gently allowing the eyes to open or raise your gaze to take in the room. Namaste.