So Welcome to this sitting meditation,
Allowing yourself to arrive now to this moment,
Knowing that you'll be sat in practice for the next 20 minutes.
So taking your time to find a comfortable position,
To find a space and a time that suits you,
To allow this practice to unfold.
And as you settle here in this moment,
Just begin by noticing your posture.
Perhaps you're sat on a chair,
Noticing the strength in your back,
The position of your feet,
Your shoulders,
Allowing your hands to fall gently in your lap or resting on your knees.
Or if you're sat on a cushion or the floor,
Again just drawing attention to your posture,
Arriving deliberately to this practice.
Straightening your back,
Adopting a comfortable,
Relaxed position in your shoulders,
And your hands loosely in your lap or resting on your knees.
Knowing that whatever else,
This time is for you.
You've arrived here today for yourself and because of yourself.
Just settling into this moment,
Noticing the unique qualities of your body in this time.
The weight of your body,
Noticing the muscles,
Any particular areas of tension,
Stress,
Feelings of weight or heaviness.
Or noticing perhaps areas where you feel light,
Relaxed.
Just noticing what qualities your body has arrived to this moment with.
And in the same way that we can draw attention to our bodies,
Beginning now just to draw your focus to the feelings of your mind.
The thoughts of the day,
Thoughts past or yet to come.
Just noticing the qualities of thought and emotion that have arrived with you here to this space.
Noticing them and allowing them to be let go.
Allowing all to let go as we come to this practice,
This breathing meditation.
So as we begin I invite you just to take three slightly deeper breaths than normal.
Allowing this shift in your breathing to draw focus onto your breath.
Notice the parts of your body that move as you breathe.
The parts of your body active in this everyday process.
Noticing perhaps a gentle rise and fall in your shoulders.
Or maybe for you it's the flow of air in through your nostrils and out again.
Ever so slight changes in temperature as the air passes through our body.
Perhaps for you the breath is most keenly felt in your abdomen,
Your chest.
Wherever it is you feel your breathing most keenly.
Just allowing this to be your central focal point.
Allowing your breath to anchor you to this moment.
Keeping your focus,
Keeping your awareness on this simple act of breathing.
The movement of the air in and back out again.
Allowing us to return time and time again to this present moment.
This one breath.
If you notice your mind beginning to wander elsewhere.
Other thoughts coming in,
Stories,
Plans.
That's okay.
They will happen,
They will come.
Just notice them.
Let them go.
And with great kindness and curiosity return your attention again to your breathing.
Exploring.
Inviting.
Questioning the qualities of your breath.
Allowing distractions to arise and to let them go.
Returning over and over again.
This focal point,
This anchor,
This breath.
Simple act of breathing with us throughout the day,
Throughout every moment of every day.
But so rarely do we stop and pause,
Turn our attention inwards.
This remarkable act,
Keeping us here,
Keeping us anchored to this one moment.
The simple movement of air in and out of our bodies.
Allow this simple movement,
This one breath to focus you here and now.
Coming back to the place in your body where you feel your breath most keenly and shining your awareness on this one place,
This one point.
Plans of what's to come,
Thoughts of what's already been.
Distractions in the form of noises,
Thoughts,
Sensations.
They will come.
These distractions will come.
Recognise that they have arrived.
And in returning to focusing on your breathing we let them go.
We keep our focus on the anchor of our breath.
Here,
In this moment.
And as we sit for the remaining time,
I invite you just to approach your breathing with an attitude of open curiosity.
Trying as best as you can just to investigate each breath.
Investigate the movements of your body.
The feeling of your breath moving in and out.
And knowing that it's okay for your mind to wander.
And that you can always return with an open curiosity to the anchor of your breath.
