Mindfulness of the breath.
Loosen up any tight clothing or other constrictions and allow yourself to be as comfortable as you can,
Either lying face up or preferably sitting on a chair or cushion.
When you sit,
Ensure that your back,
Neck and head is upright and straight in a dignified and relaxed posture.
Make the resolve that for the next 20 or 25 minutes you will endeavour not to fidget or move unnecessarily.
Also make the resolve that for the period of this exercise you will not be too concerned about future goals or anything other than being here now and bringing attention to the primary object of your attention which is the breath.
If you wish,
You can close your eyes or if they remain open,
Let the focus be diffuse and begin by bringing attention to your body as a whole,
Lying or sitting there and be with your body and its physical sensations.
As you bring attention to your body,
Let go of tightness and allow physical relaxation to occur.
If you wish,
You can briefly let awareness scan through your body,
Finding tension and letting it go.
You can also be aware of your breath in general and with every out-breath it is as if your body relaxes and lets go of tension.
With every out-breath your body seems to become more and more relaxed,
Yet if you are sitting you are able to maintain a dignified and upright posture.
As you let go of tension,
It is as if awareness of bodily experience becomes clearer and sharper.
As your awareness becomes clearer,
Notice the movement of your breath in the body.
As best you can,
Be aware of the movement as physical sensation in your abdomen.
If you can't feel the movement in your abdomen,
Be attentive to the movement in your chest.
You may also feel the movement in both your chest and your abdomen.
Do not force your focus,
Rather let your mind be open and sensitive to what is happening.
As you relax into awareness,
Your mind naturally becomes more focused or concentrated.
The breath is not forced in any way,
Neither purposefully slowing it down or hastening it up.
Allow the breath to be natural.
It may be short or long,
Shallow or deep.
Whatever the nature of the breath,
Acknowledge it as it is and let it be.
Let yourself be accepting of the breath as it is without judgement that it should be other than the way it is.
Let yourself be accepting of the breath without judgement,
Without judgement that it should be other than the way it actually is.
Do not be concerned if thoughts,
Emotions,
Sounds or other experiences pull your attention away from your breath.
Acknowledge these experiences,
Let them be and let them pass away.
Do not struggle with anger.
When they pass away,
Merely bring awareness back to the breath.
Let the breath be your anchor.
If it seems as if many experiences are occurring all at once,
Allow your mind to be open and receptive.
However,
Let the movement of the breath in your chest and or your abdomen be your primary focus and other experiences be on the periphery of your open awareness.
Sharpen your aim and as best you can notice the entire process of the breath,
Paying steady attention to the beginning,
Middle and end of the rising movement and the beginning,
Middle and end of the falling movement.
Pay steady attention.
As the abdomen rises,
You can note or say to yourself,
Rising.
As the abdomen falls,
You can note,
Falling,
Rising,
Falling.
If there seems to be gaps in the breath at the beginning or end of each movement,
Bring your knowing awareness to the touch point,
Such as the sensations in your buttocks or your legs as they connect with the base of your cushion or chair.
Be with those experiences in an open and concentrated manner and note these experiences accordingly.
You could note touching,
Touching,
Pressure,
Or whatever seems to be appropriate.
So it may go rising,
Falling,
Touching,
Rising,
Falling,
Touching.
If you find being attentive to the breath causes distress in any way,
Be attentive to particular sensations in the body that are strong,
Such as touching,
Touching,
Or pressure,
Pressure.
Be attentive to those sensations and bring your mind back to those sensations.
Whether you're paying attention to the breath or particular sensations in your body,
Let your attention be consistent on a moment to moment basis,
Staying and being with each and every subtle nuance with a curious and open mind.
As much as possible,
Be mindful of the breath rising and falling,
Rising,
Falling.
Sometimes it may feel as if the breath is just a flutter far off in the distance.
Other times it may feel as if the changing sensations are up close,
Like an enormous drum skin stretching backwards and forwards.
The sensations may be tight and hard,
Or they may be long and stretching.
Whatever the experience allow it to be,
With an open,
Curious,
Kind and accepting mind.
Stay with,
Meet and join the experience of the breath directly and powerfully.
As you meet and greet the experience of your breath in an open and accepting manner,
It is as if the experience of the breath and the knowing of the breath are not separate.
The knowing of the breath and the experience of the breath are one.
There is only now and this experience.
Just one breath.
Just one breath at a time.
There is just one breath at a time.
If your mind goes off into the future or back into the past,
Notice and if you want you can note it as thinking,
Thinking or remembering,
Remembering and then come back to now.
Being connected and anchored with one breath at a time.
Just one breath here now.
Rising,
Falling.
Rising,
Falling.
Being here.
Being whole with the breath.
Just one breath at a time.
With an open yet a focused mind.
Joining and connecting mind and body.
Rising,
Falling.
Rising,
Falling.
Justice here now.
Being with the breath,
Your body may become very relaxed and your mind may become very peaceful.
Your mind and body can become connected and integrated.
Your experience is whole here and now.
Just one breath here now.
Justice here now.
Rising,
Falling.
Rising,
Falling.
In a minute we will end this recording.
You may choose to continue being present with your breath or you may now choose to change your posture and go about your daily activities.
If you choose to go about your daily activities,
Do so attentively and with clear comprehension of the purpose and suitability of your actions.
Be with and participate with your daily activities with graceful commitment.
At times throughout the day,
Today or in the future you can be mindful of your breath.
In this way,
Mindfulness of the breath can be an anchor back to the present moment and the freedom that can be found here and now.
Being present.
Being aware of your breath.
You can note a few breaths or one breath at any time.
Being aware of your breath.
Just now.
Just one breath.
Being aware of your breath.
Slowly open your eyes if they're closed.
Stretch your body and participate with the world in a wise and mindful manner.
