So to get started,
Come into a comfortable position,
Whether you're sitting,
Standing,
Lying down,
And line up your body.
So straightening your spine,
Lengthening your neck,
Hips lined up with your knees,
With your ankles,
With your shoulders.
Taking a deep breath in and letting it out with a sigh as you arrive here in this moment in your body,
In this space.
Another deep breath and let it out with a sigh.
Let go of everything else you've brought with you.
And if you'd like to close your eyes,
Go ahead and close your eyes.
If you'd like to leave them open,
Feel free to do so,
So let them softly focus.
And we'll begin by just starting to notice your breath,
Noticing where it's traveling in your body,
If you're breathing into your chest or your ribs,
Your belly.
Noticing if the breath is smooth,
If there's a hitch.
Noticing the length of each inhale and each exhale,
Whether there's a difference between the two.
We're not trying to change anything.
We're not trying to judge ourselves for doing it wrong.
We're just noticing what our natural breath is like today,
Right now.
And you may notice by just bringing your attention to your breath that it changes slightly and that's okay.
And if your mind wanders from your breath,
Just gently bring it back.
If it works for you,
You can just let whatever thought came into your head go,
Let it drift away.
If it doesn't work for you and you find yourself clinging to it,
You can tell it.
I know what you're doing,
I've got you.
I will remember you when I'm done doing this.
I'm focusing on my breath.
Sometimes I have those days where I have to have a whole conversation with my thought before it will disappear.
It just wants to be acknowledged.
Bringing your attention back to your breath.
And then we'll try a conscious breathing technique called four square breathing.
Basically,
What you'll do is right now continuing your normal breathing,
But in a moment,
We'll inhale for a count of four,
Retain the breath for a count of four,
Exhale for a count of four,
And then retain the breath for another count of four.
You can try a round or two and if it feels uncomfortable,
You can do away with the retention or change it to two,
Whatever works for you.
So I'll come us through a couple of rounds together and then let you do it your own way.
So inhaling two three four,
Retain two three,
Four,
Exhale,
Two three four,
Retain two three Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Retain,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And retain,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And you can continue that at your own pace.
Maybe I went too fast or too slow for you.
Find what's comfortable.
And if it doesn't work,
Scrap it and just breathe normally.
And if you find your mind wandering,
Just bring it back to your count.
Bring it back to your breath.
Notice if you're starting to tense up.
Notice if the muscles of your face are clenching,
You're trying to help yourself with your face,
Whether your shoulders are creeping up towards your ears.
Our shoulders love to help us with everything.
And sometimes even your hips or your fingers or your toes.
If you feel any tension in any of those areas,
Acknowledge it,
Soften it,
And come back to your breath.
You And if you lose track of your breath,
Just start over again.
There's no way to do this wrong.
We're just breathing.
We're just playing around with something a little bit different.
And if you've been doing a conscious breath with the counting,
Whenever you're ready,
Go ahead and let that go and just come back to your normal breath.
If you've been breathing normally,
Just continue to do so.
And notice if anything has changed.
Notice if anything's different with your breath from when you first started this practice.
Notice if anything in your body feels different.
You may find that maybe your shoulders feel tense.
Because you were really trying to help yourself with that counting.
Or you may find that you feel a little bit more relaxed.
You may find that your breath has changed or that it's the same.
Whatever it is,
Just notice it.
It's perfect just the way it is.
We're not really trying to do anything.
It's just an experience and the act of noticing it being a witness to it.
And then take a couple of deeper breaths.
And if you like a couple more sighs.
I love them.
I feel like it clears everything out,
Really resets.
It's nice to do it loud if no one can hear you too.
And then slowly wiggling your fingers and your toes.
If you'd like to roll out your neck or your shoulders,
Do that.
It's nice to stomp your feet and really ground yourself back into the present moment.
Back into awareness.
And taking your time.
If your eyes were closed,
Letting them slowly come open.
We'll go on with our day.
Thank you so much for joining me.
I hope this helped.
I hope you have peace in your thoughts.
May you have strength in your words.
And may you have joy in your heart.
