Breathing Meditation: Following Your Breath

The breath is the most important aspect of mindfulness and meditation. Join us for this breathing meditation where we explore our breath and learn how to make it work for us. Breathing in and breathing out, just one breath at a time. Music by Chris Collins. #51

Transcript

Welcome,

And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.

Today,

I just want to focus on the breath.

A short practice where all we want to do is follow our breath.

If you've listened to some of my other lessons,

You know that I have come to believe that the breath is everything.

This meditation is a result of a suggestion from Tina in the Meditation with Michael group.

Please join us there.

We'd love to have you.

I've said it before,

But the arena of meditation and mindfulness is vast.

There are so many things a person can study.

You can study ancient texts,

And you can learn words in Sanskrit.

You can learn yoga postures and bend yourself into a wide range of positions.

You can learn mudras and make various positions with your hands when you meditate.

Just so many possibilities of things to learn.

And all of these things are interesting,

And no knowledge is ever wasted.

But having meditated for 54 years,

I've come to firmly believe that the breath is the single most important aspect of meditation and mindfulness.

Let me say that again.

The breath is the single most important aspect of meditation and mindfulness.

By learning how to focus on your breath,

You can find the real power of meditation.

You can learn how to deal with pain.

You can ease tension.

You can help to control anxiety.

You can better deal with stress in your daily life.

You can help yourself to have better sleep.

And you can learn to be more calm,

And more confident,

And more relaxed.

And you can learn all of these things simply by learning to focus on your breath.

Now please make sure that all your devices are silenced,

Except the one that you're using.

This is your time.

Set yourself up for success by silencing your devices and settling in somewhere where you won't be disturbed.

Close your eyes now,

And let's begin to focus on our breath.

It doesn't matter if you're sitting,

Lying down,

Or standing.

The only criteria is that you are comfortable and alert.

Begin taking a breath through your nose,

And then let it out through your mouth,

Letting out a sigh.

Now,

From this point on,

All you have to do is breathe.

Just breathe.

Breathe normally,

And please don't force anything.

This is your meditation,

And you have to be comfortable with all aspects of it.

You aren't trying to breathe like me.

You're trying to breathe like you.

There are many variations of breathing.

Box breathing,

Alternate nostril breathing,

4-7-8 breathing for sleep,

And many,

Many more.

And we can delve into all of them.

But for right now,

We just want to breathe normally.

I'm inhaling through my nose and exhaling through my nose.

And you can do whatever you feel comfortable with.

But I want to point out a few things.

That breathing through the nose is more efficient than breathing through the mouth.

When the breath comes in through the nose,

It's filtered,

It's moisturized,

It's pressurized,

And it's heated.

And studies have shown that you actually get about 20% more oxygen breathing through your nose than you would through the mouth.

The way you breathe affects every system of the body,

Circulation,

Digestion,

And more.

And slowing down your breath naturally calms the body and the mind.

You can't breathe slowly and be anxious.

It just doesn't work that way.

One thing you might try in this breathing practice is try using a count of 4 on the inhale,

And a count of 6 or 8 on the exhale,

Whichever you feel more comfortable with.

The reason for this is that when you lengthen your exhale,

It engages your vagus nerve.

Just two minutes of deep breathing with longer exhalations can have many positive effects.

It leads to a sense of relaxation and can help you to manage high-intensity situations.

As we start to settle into this moment,

Gently relax your body.

Relax your face and unfurl your brow.

Unclench your jaw.

Just relax.

Often we tense up so often that we aren't even aware of it.

And our goal here is to become aware of our breath and our bodies.

Relax your neck and shoulders.

Maybe shrug your shoulders and roll your neck around to loosen it up.

Relax your arms and your hands and let go of any tension in your back.

Relax your legs and your feet and just sink into this moment.

Remember,

Forever is now.

As we continue to feel the relaxation flow through our body,

Just breathing in and breathing out.

One breath at a time.

Do whatever you need to do to settle into this moment.

Because this is the only moment that exists.

If you notice thoughts entering your mind,

Don't worry about them or make any judgments.

Just observe your thoughts.

Let each thought pass across your mind and let it go.

Your thoughts are like clouds in the sky or like a wave on a lake.

You don't need to do anything but observe.

No judgment.

And then let them pass away while you observe.

Our breath is our anchor.

And it provides us with life and energy.

It sometimes helps if you can visualize the energy flowing into you as you breathe in.

Let go of any negative thoughts or feelings.

Let them pass out with every exhale.

We're looking for inner peace and it's there.

We just have to clear away the obstacles.

We are on the path we need to be on.

Remember,

All of the things we're looking for are on this path that begins with our breath.

Let me say that again.

All of the things we're looking for are on this path that begins with our breath.

And we proceed down the path one breath at a time.

Just listen to the sound of my voice and observe each breath.

And just continue to relax.

Breathe.

Just breathe.

Follow each breath.

Notice it as it comes in through your nose.

Notice how it flows into you like a river.

Notice the flow of your breath as it expands your chest and your belly.

And then follow each breath as it leaves your body.

Breathing in and breathing out.

One breath at a time.

You don't have to focus forever.

But just for one breath.

And then the next.

And then the next.

Breathing in.

Breathing out.

Just one breath at a time.

I assure you that the more often you get in touch with your breath,

The easier it will be.

Just breathing in and breathing out.

One breath at a time.

And you don't have to commit to 30-minute sessions.

Just follow your breath for three or four minutes at a time.

You will be amazed at the difference it will make.

Just one breath at a time is all it takes.

Just continue to follow your breath.

I'll breathe with you for a bit.

Breathe in.

1,

2,

3,

4.

Breathe out.

1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6.

Breathe in.

1,

2,

3,

4.

Breathe out.

1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6.

Breathe in.

1,

2,

3,

4.

Breathe out.

1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6.

Now do it on your own for a minute,

And I'll be right here.

That's perfect.

Now,

As we come to a close,

Take in one long deep breath through your nose and exhale it through your mouth,

Letting out a sigh.

Open your eyes and come back into the room,

And you're ready to resume your day.

Sometime soon,

I'm going to do a live session on alternate nostril breathing,

Which is another great way to get in touch with your breath.

In the meantime,

Try practicing this breathing of 4 counts on your inhale and 6 to 8 counts on your exhale.

It'll make a huge difference in your practice.

I hope this has been a beneficial and calming session,

And thank you for spending this time with me.

Remember to join us in the Medication with Michael group if you're so inclined.

See you next time.

Reviews

Thank you for this wonderful track on the breath. It was very informative and helpful. 🌻🌺🙏🌷🌸

Brilliant, well paced session, Michael. I liked the singing bowl too- gently ending the breathing. Thank you 🙏🏽💚🤗✨️