Welcome to this guided meditation on breath awareness and yogic complete breathing.
Find a comfortable seated position with your spine straight but relaxed.
You may sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground or on a cushion on the floor.
Place your hands gently in your lap.
When you're ready,
Softly close your eyes.
Take a moment to settle into your space.
Begin to notice the natural rhythm of your breath without trying to change it.
Feel the cool air as you inhale through your nostrils and the warm air as you exhale.
Allow any thoughts or tensions to drift away with each breath.
Bring your full attention to your breath.
Observe the gentle rise and fall of your chest and the subtle expansion and contraction of your abdomen.
With each inhale,
Imagine joining calm and peace.
With each exhale,
Release any stress or tension.
We're now going to practice three rounds of the yogic complete breathing.
This technique involves three stages,
Abdominal breathing,
Chest breathing and upper chest breathing.
You're going to breathe in and out in three phases.
I'll guide you through the process.
Now begin by inhaling into your abdomen,
Feel your belly expand,
Continue inhaling as you expand your rib cage,
Finally draw in a little bit more air to fill your upper chest,
Pause.
And now you're going to exhale slowly in reverse.
First release the air from your upper chest,
Continue releasing the air from your rib cage and finally draw your belly button toward your spine to expel the remaining air from your abdomen.
Now let's do a second round,
Inhale to your abdomen,
Continue to your chest and now the collar bones,
Pause.
And now exhale in reverse,
Release the air from the upper chest first,
Now from your rib cage and finally from your abdomen,
Release the last of the air.
Now let's do one more round together,
Inhale to your belly,
Now to your chest and to your collar bones,
Pause.
And now exhale in reverse,
Release from the upper chest first,
Now from your chest and finally from your abdomen,
Emptying the lungs completely.
Allow your breathing to return to its natural rhythm.
Notice any changes in how your body feels now,
Perhaps your breath is deeper,
Your mind calmer and your body more relaxed.
Take a moment to appreciate the peace you've cultivated.
Gently bring awareness back to your surroundings,
Wiggle your fingers and toes and when you're ready,
Softly open your eyes.
Carry this sense of calm and mindful breathing with you throughout your day.
Thank you for joining this meditation practice,
Feel free to return to this guided session whenever you wish to reconnect with your breath and find inner peace.
