Breath meditation series,
Breath inquiry.
This is the first practice in a series of breath meditations to encourage relaxation.
After you've completed the breath inquiry,
You may want to try mindful breathing,
The complete breath,
And breath ratios.
Breath inquiry can be used anytime during the day when you notice yourself becoming tense or feel discomfort.
It also may help to promote sleep.
The pattern of breath directly affects the mind.
It's even said that there's a breathing pattern for every emotion.
When the breath is observed and eventually controlled,
The mind and emotions are controlled as well.
Think of the breath as the bridge between the mind and what you're thinking and the body what you're feeling.
The breath is the bridge to relaxation.
It's important that the heart rate does not increase during this practice.
Remember as you do this practice,
No breath is wrong.
You're just observing the sensations of the breath.
Lie down or sit in a restful position with a long spine and a spacious torso.
Allow yourself to settle in and relax.
Witness the natural spontaneous breath,
Your default breath,
As it comes and goes without thought or hesitation.
Watch where the breath goes,
Not manipulating or correcting.
Sense the temperature of the breath on the edges of the nose or on the back of the throat.
Let the body be completely relaxed.
Notice how the gentle breath mobilizes the still body.
You may place your hands on your body at any time and use them as tools to feel your natural breath move in and out of your body.
Ask yourself a question,
Where do I feel my breathing?
Is the breath more noticeable in the abdomen,
The chest,
The throat,
The mouth,
The nose,
The front of the body or the back?
Ask yourself,
Where does the movement of my breath begin?
The nose,
The chest,
The throat,
The ribs,
The abdomen or somewhere else in the body?
Ask yourself,
What does my breathing feel like?
What is the quality of my breath?
Is it smooth or jerky,
Labored or light?
Can you feel movement of muscles in the body when you breathe?
Can you sense the air in the lungs?
Notice what words or images arise.
Images can be powerful ways to help you concentrate on the breath.
Are there colors,
Sounds,
Textures,
Tastes?
Invite the mind to play in the images of the breath.
Different images create different physical results.
Please don't judge your experience.
Simply notice what you can notice and notice what you can't notice as we pause for a moment.
Now bring your attention to the inhalation.
Notice the length of your inhalation.
Notice the depth of your inhalation.
Is it short or long,
Deep or shallow?
Where do you feel your body move as you breathe in?
In what direction does the body move?
Just notice without expectation or judgment as we pause again for a moment,
Focusing on the inhalation.
Shift your awareness to your exhalation.
Notice the length of your exhalation.
Is it short or long,
Fast or slow?
Where do you feel yourself move as you breathe out?
In what direction does the torso move?
Just notice without expectation or judgment,
Pausing again as you stay present in the exhalation of the breath.
Now observe your breath and all its parts.
The inhalation,
The moment between the inhale and the exhale,
The exhalation,
And the moment between the exhale and inhale.
Let your breath come and go naturally.
Don't try to change it in any way.
Awareness and acceptance.
Enjoy the ebb and flow,
The rise and fall,
The in and the out of the natural essential breath.
Next,
See if you can experience the energy of your breath.
Invite yourself into the subtle sensations of the breath.
Draw your breath and your awareness slowly up your body from the tips of your toes to the top of your head.
Notice what you can notice and notice what you don't notice.
Be curious as you continue to draw your breath and your awareness up the body from the toes to the head.
Now draw your breath and your awareness slowly down your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.
Just allow.
Notice what you can notice.
Notice what you can't notice.
Continue to keep your awareness and your breath in your body as you scan from the head to the toes.
Now ask yourself,
What is the quality of energy in my body in this moment?
Please continue for five to eight more rounds of breath or longer if you'd like.
Allow your thoughts to flow between the movement of the physical breath and the subtle sensations in the body.
This is you experiencing your breath just as it is without changing it or controlling it in any way.
