So today I'm going to lead you through a meditation where I'll introduce mindful breathing,
Which is a breathing exercise that involves focusing your attention on the natural rhythm and the sensations of breathing.
When you direct your focus to your breathing in this way,
It temporarily pulls your attention away from the worries and stresses of the day and gives your mind a much-needed break.
As a result,
Your breathing naturally begins to slow down,
And this leaves you feeling more relaxed and at ease.
So let's get started.
You can go ahead and get into a comfortable position.
You can be seated or laying down,
Whichever is most comfortable for you.
And keeping your eyes open,
Take a moment to look around you,
Not focusing on anything specific,
Just bringing your awareness to where you are right now.
Reminding yourself that for the next few minutes,
You have nothing else to do,
Nowhere else to be.
You're right here.
And when you're ready,
Gently close your eyes.
Now I'd like you to start paying attention to your breath.
There's no need to control it or change anything about your breathing right now.
Just notice it.
Noticing the inhale and the exhale.
Noticing how your body moves when you breathe.
Paying attention to your chest rising and falling as you breathe in and out.
Now notice the feeling of the air coming in and out of your nose.
How the air feels cool when it goes in and warm when it goes out.
Now start to notice the momentary pause in between your inhale and exhale.
Noticing the air going in through your nose.
And then pause before the air changes directions and you start to exhale.
Then the pause before you breathe in again.
Noticing the steady rhythm of your breath.
Letting your body breathe on its own.
Noticing the rise and fall of your chest.
The pause between the inhale and the exhale.
And we'll let you continue on your own,
Focusing on the rhythm and sensations of your breathing for the next 30 seconds.
Very good.
If you noticed your mind started to drift,
That's okay.
It's perfectly natural.
Just gently bring your focus back to the rhythm and sensations of your breathing.
Or if you find that your body is starting to drift,
And you need more help focusing your attention on the breath,
You can try saying a word to yourself each time you inhale and exhale.
For example,
On the inhale,
You might think to yourself,
Calm.
And on the exhale,
You might think to yourself,
Release.
Let's go ahead and try this for a few breaths.
Breathing in,
Calm.
Breathing out,
Release.
Breathing in,
Calm.
Release.
Calm.
Release.
Very good.
And now I'd like you to take in a full deep breath,
The biggest breath that you've taken all day.
And then release with a sigh,
Letting your shoulders drop and allowing your body and mind to relax and let go.
Wonderful.
As this practice comes to an end,
Take a moment now to bring your awareness back into the space that you're in by slowly opening your eyes.
You can move your body a little,
Stretch if you need to.
And notice how you're feeling right now.
Take time to acknowledge and appreciate any feelings of calm,
Relaxation and peace that you might feel.
And know that you can carry these feelings with you as you transition into whatever's next for you.
Also know that you can always return to this practice at any point by focusing your attention on the sensations and flow of breathing,
Even if it's just for a minute,
To bring a few moments of calm and stillness into your day.
Take good care.
