To begin the responsive breathing space,
Taking a very definite posture,
Relaxed and dignified.
The back is erect but not stiff,
Letting the body express a sense of being present,
Being awake.
And now closing your eyes if you feel comfortable and turning your attention to the sensations of breathing for a moment or so.
And then slowly expanding to a sense of the body as a whole.
And gradually becoming more and more aware of how you're feeling right now.
Maybe you're noticing some troubling thought or situation,
Some worry or other intense feelings.
And becoming conscious of what's going on through your mind,
What thoughts are around.
And as best you can,
Just noting and acknowledging them as mental events.
So we note them.
And then we note the emotions that are around at the moment.
In particular,
Turning towards any sense of discomfort or unpleasant feelings.
So rather than trying to push them away or shut them out,
We're just noticing them,
Naming them.
And then noticing the sensations arising in the body,
Focusing your awareness on the part of the body where the sensations are the strongest.
And if the sensations are particularly challenging,
Perhaps using the breath as a vehicle to assist in directing and maintaining your awareness to that part of the body.
Breathing into that part of the body on the in breath and then expanding and softening on the out breath.
If strong sensations are present,
Becoming aware of the physical resisting,
Holding,
Pushing away,
Tensing,
Bracing.
And whatever is arising in awareness,
Perhaps saying to yourself,
It's okay,
Let me feel this.
It's okay,
It's already here.
Just staying with the awareness of any thoughts,
Feelings,
Body sensations,
Perhaps breathing into them,
Accepting,
Letting them be.
And on the out breath,
Continuing to open and soften to these events.
Perhaps on the out breath saying,
Oh,
That's how it is right now.
Just staying with these thoughts,
Staying with these feelings,
These sensations,
Noticing your relationship to them.
Just for as long as they attract your attention,
Just staying.
Seeing if it's possible to hold them all in this more open,
Spacious awareness,
Bringing a gentle curiosity to your experience in this moment.
And then when you're ready,
Expanding your awareness to the entire body,
And then bringing this more spacious attention to the whole body.
And then bringing this more spacious attention to your next moments as you allow your eyes to open.
