Hello,
Welcome to this short mindfulness of breath practice.
I'm Natalie and I'll be your guide.
This practice is suitable for beginners and those cultivating the beginners mind.
It's an exercise in being present and focusing our attention.
Before we begin,
Focusing on the breath is not suitable for everyone.
Try it,
Allow yourself to be challenged but know that you can stop at any time if it doesn't feel helpful to you.
You might try using the sensation of your feet on the floor instead of the breath.
Let's start by finding a comfortable seat.
No fancy posture needed,
You can be on a normal chair with your legs uncrossed and your feet on the ground.
Or you can sit on the floor or a cushion if you prefer.
Allow your spine to rise towards the sky and your belly to be soft,
With a strong back and a soft front.
Let your palms rest in your lap or wherever feels comfortable.
Now bring your attention to the breath.
No need to change the breath,
Just notice it.
What is your breathing like in this moment?
Fast,
Slow,
Deep or shallow.
There is no wrong or right,
Let's just be curious.
See if you can identify all parts of the breath.
The inhale,
The pause however brief,
The exhale and the moment between breaths.
When your mind wonders which it will,
Know that nothing bad has happened.
This is just what minds do.
Our practice is to notice,
Let go of the thought without judgement and return our attention to the breath.
There is nothing for you to be doing here.
Just breathing,
Just being.
Seeing if you can follow your breath for a few full cycles.
Bringing the mind to the breath when the thoughts pull your attention away.
Realising how your body moves as you inhale and exhale.
You might imagine that as you breathe in,
Your whole body fills up with the new air refreshing you.
And that as you exhale,
It rinses your whole body of anything that you don't need.
Just letting yourself be exactly as you are in this moment,
As you just sit and breathe.
Your sensations,
Your emotions,
Your thoughts,
Your environment.
Allowing it all to be there in the background as you focus on each breath.
Taking it one breath at a time.
One moment at a time.
This breath.
This present moment.
Just this.
Gently bringing the mind back to the breath when it wanders.
And now expanding your attention to take in the sense of your body sitting in your seat.
Feeling the air on your face.
And hearing the sounds around you.
Just taking a moment to reflect on how this practice was for you today.
When you are ready,
Slowly bring some movement back into your fingers and toes.
Gradually open your eyes if they've been closed and take in the space around you.
Smile.
You've made a good choice by doing some mindfulness practice today.
Look after yourself and enjoy the rest of your day.
