Hey,
It's Neil,
And this is the three-step breathing space.
For the next three minutes,
You're going to simply be.
You're going to focus on your internal experience,
Rather than the world around you.
So,
Starting with a conscious shift in your posture,
Making it a little more upright and coming to stillness.
Close your eyes.
In step one of the breathing space,
Recognising your internal experience right now,
The weather patterns inside you.
What thoughts are here?
Perhaps putting them into words in your mind.
How are you feeling?
You could silently name any emotions that you find.
Anger may be your contentment.
And scanning the body for sensations.
In particular,
Any intense sensations which you might label as discomfort or pain.
No need to change the sensations,
Just allowing them to be exactly as they are.
In step two,
Gathering your attention down in the belly,
And finding the sensations that tell you that you're breathing.
Not thinking about the breath,
But instead coming into direct contact with sensations in the abdomen.
The stretch of the belly on the in-breath,
And the release on the out-breath.
As best you can,
Staying with all the sensations of each and every breath.
In step three,
Expanding your attention around your belly,
To include any and all sensations in your body,
From the toes to the top of the head.
So,
Staying in the body,
And staying with physical sensation.
Perhaps noticing how your posture and your facial expression feel from the inside.
If you find difficult sensations,
There's no need to push them away.
Just for now,
Approaching aches and pains,
Tension and tightness,
With a gentle,
Warm curiosity.
Simply allowing yourself to feel them,
And noticing if they change or stay the same.
And now,
As best you can,
Bringing this expanded awareness with you,
As you end this practice by opening your eyes.
