The 3 Minute Breathing Space

The 3 Minute Breathing Space is a mini meditation for the purpose of stepping out of automatic pilot and reconnecting with the present moment. This practice can be very useful when negative thought patterns arise, attempting to push you into a downward spiral of emotional reactivity.

Transcript

This is the three minute breathing space.

So making a definitive change in your posture so that your posture embodies a sense of awakeness,

A sense of dignity.

And beginning with step one by acknowledging what is going on in your body and mind right now.

Not trying to change anything,

But just opening to what is here.

What thoughts are going through your mind?

What feelings are around any sensations in your body?

Seeing if it is possible to be open to them all.

And now step two,

Narrowing the focus of attention down to the sensations of breathing.

Wherever you feel the breath moving most strongly.

Focusing on that place and with great precision tuning into the sensations of the in-breath for its full duration.

And the out-breath for its full duration.

And each time the mind slips away,

Bringing the attention back to this breath right now.

And now step three,

Broadening the focus of your attention around the breath to take in the whole body.

The whole space that the body takes up.

And becoming aware of all of the sensations that there might be in the body.

Holding them in spaciousness of bodily awareness.

As if your whole body was breathing.

And if there are any particular parts of the body where there are intense sensations.

See if it is possible to be open to these.

Perhaps guiding the breath into this place.

And allowing it to open and soften.

And as we bring this three minute breathing space to a close.

Also bringing this awareness.

This sense of spaciousness.

Into the next moments of your day.