Welcome to the Owl and the Coconuts recording of the mindfulness practice,
The three stage breathing space.
This meditation is about five minutes long.
Find yourself a space where you can be for five minutes undisturbed and sitting in a chair so you feel alert and ready to practice mindfulness.
Perhaps with your feet flat on the floor and your posture in an upright and alert position.
And bring in your awareness to any bodily sensations,
Noticing what's happening in your body right now.
Feel your posture.
Become aware of any aches or pains or any pleasant sensations.
And just accept them as they are,
Just for now.
Notice what emotions are present right now.
Notice the feelings in your heart or in your belly area or wherever you can feel emotions right now.
And just accepting them as they are,
Just for now.
And bring in awareness to any thoughts passing through your mind.
Becoming aware of those thoughts and the space between the thoughts rather than getting caught up in them.
Now focusing your attention on your breath in your belly area in the lower abdomen.
Maybe placing a hand on the lower belly to feel the sensations here as you breathe in and breathe out.
Perhaps noticing the stretching of the skin on the belly as you breathe in and the gentle release on the out breath.
You don't need to change the rate of your breathing.
Just be mindful of it in a warm,
Curious and friendly way.
And notice how each breath is slightly different.
And if your mind wanders away,
Gently but firmly guide your attention back to your breath at the belly.
Maybe appreciating how precious each breath is.
Now expanding your awareness around the breath to include a sense of the body as a whole,
Breathing.
Just being aware of whatever is here,
The breath,
Sensations in the face,
Your posture,
Any sensations in the body.
An awareness of the whole body from your outer skin to your centre and the breath.
Noticing a sense of spaciousness.
As you sit here with a sense of spaciousness,
See if you can take this into the moment as you gently open your eyes and bring the practice to a close.
