Welcome to today's short breath work practice.
Breath work is a powerful tool that can help you to connect to your body,
Calm your mind,
Energize your spirit.
And so today we'll focus on a simple technique that you can use anytime that you might need to center yourself,
Boost your energy,
Or maybe reduce some stress.
So let's begin by finding a comfortable seated position.
You might sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground or on the floor with your legs crossed.
I encourage you to sit up tall to elongate the spine and to relax your shoulders down and away from your ears.
Rest your hands on your lap or your knees,
Palms facing up or down,
Whatever feels right for you.
And if it feels comfortable,
Gently closing down the eyes and taking a deep breath in.
And then exhaling slowly,
Allowing yourself to be here now.
Begin by just simply observing your breath,
Noticing its natural rhythm without trying to change it.
Tune in to the cool air entering your nostrils as you inhale.
And notice the slightly warmer air leaving your nostrils as you exhale.
And as you continue to observe your breath,
Notice the rise and fall of your chest or the gentle expansion and contraction of your belly.
Allow yourself to become fully present with each breath,
Letting go of any distractions or thoughts by being here now.
Bring in your awareness to where the breath feels most alive in your body.
And now we'll begin to deepen the breath.
Inhaling deeply through your nose,
Drawing the breath all the way down into your belly.
And feeling your belly expand like a balloon as you breathe in.
And when you reach the top of the inhale,
Pause for a moment,
Gently holding the breath.
And then exhale slowly and completely through your nose,
Allowing your belly to soften and contract as the air flows out.
Let's continue with this deep,
Mindful breathing.
Inhale deeply through your nose,
Expanding in the belly.
Pause for a moment.
And exhale slowly,
Releasing any tension with the breath.
And it's very natural for the mind to wander.
And if it does wander,
Just gently bringing it back.
Bringing your awareness back to the sensations of your breath,
The rise and fall of your belly,
And the calming rhythm you're creating.
And now we're going to energize the breath a little.
And we'll do this by increasing the pace of your breathing.
And we'll do this by increasing the pace slightly,
Whilst maintaining deep,
Full breaths.
And so inviting you to inhale deeply through your nose,
Expanding your belly.
And then exhale quickly and a bit more forcibly through your nose,
Pulling your belly in as you exhale.
Inhale deeply.
And exhale forcefully.
Inhale.
And exhale.
Continuing like this with the breath,
Finding a rhythm that feels energizing but comfortable for you.
And just a few more cycles of this breath.
Returning now to your normal breathing.
Just allowing your breath to settle naturally.
And taking a moment here to notice how you feel.
Seeing if it can connect to a sense of energy.
Also a sense of calmness in your body,
Clarity in your mind maybe.
Maybe noticing subtle or not-so-subtle changes in body and mind from the simple breathing practice that's always available to you.
A tool that you can use to relax,
To find your focus or to ground yourself.
And when you're ready,
Just taking one last deep breath in.
And exhaling slowly.
And when you feel ready,
Just taking one last deep breath in.
Slowly,
Gently opening your eyes.
And bringing the sense of calm and energy with you as you move through the rest of your day.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
I hope it's been a worthwhile practice for you.
And I hope to see you again soon.
