The most important skill you were never taught.
Your attention shapes your life but in a world that is designed to steal it,
Staying present is harder than ever.
This practice rewires your brain and it rewires your mind,
Not just for meditation,
But for life.
So find a posture that supports both ease and attention.
Bring awareness to your breathing.
Where do you feel your breath?
The tip of the nose?
The belly?
Where is it most vivid for you?
Take your attention there.
At some point your mind will wander but this is not failure,
This is the training.
Every time you notice your mind has wandered and then return your attention back to your breath,
You are strengthening the skill of attention,
Just like a muscle.
So we use the breath as an anchor for the attention,
As a base for the attention,
As a place to return to.
We notice the in-breath and we notice the out-breath and we notice the wandering and we return.
Attention on the breath.
Fall into distraction.
Notice the distraction.
Return to the breath.
Resting with the breath.
Fall into distraction.
Notice the distraction.
Return to the breath.
Resting with the breath.
Strengthening this skill of attention can serve us in daily life,
When your mind is drifting in a conversation,
When distractions pull you from what matters.
The ability to notice and return puts you back in control,
Where life is happening.
So when the attention drifts,
Simply come back.
No judgement,
No frustration,
Just returning again and again and again.
Just resting with the breath.
Sometimes the mind is quiet,
Sometimes the mind is very busy,
Depending on what's happening in your life.
Just noticing when distracted,
Returning the attention back to the breath.
Feeling the breath,
Noticing the sensations of the breath.
Feeling the breath just in this moment.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Where is your attention right now?
Come back to the breath.
Is the breath long or short?
Is it deep or shallow?
Is it cool or warm?
Pleasant or unpleasant?
Is it fast or slow?
Be curious.
Be interested,
Attentive of the breathing and each time your mind has drifted and you notice this is to be celebrated.
You have noticed your mind,
Your thoughts and all that is left to be done is to pick up the breath.
This subtle,
Delicate,
Effortless noticing of the breathing.
Resting with the breath.
How this process can serve us here in a formal meditation but also serves as the foundation for developing all the skills of emotional intelligence.
So letting go of the breath,
Preparing to bring this practice to a close.
When you are ready you can open your eyes,
Bring some movement to your body and proceed with your day.
Thank you for your practice.
