Keeping Up By Slowing Down

Today's theme is slowing down. Slowing down is more important than ever. We live in a "go, go, go" society, where nothing is ever enough. We are always running, trying to keep up with one another. With this kind of pressure, mindfulness can center you. It can remind you to slow down and breathe. How often do you forget just to breathe?

Transcript

Welcome to the Mindfulness Paired with Music series.

I'm Rachel Korb and this is Somehow We Keep Up by Slowing Down.

In life we're always trying to keep up,

But no matter how fast we run,

It never feels like enough.

But what you're doing is enough.

Today I'd like to invite you to slow down,

To walk instead of run.

It begins with a breath.

It's always moving,

Yet it's always there as an anchor,

A place to stop and center yourself.

There is nothing to figure out,

No problems to solve,

And nothing special to do.

Begin by finding a comfortable position and allow the eyes to close or softly gaze past your nose.

Notice the breath.

Is it fast and shallow,

Slow and deep,

Or somewhere in between?

Now find the breath that's right for you.

Not too fast,

Not too slow.

Welcome the natural rhythm without forcing it.

You'll know when you've found the breath that's right for you because you'll feel a sense of relief or release in the body.

Bring your awareness to the belly.

As you inhale,

Notice the rising of the belly.

As you exhale,

Notice the falling of the belly.

Deepen the breath and continue to observe the rising and falling.

Bring your awareness to the chest.

As you inhale,

Feel the expansion of the lungs and chest.

As you exhale,

Feel the contraction.

Deepen the breath and continue to observe the expansion and contraction.

Bring your attention to the nostrils.

As you inhale,

Notice the temperature of the air as it enters the nostrils.

As you exhale,

Notice the temperature of the air as it exits.

Deepen the breath to see what's present for you.

Now rest your awareness on one of these three spots,

The belly,

The chest,

Or the nostrils.

Continue to observe each inhalation and exhalation.

When the mind wanders,

Gently guide your focus back to the breath.

Deepening the breath for a couple moments can help.

Before we finish today's practice,

Take note of the breath.

How is it different from when we started?

Know that the breath is always here for you.

It's a place of calm,

Of center.

It's a place that can invite you to walk rather than run.