Welcome to this focused attention practice.
We will use the breath as the focus for our attention in this meditation.
The invitation is to stay with the breath as best we can and when distractions arise to bring the focus back to the breath.
This recurring pattern of distraction and refocusing trains the ability to notice distractions and refocus yourself.
Start by finding a posture that feels both relaxed and alert.
You can place your feet on the floor and put your hands on your lap or on your thighs.
Come forward a bit in your chair without leaning,
Lengthening the spine and releasing tension in the shoulders,
Jaw area,
Or wherever you perceive tension at this moment.
Bring the chin slightly towards the chest so that the neck can relax as well.
You can close your eyes or soften your gaze without focusing on anything in particular.
Now bring attention to your breath.
Where do you feel your breath most vividly at the moment?
Perhaps at the tip of your nose where the breath is coming in and out,
In your chest expanding and contracting,
Or in your belly rising and falling.
Wherever in your body you feel the breath most vividly,
Direct your attention there.
You can think of this point as an anchor for your attention to which you can return at any time.
After some time,
You will notice that your attention is wandered.
It's quite normal for distractions to come up that draw your attention away from your chosen focal point.
Whenever you notice that you're distracted by thoughts,
Sounds,
Or bodily sensations,
Simply return to your breath,
To your anchor,
With kindness and curiosity.
Thoughts coming,
Thoughts going.
See if you can let them pass and return to the breath.
Just be an observer of your thoughts.
If it supports you,
You may count your breaths,
For example counting each exhale from 1 to 10.
When you notice that your attention is wandered,
Simply begin again at 1.
Can you be gentle with yourself as you bring your attention back to the breath?
You Now let go of the counting practice and bring your full attention back to your breath.
Stay focused on the breath as best you can for a few more moments.
To conclude this practice,
Take a deep,
Nourishing breath.
Gently open your eyes,
Feel free to stretch or move slightly,
Whatever your body needs right now.
I invite you to integrate the focused attention from this meditation into the rest of your day,
And you may want to finish by thanking yourself for the time that you took to do this practice.
Take care.
