Breathing Anchor

This meditation invites you to take your awareness to the sensations and movements of your body as you breathe. Observing your natural breath and using this as an 'anchor' to return to again and again when your mind wonders. Please Note: If focusing on the breath is uncomfortable you may wish to focus on the sensations in the hands or the feet or skip over this particular practice.

Transcript

The breathing anchor meditation.

Begin by finding a comfortable position,

Whatever works best for you right now.

The main thing here is that you are alert,

So sitting upright,

And relaxed and comfortable.

Beginning to settle into your position,

Closing the eyes if that's comfortable,

Becoming aware of the body,

Being held and supported by gravity,

Receiving that support,

Arriving in this moment,

And noticing what's here for you now,

And beginning to become aware of the sensations of the breath in the body,

Natural breath,

No need to change anything or force anything,

Just letting the breath breathe itself.

Where do you feel the breath most strongly?

Being curious about these sensations,

Perhaps you can feel it in the belly,

As it gently expands on the in-breath,

And subsides on the out-breath.

Perhaps you can notice the breath in the chest,

As it gently rises and falls.

What about the back of the body?

Can you notice any sensations of the breath here?

It's probably more subtle.

Perhaps you can notice sensations of the breath in the lower back,

Or the rib cage.

Perhaps you've noticed that your mind has wandered,

And that's okay,

It's normal to think.

When we notice that the mind's wandered,

We can gently invite it back to the felt sensations of the breath in the body.

We might need to do this a few times,

And that's okay,

That's the practice.

Remembering to be very kind and patient with yourself.

Thoughts arise,

We notice them,

And we gently invite ourselves back.

Noticing sensations of the breath perhaps in the nostrils,

Or the mouth.

What's that like?

Perhaps you can notice that it's cooler on the in-breath,

And warmer on the out-breath.

Can you allow your awareness to rest here,

Moment to moment?

We're not thinking about the breath,

We're feeling it.

It's more receptive.

Slowly beginning to broaden out our awareness now.

Sense of the whole breath in the whole body.

Coming aware of this body sitting here.

Any sounds around you?

Now letting go of any effort.

Just resting here for a few moments.

Noticing how you feel now.

And when you're ready,

Opening the eyes.