Welcome my friends to your sitting meditation with breath.
This meditation guides you through a traditional sitting meditation with breath as the primary object of awareness.
So go ahead and take some time to arrange yourself in a comfortable but attentive posture.
It might be helpful to sit up without leaning back for support if that's possible for you.
And at a time and a place where you won't be disturbed.
Sitting in such a way that supports dignity in your posture.
With your head balanced on your shoulders and your arms and hands relaxing in a comfortable position.
This is a time for allowing yourself to switch from a normal mode of doing,
Moving,
Reacting.
To one of simply just being.
And just being attentive of what's happening within your own experience right now.
And so we'll begin by just noticing the sensations of breath.
As your breath currently is in your body right now.
Noticing how your abdomen moves on each in-breath and out-breath.
The sensation of that expanding and contracting.
Noticing the movement of air through your nostrils.
Perhaps even noticing the temperature of the air as it comes in through your nostrils.
And maybe detecting a slight change of temperature as the air comes out of your nostrils.
Maybe even detecting a slight movement of your chest and shoulders.
As your breath moves in and out of your body.
Just bringing your awareness to whichever part of your breath cycle.
Whether that's the inhale or that slight pause at the top.
Or your exhale.
And the slight pause at the bottom.
Whichever part of this cycle is most vivid.
And wherever in your body you feel it the strongest.
Whether it's your tummy,
Your nostrils,
Your shoulders and chest.
And just letting your awareness settle here.
On the part of your breath and the part of your body where it is the most vivid.
And every time your mind begins to wander off.
Doing what the mind does.
Just notice that you've wandered.
The mind has wandered.
And gently bring yourself back to your breath.
Without being too hard on yourself for having wandered.
And maybe if it's available to you.
Beginning to expand your awareness to include the entire cycle of your breath.
From the movement of the air coming in.
Filling the lungs,
Extending the abdomen.
To that moment of pause before the movement of air begins to go out.
And the moment of pause at the bottom.
All one breath.
One movement.
Even through the changing of direction.
Seeing to what degree you can be aware of the whole entire cycle.
Recognizing that each part of the cycle is different from the other.
And this time through the cycle may be different than the last time through.
Each one completely unique in its own way.
And yet all part of one cyclic movement of breath.
Seeing if it's possible for you to ride this wave of breath.
And you might begin to notice from time to time.
Your attention shifting away from the breath.
And that is totally normal.
The mind may wander into fantasies or memories.
Thoughts of the day.
Worries you might have.
And without giving yourself a hard time.
Gently but firmly bring your awareness back.
But firmly bring your awareness back.
To the sensations of breathing.
The physical experience of breath.
As it moves through your body in this wave.
Each time being aware of where the mind goes.
And then gently coming back.
To your sensations of breath.
And this is the whole practice.
Breathing and noticing that we are breathing.
And then drifting away.
Noticing that we've drifted away.
And then coming back.
To noticing that we are breathing.
Letting the quality of your attention be light and easy.
One of simply noticing.
As if you are gently floating.
On an undulating sea.
Where you are up with one breath and down with the next.
Not trying to control the duration of each wave.
Or the depth between the waves.
You are just riding.
Riding the entire cycle.
One breath after another.
There is nothing to do here.
We are just riding the waves that are here.
Being curious and available.
To the breath that is here.
And resting here.
On this undulating sea of breath.
And when you are ready.
Gently allowing your eyes to flutter open if they were closed.
Letting some light in.
Bringing some gentle movement into your body.
Shifting or stretching in whatever way feels comfortable and good.
And taking one final breath to seal your practice.
With a moment of thanks to yourself.
For doing this work today.
May this practice benefit all beings everywhere.
Take care.
