Hello and welcome.
This is a mindful practice with progressing space between the guidance.
Find your comfortable position,
One of dignity that will help you stabilise your mind and rest your body.
You might like to sit,
Stand or lay down.
Find a position that will allow you to remain aware and awake for the next 10 minutes as you practice focusing your attention,
Being present to your mind,
Body and breath.
As you settle into your place,
Rest your eyes downward.
Notice any tension in your body and feel free to stretch or flex the muscles to help you relax a little more into the space.
Help your body settle into your intention to meditate now.
Notice your body without criticism or judgment.
Be aware of how you are showing up in this moment.
Be present to whatever is here with an open heart,
Mind and body.
For these few minutes practice focusing on your breath and your sensations moment to moment.
Nothing is right or wrong.
We are practicing the skill of paying attention with awareness.
Bring your curiosity to this mindfulness practice,
A sense of wonder about your own mind,
Body and breath.
In the gradually extending spaces of the practice,
Pay attention to your breath as the anchor that stabilises your attention.
Whenever you notice your mind has lost its focus on the breath and has wandered off following a thought,
An emotion or any sensation,
That is your moment of awareness,
Your moment of mindfulness.
In that moment and each of the moments,
Choose to return to observing your breath,
Anchoring your attention,
Flexing your focus muscle.
This is mindfulness practice.
Returning your attention over and over to your chosen focus.
In this case your breath.
There's no need for criticism or judgment.
You are simply practicing repeating your intention for moment to moment presence.
Each time you become aware,
Tune into what is happening in the present moment and build your skill.
Showing up to practice is already of value,
Whatever happens in the practice itself.
Go gently,
Observe with wonder and curiosity and be present in each moment.
Let's turn now from our thinking minds to our breath.
Notice your body breathing itself.
Breathing if you can through your nose,
Focusing on the experience of breathing.
You might focus on the feeling of the air at your nostrils,
The movement of your chest or your abdomen.
Observe the inhalation,
The natural pause,
The exhalation and another pause before the next breath.
Notice each breath as a new unique experience.
Breathing in and breathing out,
Paying attention to every part of the breath.
Breathing in,
Pause and breathing out and pause.
Breathing in,
Pause and breathing out,
Pause.
Continuing to focus on your breath as you breathe in,
Pause,
Breathe out,
Pause.
As the observer witnessing each part of the breath with curiosity and wonder.
And if your mind has followed a thought,
Notice where your mind is now and choose to return to the breath.
Settle your attention again,
Gently observing the breath as it is.
Continuing to observe as you breathe in and out.
Noticing your posture and perhaps lifting yourself,
Centering your body,
Stabilizing.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Perhaps a sensation or an emotion has distracted you and caught your attention.
Take a moment to smile,
To notice with gratitude your body sending these messages.
Perhaps you'd even like to smile to yourself about where your attention goes or what has happened in this experience.
And now gently,
Warmly returning to your breath again without any commentary about what you should be doing or should be being.
A simple redirection back to the practice.
Breathing in,
Pausing,
Breathing out and pausing.
Continuing to observe as you breathe in and breathe out.
Observing the breath,
Practicing paying attention.
Breath that comes and goes,
Thoughts that come and go,
Emotions that come and go,
Sensations that come and go,
And breath that comes and goes.
Paying attention with awareness in the present moment,
Moment to moment.
Breathing in and breathing out.
In a few moments you'll hear a bell which will bring the practice to a close.
Thank you for your practice today and may you be well.
