Breathing space.
This meditation is guided by Elis Riutta,
South Coast Mindfulness.
In the breathing space we approach our experience in three steps.
We begin the breathing space by making a deliberate change in posture.
Finding now a posture that represents dignity and wakefulness to you.
Lengthening the spine without tensing the back.
Lifting the shoulders and letting them drop.
Opening the chest.
And if it's possible and feels comfortable,
Closing the eyes.
Step one of the breathing space is to become aware,
Really aware of your experience in this moment.
Focusing your awareness inwards and asking,
What is my experience right now?
What thoughts are here?
Acknowledging thoughts as mental events.
Perhaps naming some that are here,
But not getting into thinking about what you notice.
What feelings are here?
Acknowledging whatever feelings you find,
Whether pleasant,
Unpleasant or neutral in their tone.
This is how it is right now.
What body sensations are present?
Perhaps briefly scanning the body,
Noting any specific sensations that can be felt right now.
Including any feelings of tightness or tension.
Getting a sense of what is going on right now.
Next,
In the step two,
Beginning to gather your attention to the movements of the lower abdomen.
The sensations of the movement of the breath on the abdominal wall and the belly.
Sensations of stretching with the in-breath and releasing with the out-breath.
Sensations of expanding and widening with the in-breath.
Sensations of deflation and settling back with the out-breath.
Do the best you can,
Letting your attention to rest gently on the breath as it moves in and out,
And on its changing sensations.
Following the breath all the way in,
And following the breath all the way out.
Using the experience of breathing to help to anchor you into this moment.
And whenever the mind wanders,
Just bringing yourself back patiently to the breath.
The step three.
Expanding your field of awareness now,
So that you sense the body as a whole.
Including the sensations of the breath.
The sense of your posture.
The sensations on your face,
Whether there is tension or softness on the face.
Sensing how your hands are placed.
And if you are sitting,
Feeling your buttocks pressed gently against the seat.
What is the felt sense on your feet,
The contact of the soles with the ground,
And how the whole body feels.
If you become aware of any form of discomfort or resistance in the body,
Gently examining what and where it can be felt.
Letting your breath gently begin to flow into this area of tension.
Guiding in-breath into the sensation or to its edges.
And breathing out of them from the out-breath.
Breathing into the sensation and breathing out from it.
Perhaps feeling softening and releasing with each out-breath.
But not forcing any specific state.
Not even relaxation.
The best you can,
Bringing this spacious,
Allowing awareness to the next moments of your day.
