Throughout this practice,
We will be anchoring our awareness on our breath,
Feeling how the breath moves in the body and also cultivating gratitude for our breath.
Think of how much the breath provides to us without any attention.
We couldn't even experience this present moment if it weren't for the breath.
Not only do our bodies have to work in order for us to receive our breath to the fullest,
But nature needs to work before our bodies can even make use of its oxygen.
The ultimate source of our being through our breath is nature,
And this deserves our deepest gratitude.
As we breathe together with nature,
We are reminded of our interconnectivity,
Our oneness with all that is around us.
Every moment we can experience this connection.
As John Muir reminds us,
To lovers of the wild,
These mountains are not 100 miles away.
Their spiritual power and the goodness of the sky make them near as a circle of friends.
You cannot feel yourself out of doors.
Plain sky and mountains re-beauty what you feel.
You bathe in these spirit beings,
Turning round and round as if warming at a campfire.
Presently,
You lose consciousness of your own separate existence.
You blend with the landscape and become part and parcel of nature.
Use this practice to connect to your breath and to show gratitude to yourself and to the earth.
You'll begin your practice by making sure you feel settled in your seat,
Making any last adjustments so that you feel supported.
Gently closing your eyes,
We'll begin by taking three deep settling breaths.
Fully inhale,
Filling up the lungs,
And then slowly exhale,
And then slowly exhale,
Fully inhale,
Filling up the lungs,
And exhale,
Letting all the air out of the body.
Again,
Inhale,
Filling the belly,
Rising the chest,
And exhale.
One last time,
Inhale,
Feel as if you're filling the entire body with air,
Holding at the top,
Exhaling all the air out,
Letting out a little sigh if that feels right.
As you settle in for your practice,
Can you first bring your awareness to the sounds around you?
Maybe you can hear traffic outside,
Maybe there are some other noises in your home,
Just letting our awareness rest in the sounds,
Not feeling the need to attach ourselves to any one sound in particular.
Gently closing your eyes,
Filling up the lungs,
Filling up the lungs,
And then slowly exhaling,
Filling up the lungs,
Filling up the lungs,
Turning your awareness to your body.
What sensations can you feel in your body right now?
Maybe you can feel the air against your skin,
Your hands as they rest in your lap,
Feeling the weight of the body in your seat,
As if the earth is rising up to support you.
If you're noticing any tension left in your body,
See if you can send your breath there,
Expanding the area on your inhale,
And on your exhale letting any tension melt away.
Focusing on the breath,
What sensations do you feel as you breathe?
Feel the coolness of the breath on your nostrils as you inhale,
And the warm breath in the back of your throat as you exhale.
Simply bringing curiosity to each breath as it moves in the body.
If at any point the breath is not pleasant or neutral,
Shift your awareness back to sound if that's more comfortable for you.
Focus on the space between the breaths,
These tiny moments of stillness.
Bringing your awareness to these spaces,
There's no need to lengthen or hold these pauses,
But let your attention softly focus here.
All movement arises from such moments of stillness.
Our breath guides our awareness to the present moment.
When our minds attach themselves to thought,
We can use the breath as a reminder to be in the here and now.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know I am breathing out.
If our minds have wandered,
Practice gratitude for the awareness of wandering.
It's an opportunity in itself to awaken.
Labeling it quietly in the mind as awake,
Awake,
Awake.
Breathing in,
I am grateful.
Breathing out,
I am grateful.
Feel into the sensation of gratitude.
What does it feel like in the body to be grateful?
Once the feeling of gratitude is identified,
Practice letting it fill into the body.
Expanding the feeling of gratitude with every breath we take.
Place one hand on the heart,
Feeling connected to this loving energy,
As if you're holding in the gratitude containing it.
Placing the other hand on the ground,
Connected to the earth beneath us,
Feeling supported,
Held.
As we hold this posture,
Feel the energy of gratitude exchange between the body and the earth.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing out.
Breathing out,
I am feeling supported.
Breathing out,
I am feeling supported.
Breathing out,
I am feeling supported.
Breathing out,
I am feeling supported.
We are connected to all that is around us.
Our consciousness is a gift because it allows us to deeply understand our connectedness.
We are connected to all that is around us.
We are connected to all that is around us.
Beginning to deepen your breath again.
Feel it moving throughout the body,
Expanding the lungs,
Rising the chest.
Maybe introducing some small movement,
Wiggling the fingers or toes,
Bringing our awareness back into the room,
Back into the body.
When you're ready,
You can slowly open your eyes and move forward in your day with the gratitude you've created in this practice.
