A Short Centering Practice

This 5-minute meditation allows the listener to take a short break to reground and re-center themselves. Attention is paid to the mind and the body; thoughts, emotions, and sensations. The breath is used to gather one's experience and drop into a more peaceful place.

The practice ends with awareness of the whole body in this present moment.

Transcript

The following is a short centering practice.

So let's begin by finding a comfortable posture in which you can be both relaxed and awake.

And you may choose to close your eyes or simply lower and soften your gaze.

And let's take this first moment just to check in with yourself.

What's present right now?

What thoughts are moving through your mind?

And are there any emotions in the background or perhaps in the foreground?

And how does your body feel in this moment?

Do you notice any areas of tension?

Perhaps areas of ease?

There's no need to change anything.

We're just bringing awareness to what is already here.

And now gently bring your attention to the sensation of breathing.

Feel the air moving in and out of your body.

You might notice the breath at the nostrils or the chest or in the rise and fall of the belly.

You can simply rest in the rhythm of the breath,

Moment by moment.

And if the mind wanders,

Gently bring it back to the breath without judgment.

Now,

Expanding your awareness outward again,

Feeling the breath in the whole body from the top of the head all the way down to the bottoms of the feet.

Sense your posture,

Your presence in this space.

And if there's any tension,

Just see if you can soften around it and see if it's possible to feel the support of the ground beneath you.

And as you prepare to return to your day,

Know that this moment of awareness is always available to you.

So gently begin opening your eyes if they were closed.

Take a breath and carry this awareness with you.