Breathe Here Now 2

By combining yogic three-part breathing with mindfulness meditation, we will be using the breath to bring us into the body and into the present moment so we can easily experience and explore the energy and presence of the body and the benefits to the mind and body of conscious breathing. Two-minute introduction and background waves.

Transcript

If it's the evening for you or if you're going to be sleeping soon, Then you probably want to do a fairly relaxing breath. So maybe just breathing with the diaphragm into the bottom of your lungs and not breathing in too deeply, Not too quickly. But if you're happy to feel more energized after the end of the meditation, If it's earlier in the day for you, Then you could try the full breath or the three part breath. So this is one I'll be doing. So for that one, The three parts are firstly, Breathing with the diaphragm. So that's breathing into the bottom of the lungs where your stomach rises as you breathe in. And then breathing with the ribs into the chest. That's the second part. And then the third part is to see if you can really breathe right into the top of the lungs. And just as to get to the base of the lungs, You can feel like you're breathing into the stomach, Although literally you're not breathing into the stomach, Then the stomach raises as you breathe into the base of the lungs. Then for the third part, I find it really useful, Helpful to feel like I'm breathing right to the top of my head. And I think that can help get it right up into the top of your lungs. And for the out breath, I didn't mention the out breath, Just release the out breath which is just a very natural, Relaxed out breath. And you can breathe through your nose or mouth for the inhale and the exhale. Again, Just what feels right for you. You can have your eyes open or closed. So I'm breathing with the diaphragm, With the ribs and then breathing feelings if I'm breathing right into the top of my head. And then just relaxing the out breath. It takes most effort at the beginning to get the breath going, But after a while it will become fairly effortless and habitual. So after you've got the breath going, Remember we also want to be more aware, More mindful of the present moment. So it's not just the breathing exercise, But the invitation is to really feel all the sensations in the body caused by the breath. So each time you breathe in, You may want to really feel like you're entering into your body, Becoming present in the body, Awareness as well as breath filling the body. Even if you're breathing gently and just into the base of the lungs, You can still feel like you're arriving into the body and your awareness is coming to the body with the in breath. Notice if there's any resistance to taking a nice full breath in to the body. And if there is, Seeing if you can let that go. And really exploring how the body feels as you're taking that oxygen deeply into the body. You can use the in breath to really help with your posture. As you take that breath in and up the body, It's a good opportunity to really straighten and lengthen the spine. What can you feel inside your body right now? Can you feel anything new? Any more energy? Any more sensations than normal? Is that a general feeling across the body or is there any sensations standing out in any particular part of the body? Can you feel comfortable really breathing into those sensations, Maybe even increasing them? How does it feel breathing right up to the top of the head? The breath can both energize and relax the body. So with the out breath, You may want to have that feeling of releasing and letting go into the present moment. Allowing the body and allowing yourself to come to rest in the present moment. Relaxing into just being with the body right here and now. If you allow the spine to lengthen and straighten as you breathe in. As you breathe out you can allow the muscles to become loose and relaxed, Supported by the structure of the spine and the bones of the body. You are both alert and relaxed. Present and just in a state of being. As we breathe in we are taking in all the things the body needs and as we breathe out we are letting go of all the things the body doesn't need. So really giving your body and yourself complete permission to be 100% present now. Really feel the body in the present moment. Don't allow any part of the body to hold back from being fully present. Perhaps beginning to notice just how much the body enjoys taking in that oxygen. Letting the body really come alive as it becomes more present. You may also notice an increase in discomfort in some parts of the body as the breath and the energy flows through the body. That can heighten any areas of stress or tension or blockage. See if you can accept and allow those sensations also to be just as they are in this moment. And have that feeling of release and letting go allowing the out breath. If you get the feeling the body wants to stretch out a bit or move a bit allow that to happen. The more you breathe the more you may notice the capacity of your lungs gradually increases and you can breathe in even more, More easily. Remembering if it feels comfortable you can breathe right into the top of your head. Softening input into the shell is a keyups meditation on aerobic balance. Really allowing the breath into the body and releasing as you breathe out. Bringing awareness into the body, Allowing yourself to be fully present, To fully arrive in the body as you breathe out. Breathing in and out. Breathing out and out. Breathing in and out. Breathing in and out. Breathing out and out. Breathing in and out. Breathing in and out. Breathing really fully into the body, Maybe parts of the lungs that don't normally get so much breath so it may feel a little strange. Especially if you're breathing right into the top of your lungs. Breathing in and out. If you do feel at all dizzy or light headed or uncomfortable then just return to a natural, Easy breath. Remember to really explore all the sensations throughout the body. Allowing the body to move and stretch if that's what it feels it needs to do. Nice, Straight, Long stretched spine as you breathe all the way up the body. Allowing the muscles to relax as you breathe out, Supported by the spine and the other bones of the skeleton. Becoming alert and present as you breathe in and really releasing and relaxing as you breathe out. Allowing that extra energy to really flow well throughout the body, You don't just need to take more energy in. But also releasing and relaxing, Letting go of any blockages is what really allows that increased energy to flow freely through the body. So the out breath just as important as the in breath. Simply releasing and letting go of the out breath. Breathing in as fully as is comfortable for you right now. Probably find that the breath can pretty much continue on its own without any effort or input from yourself. As you compare tension more just to really being present with the body and really feeling the sensations arising from the breath in the body. As we move towards the end of the exercise, Maybe doing just that, Just releasing the breath to continue naturally, Automatically. And come to rest in the body and explore how the body feels now. Allowing the body to move and stretch. Smashing around any areas of tension or discomfort. Okay, So we'll begin to wind down, Bring the session to a close. So just allow the breath to gradually return to a normal, Gentle, Natural breath. This may take quite a while if you've been breathing in fairly deeply and fully. So you don't need to hasten that, It will just gradually happen. So really allow that to happen in its own time. And if there's any discomfort or emotions that have been maybe triggered or accentuated by the breath, Again just give those time to gradually, Gently calm and ease. Keep the breath going, Gently, Continuously. And really feel the connection with the body, Feel your feet on the floor, Feel nice and grounded and connected. Just give your emotions that time and space to gradually ease and release. You may want to pause for a few moments at the end of the out-breath and at the end of the in-breath. And in those pauses, Really go into the body, Really feel the sensations inside the body. Pausing at the end of the out-breath and really feeling the body. Breathing in when the body wants to, Pausing at the end of the in-breath and really going into the body. And releasing the breath when ready. And these pauses will also help the body return to its natural breath. Let's just spend another minute or two just enjoying the post-breath experience of just how the body feels now, So not making any more effort to breathe in any particular way or notice anything in particular. Just a minute or two between the end of the exercise and before we start doing anything else. As well as any changes in the body, Notice any changes in the mind and how you feel. Similar as to how it can be easy. Easier to just come to rest and just to be after a period of exercise, So too after some intentional breathing. The body and the mind is more likely to be content just to not feel agitated like it needs to do something. So make the most of that opportunity to just allow yourself just to be. No longer doing the breathing exercise, No longer meditating, But not yet going back into your normal activities. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay.

Reviews

This was my Christmas day practice. Soothing and easy to relax. Love the waves. Thank you!

I love this meditation Stephen! One of my favorites. And the ice cream 🍦 truck always makes me smile 😊, makes it so real, you know it’s a live recording ( I know, I was there!) and the ice cream truck re-enforces that reality.
🙏✨💛💫🕊😊