Hello,
My name is Stephen Proctor.
During this mindfulness meditation exercise we train the MIDL skill of expanding the whole breath.
Start out by taking a meditation posture.
Now close your eyes over lightly.
And start off by being aware of what it feels like just to be here.
Now allow your breathing to happen naturally,
Not controlling it in any way.
Just be gently aware of the sensations of the movement of the breath.
Being aware from the tip of the nose,
Through your chest,
Deep down into your belly and as the breath goes all the way back out again.
Breath comes in.
Breath comes out.
Now start to be aware of how you experience the breathing as it moves through your body.
Be aware of the breath within your head,
In your shoulders.
Gently bring your attention down to your arms.
Notice that you can also experience the breathing here,
Right down to the tips of your fingers.
Being aware of the breathing as it comes in and as it goes out.
Notice the movement of the breath in the upper part of your body as an expanding and contracting feeling.
Now gently move your awareness down to your belly.
Notice how you can also experience the breathing here.
Move your awareness down into your hips and legs.
Notice how the breathing can be experienced here also.
You can feel them expand and contract with each breath.
Notice,
After each expanding in-breath,
There's a falling contracting feeling within your body on the out-breath.
Be aware of your whole body expanding on the in-breath,
Contracting on the out-breath.
There is no part of your body that doesn't contain the experience of breathing.
Now gently start to widen your awareness throughout your body.
Being aware of the feeling of the in-breath and the out-breath as they move through your body.
Notice how they can be felt throughout your whole body.
Feeling the breath in your shoulders and upper back.
They can be experienced also in your arms,
Hips and legs,
Down to your toes.
As the breath comes in,
There's an expanding feeling throughout your body.
As your breath goes out,
You may feel your body contract backwards towards your heart's center.
Be aware of the full length of the in-breath throughout your body.
Be aware of the full feeling of expanding.
Be open to any sounds,
Thoughts,
Memories,
Sensations that appear.
Be open to all your senses.
Breath comes in,
Body expands out,
Awareness expands out.
Open to all experience,
Allow everything to be.
Soften into everything.
Open into your heart's center.
This dance of opening,
Of softening unifies heart and mind.
Everything's heart and mind together as one.
Open,
Soften.
Open,
Soften.
Now gently bring your awareness back into your body,
Into the feeling of just being here.
Now when you're ready,
You can gently open your eyes.
Be aware of seeing.
Be aware of being in the room.
Thank you for spending this time meditating with me.
Take care of yourself and goodbye.
