During this mindfulness training we will develop the skill of observing breathing free from control.
Start out by taking your meditation posture.
Now close your eyes over lightly and start to be aware of what it feels like just to be here.
Becoming aware of any sounds around you.
Now gently bringing your awareness into your body.
Into the experience of just sitting here.
Now close your eyes.
Becoming aware of any warmth or coolness within your body.
Putting them gently in mind.
Also become aware of the place where your body touches the chair or the floor.
Grounding.
Now open your awareness to your whole body just sitting here.
Relax your chest and belly.
Allow your breathing to flow freely.
Feeling the flow of sensations within the breathing.
The breath comes in.
The breath goes out.
All the way in.
And all the way out.
And all the way out.
Now we're going to start a training to learn how to observe your natural breathing free from control,
Free from strain.
Bringing your awareness to the natural flow of the whole breath within your body.
Mentally feeling this flow.
The breath comes in.
The breath goes out.
And all the way out.
On the next out breath I'd like you to gently breathe out all the way and wait for the breath to come in by itself.
Notice that when the breath comes in by itself it is now smooth,
Relaxed and light.
It's your breathing free from control,
A natural breath.
Now,
Notice any tightness or tension that starts to appear within your breathing.
Tightness or tension is a sign of habitual control or of over effort during the meditation.
On the next out breath gently breathe out,
Relax and wait.
Waiting for the breath to come in naturally.
When the breath draws in naturally by itself,
Notice its lightness,
Its smoothness,
Its clarity and beauty.
How long can you observe the natural breath for without interfering with it?
Now notice any tension or tension that starts to appear within your breathing.
Notice any tightness or tension appearing within your breathing.
Mentally feeling it.
On the next out breath gently breathe out,
Relax and wait for the breath to come in naturally by itself.
Each time you do this,
See how long you can observe the breathing without interfering with it,
Without changing it in any way.
Without a tightening.
Can you notice any tightness or tension within the flow of your breathing?
Tightness or tension is a sign of habitual control.
Can you feel any tightness or tension around the base of your throat?
Maybe in your upper chest or belly?
If so,
Relax.
Now notice any tension or tension between your body and your body.
Any time you notice any mental effort or strain,
Relax that effort,
Relax that strain.
Soften into the tension.
Now notice any tension or tension between your body and your body.
Notice that when you soften the watching,
Relax the watching,
There is a softening of the breathing itself.
Notice this relationship between the relaxing of the watching,
The relaxing of the breathing,
The relaxing of the doing,
The relaxing of the body and the breath.
Now notice any tension or tension between the body and the breathing.
Now start to tune into the flow of the complete breath within your body.
Mentally feeling the flow.
Becoming present within your breathing.
Now notice any tension or tension between your body and your body.
Allowing this presence to make you very still and calm.
Now notice any tension or tension between your body and your body.
Allowing the stillness and calmness to arise within you.
Now notice any tension or tension between your body and your body.
Now notice any tension or tension between your body and your body.
Feeling this natural flow of the breathing throughout your body.
Relaxing all effort.
Relaxing at the end of each out breath.
Relaxing at the end of each out breath.
Each time you relax at the end of the out breath,
Relax and wait for the breath to draw in by itself again.
Experiencing the natural breath.
Relaxing at the end of each out breath.
Relaxing at the end of each out breath.
Relaxing at the end of each out breath.
Relaxing at the end of each out breath.
Relaxing at the end of each out breath.
Now bringing your awareness back into your body.
Becoming aware of the experience of just being here.
Becoming aware of any warmth or coolness within your body,
Holding them gently in mind.
Also becoming aware of the place where your body touches the chair or the floor,
Grounded.
Now start to be aware of any sounds around you,
Just allowing those sounds to come into you.
And when you're ready,
You can gently open your eyes.
Thank you for spending this time meditating with me.
Take care of yourself.
Have a wonderful day.
And goodbye.
