I invite you to find a comfortable seat in a place where you won't be distracted.
You may choose to sit cross-legged on the floor or perhaps on a chair with your feet flat on the ground,
Making sure you are warm and comfortable.
If needed,
Place a small cushion under your sit bones to help your spine elongate,
Sitting up nice and straight,
Yet relaxed and alert.
Now gently close your eyes.
We'll begin with three deep breaths to help you settle into your body.
Inhale deeply through your nose,
Filling your chest,
Your belly,
And sigh it out through your mouth,
Feeling your body soften and relax into the ground beneath you.
Take another deep breath in through your nose,
Filling your body completely,
And exhale fully through the mouth,
Softening further.
One last time,
If you'd like,
Lift your shoulders up towards your ears as you inhale,
Deeply squeezing them.
Hold your breath for just a moment,
And as you sigh it out,
Allow your shoulders to drop,
Creating space between your ears and your shoulders,
Softening your neck.
Now gently close your mouth,
Allowing your breath to flow naturally in and out through your nose.
We will begin with a simple breath count exercise,
A triangle breath.
We will inhale for the count of five,
Hold for a count of six,
And exhale for a count of seven.
If you prefer,
You can lengthen the counts slightly,
But always ensure your exhale is longer than your inhale.
So beginning together,
Inhale through your nose,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Exhale through your nose,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
And again,
Inhale deeply,
Hold,
Exhale,
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale,
And now allow your rhythm to come back to a gentle breath flowing in and out through your nose in equal time,
And just bringing your awareness to your face,
Your nose as your breath comes in and out through your nose.
Notice the coolness on the inhale,
A little warmth on the exhale,
As you move your awareness from your nose up to your forehead,
Allowing the frown lines to soften and melt away.
Sensing the skin around your eyes relaxing,
Cheeks softening,
Jaw softening and relaxing.
Allow any tension in your forehead and temples to melt away,
Bring your awareness to the top of your head,
The crown,
And as you breathe in,
Feel a sense of spaciousness and ease.
As you exhale,
Imagine your breath gently washing down the back of your head,
Down your spine,
Softening your whole body.
With each inhale,
You breathe into another part of your body,
Travelling from your shoulders down through arms.
Each exhale,
Allow the breath to relax you just a little more,
Allowing the breath to move through your chest,
Your spine,
Your torso,
Hips,
Pelvis and legs,
Feeling grounded and supported by the earth beneath you.
And now,
Bring your focus purely back to your breath.
Choose a place in your body where you can notice your breath most clearly,
Perhaps at the tip of your nose or your heart centre,
The expansion and contraction of your ribs.
Choosing your anchor point and rest your attention there.
Simply notice your breath as it expands naturally,
As it relaxes and surrenders.
If you feel your mind wander,
Gently acknowledge it without judgement,
Say softly to yourself,
Nice,
I noticed,
And guide your attention back to your chosen anchor point.
No frustration,
No attachment.
Each time you notice your mind has wandered,
Celebrate your awareness and again say,
Nice,
I noticed,
And gently return to your breath.
Notice the simple rhythm,
The expansion,
The contraction,
The healing breath moving through your body.
Know that each moment of focused attention is strengthening the muscles of your mind,
Building clarity,
Focus and resilience.
Now,
Dropping your awareness into your heart space,
Notice the fullness of your chest,
The expansion as you breathe in and allow this area to be filled with gratitude and kindness towards yourself.
Acknowledge the simple gift you've given yourself by being here,
Still and quiet.
Each time you sit in stillness,
You are building your inner strength,
Training your mind,
Healing your body and nurturing your spirit,
Inviting this sense of presence and peace to carry you through the rest of your day or evening.
And now gently lower your chin towards your chest,
Inviting a soft stretch through your neck.
Breathing in deeply as you begin to open your eyes,
Let the light back in.
Lifting your head,
Taking one last deep breath in through your nose and sigh it out softly,
Knowing that you are ready for whatever comes your way.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
