Starting with getting settled.
If you're sitting and sitting upright with equal pressure through both buttocks,
Tucking in your chin and just resting your hands wherever is comfortable for you.
That could be on your thighs,
On your lap,
Closing your eyes if it's comfortable for you to do so.
Alternatively having a soft down gaze with eyes half open,
Beginning to notice any sounds around you.
It might be close inside the room or perhaps they're outside or more distant.
But just allowing yourself to notice any sounds.
You don't have to notice any particular sound,
Just letting them come and go in your awareness as they arise.
At this point you might notice that your mind has wondered or that you've become thinking.
If so,
Just notice where your mind has gone.
Bring your awareness back to any sounds.
Now starting to notice what's happening in the body.
Start by noticing any points of contact.
It could be your bottom on your seat or cushion or your feet on the floor.
If you need to expand your awareness to the rest of the body,
You can do this by slowly scanning your body.
Starting at the top of the head and slowly moving down the body until you reach your toes.
No need to rush,
Just checking in with each part of the body as you scan down.
If you prefer you can just notice your whole body as a field of sensation.
There's no need to judge any sensations as good or bad or to try and change anything.
Just be aware of what's already here.
And bringing your attention to the breath.
Noticing how the breath feels in your body.
Being aware of the whole of the inhale that enters through your nose or mouth down into the belly.
And following it out,
Following the whole exhale as the breath leaves your body.
Noticing the pause at the end of each inhale and the end of each exhale.
As each breath flows into the next,
You might find it helpful to notice wherever you feel your breath most strongly.
This could be the cool air entering through your nose or mouth and the warm air exiting.
Or perhaps it's the rise and fall,
Expansion and contraction of your belly or chest.
There's no need to change your breath in any way.
No need to focus on your natural breath as it flows in and out of your body.
You might notice that your mind has wandered again.
If it has,
There's no need to judge yourself here,
To criticize yourself.
This is just the nature of the mind.
Just notice where the mind has gone and gently bring your attention to focus on the physical sensations of the breath.
Beginning to count the breath now.
Counting one on the in-breath,
One on the out-breath,
Two on the in-breath,
Two on the out-breath.
Continuing in this fashion until you reach ten.
And once you reach ten,
Start going over again at one.
If you get distracted,
Just picking up from whichever number you left off at.
If you have lost count,
Just starting over again at one.
Counting one on the in-breath,
One on the out-breath,
All the way up to ten.
When you reach ten,
Just start and go over again at one.
Your mind might wander over and over again.
Whenever you realize that this has happened,
You've got caught up in thinking.
Just gently return your awareness back to the physical sensations of the breath.
Back to the count.
If you find yourself caught up in thinking,
Don't try to push the thoughts away.
Don't try to stop thinking either.
This will just lead to more focus on the thoughts.
Just acknowledging any thoughts that arise as they are.
And gently bringing the attention back to the breath.
Back to the count.
And just continuing this way in silence for the next few moments.
Now letting go of any focus.
Just allowing the mind to do what it wants.
If it wants to think,
Let it think.
If it wants to rest,
Let it rest.
Just allowing the mind to do whatever it wants in this moment.
Now bringing the awareness back to the physical sensations of the breath.
And allowing the awareness to expand to the rest of the body.
Perhaps feeling movement back into the body.
Maybe in your fingers or your toes.
Noticing any sounds around you.
Now if you did have your eyes closed,
Open them whenever you're ready.
And thank you for meditating with me today.
