Finding Peace Meditation 8 - The Three Step Breathing Space

'Finding Peace Meditation 8 - The Three Minute Breathing Space' is the eighth of eight guided meditations that accompany the book 'Mindfulness: A Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World' by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. This cover version has been updated to be more trauma-sensitive.
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Transcript

Meditation 8,

The 3 minute breathing space.

Following these words as guidance,

But only doing what feels comfortable and feeling free to stop at any time.

Taking a breathing space.

Making a definite change in your posture so it embodies a sense of being awake.

Perhaps closing the eyes or leaving them open.

Beginning step one by seeing what's going on in your mind and body right now.

What's the weather pattern like inside?

What thoughts are around?

What feelings are here?

Any sensations in the body?

Not trying to change anything but opening to what's already here.

Then moving to step two and bringing the attention to an anchor like the breath.

Perhaps narrowing the spotlight of attention on sensations of the breath in the abdomen.

Tuning into the changing physical sensations of the in-breath for its full duration and the out-breath for its full duration.

Or any other physical anchor that feels safe for you right now.

And if the mind wanders,

Simply acknowledging where it went and gently escorting it back to the anchor once again.

Now in step three,

Expanding the focus of your awareness to take in the whole body.

As if the whole body were an anchor now.

Aware of your posture,

Your facial expression,

Sensations on the surface of the skin and from right inside the body.

Holding an awareness,

All the sensations in your body right now,

Just as they are.

Coming home to the body.

Coming home to this moment.

Thank you for listening.