This is a 10 minute practice of sitting with the breath.
Beginning by settling into a comfortable sitting position on a straight back chair,
Meditation stool or cushion.
And if you're sitting on a chair,
Coming away from the back of the chair,
If that's comfortable for you.
The spine can be upright but not stiff.
The shoulder is dropping down.
The head nicely balanced.
Sitting in a way that will support an intention to be present.
To be aware.
And allowing the body to become still.
Letting the eyes gently close.
So when you're ready,
Bringing awareness to physical sensations.
Perhaps to begin with,
Focusing attention on sensations of touch,
Pressure.
Where the body makes contact with the floor.
Where the body makes contact with the chair.
Or whatever you're sitting on.
Exploring the details of these sensations.
Tuning into them.
Being with them.
At a certain point,
Moving the focus of awareness to sensations that come and go as the body breathes.
Seeing if it's possible to feel the movement of the breath in the nostrils,
In the throat,
The chest.
And the movements of the abdomen as you breathe in and as you breathe out.
Inviting your awareness to settle in the lower abdomen.
The belly.
Letting this part of the body become the focus of your attention.
Tuning into sensations here as the air enters and leaves the body.
Perhaps aware of a slight stretching of the abdominal wall as you breathe in.
And a gentle falling away as you breathe out.
And perhaps noticing the brief pauses between the in-breath and the out-breath.
And between the out-breath and the in-breath.
The sensations may be very subtle.
So moving in close.
Bringing interest to the details of the changing patterns of sensations.
And remembering that there's no need to try to control the breathing in any way.
Just letting the body breathe naturally.
Letting the breath breathe itself.
And seeing if it's possible to bring this sense of allowing to the rest of your experience as well.
There's nothing to be fixed.
No special state to be achieved.
As best you can.
Allowing this experience to be just as it is.
Not trying to do anything or get anywhere.
Simply being with breathing.
And of course it is very normal for the mind to wander away from the breath to thoughts,
Worries,
Daydreams or something else.
This is not a mistake or a failure.
So whenever you notice that the mind has wandered,
Simply registering where it's gone to.
Gently escorting your awareness back to sensations in the belly.
This particular breath coming in.
This particular breath going out.
Tuning into the full duration of the in-breath and the full duration of the out-breath.
Savouring the breath.
Enjoying.
Each breath different.
Each breath unique.
And when the mind wanders,
Noticing where it went to and gently escorting it back.
Using the breath as an anchor.
An anchor to the present moment.
Just this breath.
Just this breath coming in.
Just this breath going out.
Just this moment.
Just this breath.
Just this moment.
Just this breath.
And reminding yourself that the breath is always available as an anchor to ground yourself in this moment.
Right here.
Right now.
