This mindful breathing practice is a really good way of anchoring yourself.
If you are in a situation where you may be feeling anxious,
Overwhelmed or uncertain,
It's good to be able to connect to something that is going to bring you back into the present moment.
When you are truly in the present moment you are not worried about the past or future.
Instead you can find a point of calm,
Peace and stillness.
Make yourself comfortable either sitting or lying down.
Close the eyes and begin to soften your body.
Allow yourself to be supported by the ground or the surface you are on so that you can let go and relax.
Make space for your breath by softening the jaw,
The shoulders,
The chest,
The back and the abdominals.
Try softening into the diaphragm area just below your rib cage and above your tummy button.
By softening here the breath can move a little bit deeper.
Bring the awareness to the breath and just witness the breath.
We are not trying to alter the breath in any way.
The breathing happens in every moment of every day with or without your awareness.
We are just trying to observe the natural process of breathing.
You can choose where you want to witness that breath.
Maybe it's the nostrils,
Feeling the slight coolness of the inhale,
That warmth of the exhale.
Maybe you witness the breath in the movement of the rib cage,
The expansion and contraction of the lungs.
Or maybe you are witnessing the rise and fall in that diaphragm area.
So just choose that comfortable space for you to witness the breath,
Witness the movement of the breathing.
The breathing is relaxed and natural and you may feel the slight work of the muscles as you inhale,
Your muscles needing to stretch,
Open and expand to let that breath in but then on the exhale it's effortless.
The muscles just soften and the breath is expelled through that softening and relaxing.
There is no work involved in that exhalation.
It's just letting go.
So just witness that.
Witness the way in which the breath has its own spontaneous flow.
There's not necessarily a regular rhythm to your breath.
Most of us think we breathe in a regular pattern but actually our body only takes what it needs in the moment.
Sometimes you might find the breath is more of a deep sigh like breath.
Sometimes the breath is very small,
Almost non-existent and some breaths may have a long pause at the end.
So just witness that flow of breathing and just like we do with any other meditation,
If you find your mind is wandering off to thoughts or distractions,
When you find or catch yourself having wandered off,
Simply come back to your breathing and just witness each breath.
Give your full attention to each breath.
Let go of each breath when you get to the end of it before inviting that new breath in.
Don't anticipate the next breath,
Just simply be with that breath in the present moment.
And just continue to witness your breathing.
Consciousness.
Practice this mindful meditation regularly to really feel and experience the benefits.
Namaste.
