My dear mindfulness friends,
This is being with the breath.
So finding a comfortable and wakeful posture that could support this practice.
You can choose to sit on your chair or mat.
Or if you are tired,
You can also choose to lie on your bed.
Or you prefer to stand.
It's also okay.
And when you are ready,
Gently closing your eyes or lowering your gaze.
Being aware of some contact points.
Your feet on the floor if you are sitting or standing.
Or your heels may touch on your bed if you are lying.
And moving to your sitting point,
Your buttocks,
The back of thighs may touch on your chair.
And if you are lying,
You can feel your whole back and your thighs,
Your lower legs may touch on your bed.
A sense of grounding.
Moving to your hands.
Where you put your hands on.
Maybe on your thighs,
Your knees,
Or your abdomen.
Or somewhere else.
Feeling sensations.
And when you are ready,
We are moving to the breath.
Feeling the different sensations.
When you're breathing in and breathe out.
Starting with your nose,
Nostrils.
Maybe cold air comes inside and the warm air comes out.
And noticing what's changing from moment to moment.
And what's staying the same.
And moving to the back of throat.
Noticing how each breath can also create some sensations on your throat.
And shifting to your chest.
Some gentle movements.
And to your belly,
Your abdomen.
The rising of in-breath and the falling away of out-breath.
So now,
Choosing a place where you feel your breath moving most vividly,
Most clearly.
It can be your nose,
Your throat,
Chest,
Abdomen.
Or maybe somewhere else.
Can be your shoulder blades,
Your back.
So choosing a place and then savoring your breath in that place.
We're not thinking of our breath.
Really being with our breath.
Feeling its sensations,
Its movements.
You may notice your mind starts to wander.
Maybe planning the future or some memories,
Reflections on the past.
Or just a very rambling daydreaming or worries,
Criticism.
Just acknowledging where does your mind go.
And very firmly but also gently returning to your breath.
And each breath is unique.
Each breath is a new beginning.
Bring your awareness to your each in-breath and out-breath.
As Thich Nhat Hanh said,
When I breathe in,
I know I'm breathing.
When I breathe out,
I know I'm breathing out.
If you have any emotions that may arise,
Just watching them,
Noticing them.
Maybe a sense of boredom,
Irritation,
Anger,
Anxiety,
Frustration,
Impatience.
And then returning to your breath,
Returning to some detailed sensations that breath can bring to you.
And the full duration of each in-breath and full duration of each out-breath.
Maybe a brief pause between in and out.
You may be also distracted by sounds.
And acknowledging the sounds and returning to your breath.
Or acknowledging your thoughts,
Your judgment,
And then returning to your breath.
And the remembering the breath is always available to us.
When we feel emotional charged,
When we have a lot of thoughts,
Worries,
We can always choose to return to our breath as an anchor,
Stabilizing ourselves.
Thank you.
