Meditation Devices - Counted Breaths

Slow down and recenter with this swift meditation that employs the use of counted breaths to help you stay grounded and guide wandering thoughts. Great for relieving anxiety, getting ready for bed, or a quick meditation before creative pursuits.

Transcript

Let's find a comfortable seat. So whatever that is for you, I like to prop my hips up on a cushion or a blanket and whatever it is, You're kind of sitting on the edge of it so that you can really get your spine nice and long so you can kind of sit up without it being too much work. Settle into your comfortable seat here. Just notice if there's anywhere that you're maybe feeling uncomfortable and see if you can remedy that by either shifting position. Find a comfortable seat that you're gonna be okay to sit in for a while. You can close the eyes. Hands can be resting. Resting either on the legs or open on the tops of the thighs. Whatever feels more natural to you, There's no right answer. And just check in with your breath. Just noticing how it feels, Not trying to change it at all. Does it feel tight in your chest? And just notice if you can feel any pain or if you can feel any pain in your chest. And just notice if you can feel any pain or if you can feel any pain in your chest. And any thoughts you have about your breath, Try to see if you can approach it with no judgment. If you're feeling tight in your chest, That's just how you're feeling. I'm gonna change that right now. And let's start with a body scan, Starting at the top of the head, Just scanning down, Slowly noticing your forehead, Your eyebrows, Your eyelids, Your nose, All those facial muscles, Your neck, Your shoulders, Your spine, Your belly, Hips, Thighs, Knees, Calves, Ankles, Feet, Toes. As we take an inhale, Just quietly say in your mind, One. As you exhale, Two. You can stay with one, Two, Or continue counting, Maybe up to three or four. Just counting each inhalation and exhalation. I like to count my inhalations and exhalations up to four, And then I start over, Because I tend to lose count. If you find your mind starting to wander, Seeing if you can just come back to the breath, Come back to those numbers to ground you. Whenever you're ready, Letting go of that counting, Just returning to the breath. Notice how counting may have helped you stay aware of your breath, Staying present, Not letting your thoughts wander. You can slowly open the eyes, And inhaling the hands to your heart, And then up to your, Between your eyebrows, Your third eye. Take an inhale here, And exhale to seal in your practice. Namaste.