This meditation will focus on the breath as an anchor to bring you more fully into presence,
More into your body and mind.
The purpose is to be more present in your body,
Not to change your breath.
Simply focusing on the natural breath activates the body's relaxation response.
Minds wander.
The practice is to bring your mind back to the anchor,
In this case the breath,
Every time you notice the mind is somewhere else.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable posture in which you're both relaxed and alert,
And if you're comfortable with it,
Close your eyes.
Scanning your body for areas of obvious tension or holding,
Breathing into those spaces,
Making room,
Allowing a letting go of the holding,
Any amount the body is ready for,
Any amount is the perfect amount.
Now notice that your body is breathing,
And see if you can notice the breath while allowing it to be just as it is.
Begin to focus on your breath as a way to return into your body,
Allowing the business of your day to float into the background.
Detecting the sound of your breath,
Feeling the breath in the body,
The coolness on the skin of the nose when you breathe in,
The warmth on your upper lip when you breathe out.
See if you can feel your breath in your throat,
In your chest,
Your belly,
Your back.
Focus in on all the places in the body the breath can be felt.
Some are subtle and some more obvious.
See if you can feel your breath in your shoulders.
The breath creates a soothing rhythm in the entire body that's only felt when quiet and still.
Resting here,
Experiencing your breath in your body.
Now resting your attention wherever you find the breath easiest to feel.
If focusing on the breath doesn't serve you,
Choose a different anchor for your attention.
Maybe the sensations of the hands,
The feet,
Or the body as a whole.
If the breath is subtle or hard to feel,
You can place a hand on your belly and feel the rise and fall of your belly in the palm of your hand,
Connecting to the movement of your breath.
Now let yourself fully feel the next few in and out breaths.
As you feel each breath,
Allow the mind to calm,
Allow the body to relax.
Now feel a few more breaths.
Continuing with this relaxed attention on the breath,
Each time you notice the attention has wandered,
Gently bring it back.
No judgment,
Simply a kind return to your anchor.
If it's helpful,
You can notice the beginning and middle and ending of the in-breath and the beginning and middle and end of the out-breath.
Notice the space between the breaths.
Each breath arising and passing with awareness.
Noticing where your attention is,
And if it's drifted,
Gently returning to the sensations of breathing.
As you feel each breath,
Relax to the natural movement of your body.
Just this moment,
Just this breath,
Just this sitting here,
Just this being human,
Just this,
Just this.
John Kabat-Zinn.
May you be grounded in love throughout your day.
Take one deep,
Intentional inhale and outhale.
Wiggle your fingers or take any gentle movement you need.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Namaste.
