Welcome,
Today we will practice cultivating concentration to help achieve a sense of calm and stillness.
So let's begin by settling yourself into a nice and comfortable position.
Allow your body to rest in a position that is relaxed and yet alert.
Rest your hands either in your lap or on your knees.
And when you are ready,
Close your eyes.
Notice if there is any tension in your body and just allow these areas to soften as we now begin to deepen the breath.
So take a long deep breath in through the nose,
Hold,
And a long deep breath out through the mouth.
And again,
Taking a long deep breath in,
And then a long deep breath out,
Releasing the air slowly,
Noticing the urge to rush and just letting it go.
One last time,
Breathing in through the nose,
Holding the breath for a moment,
And let it go.
Exhale slowly and gently.
And now,
Allow the breath to return to its natural soothing rhythm.
When you are ready,
We will begin a practice in the awareness of your breath,
Focusing on the triangular area around the nose,
The pathway of the nose,
The nostrils,
And the upper lips.
On your next inhale,
Feel the physical sensation of air coming in through your nostrils.
Notice how it feels against the wall of your nose.
Where do you feel the sensation?
The feeling of the breath may be more subtle here.
Observe if the temperature of the incoming breath is different from that of the outgoing breath.
Notice the breath is slightly warmer on its way out.
Now try taking a deep breath to see what is present for you.
When you observe the physical sensations of the breath,
Such as the touch of the air,
Notice how long it lasts.
Just be curious about the breath.
Explore its character with gentle curiosity for a few moments now.
You may experience other sensations such as contracting,
Expanding,
Throbbing,
Tickling,
Or tingling.
Become aware that sensations change from moment to moment,
They are coming and going.
Observe where you experience these sensations and how long they last.
There is no need to label the sensations,
Simply observe in a friendly manner.
If you find yourself feeling multiple sensations at once,
Pay attention to the more subtle ones.
And if the mind wanders,
Return your attention to the direct experience of the breath.
Be patient with yourself and with your body,
Noticing the experience of the busy mind and letting go of whatever tries to capture your attention.
Over time you will train your mind to naturally return to the breath once you notice yourself becoming distracted.
Go ahead and try this counting exercise on your own,
Going at a pace that is comfortable for you.
Now we will do a breathing exercise by counting our breathing cycles.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Count 1.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Count 2.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Count 3.
And continue all the way to 10.
Remaining fully aware during this process is a very powerful training in concentration.
But be patient with yourself and don't get frustrated if you become distracted.
It's perfectly normal.
So,
If at any point you notice that your thoughts have strayed,
Even if just for a second,
Come back to 1 and start again.
Over time it will become easier to reach 10.
So just spend a few moments on your own counting the breathing cycles.
And remember,
You don't have to reach 10.
What matters is becoming aware every time that you get distracted and being able to redirect your mind back to its main focus.
As we begin to close this practice,
Bring your attention back to the body.
How does your body feel?
Are there any sounds around you?
What are the sensations of the clothes or the air on your skin?
Feel where your feet or body make contact with the ground.
And slowly begin to move your toes and fingers.
Move your head from side to side.
And remember that you can always access this gentle,
Focused place again by refocusing for a few moments on your breath in the way we practice today.
And when you are ready,
Open your eyes.
Namaste.
Thank you for being here.
