Welcome to this Awareness of Breath meditation.
Finding a position,
Seated or laying down,
Standing or even walking.
Getting comfortable in your position,
But also having the intention to remain awake and alert.
If sitting or standing,
Aligning the head,
Neck,
And shoulders vertically,
In a posture that allows the breath to flow most easily.
Following this intention for alignment,
If laying down as well.
Closing the eyes if that feels comfortable,
Or leaving them open and gazing at the floor a few feet ahead of you.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Entering into this time of sitting.
Leaving behind for now all that has already occurred.
And simply being in this present moment.
Letting go of all that is to come and being with what is.
Right here,
Right now.
Allowing ourselves to move from a time of thinking and doing,
To a time of simply breathing,
Being,
And not doing.
Inviting you to rest here in this moment.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Being here in this moment and at this time.
Giving ourselves a chance to slow down,
To take a little time,
And a little space for stillness.
Shifting the awareness,
Zooming into and getting curious about the breath.
Focusing on the area where the breath is most accessible or most easily felt.
Perhaps it's the tips of the nostrils where the breath can be felt entering and exiting the body.
It may be the rising and falling of the chest,
Or how the breath expands and contracts in the abdomen.
If the breath is not accessible,
Simply choosing a point of focus or anchor of choice.
Perhaps it's a felt sensation in the body,
The feet on the floor,
Or the hands on the lap.
Choosing an anchor that feels safe.
And whatever the chosen anchor,
Allowing the attention to simply rest there.
Sensing into the sensation.
Zooming in with focused attention.
And with the breath,
Focusing on the sensation of each inhalation and each exhalation.
Feeling the breath in the body and simply knowing that the breath is always here with us.
An essential element of our existence.
Breathing in and breathing out.
And when the mind wanders,
Which it's likely to do,
Gently but firmly guiding the focus and attention back to the anchor of choice.
If thinking or distracted thoughts have entered,
Very simply and gently bringing our attention back to the point of focus.
Knowing that this is the practice.
Noticing that our mind has wandered.
Bringing in awareness in the moment and allowing ourselves to refocus on our anchor of choice.
This noticing that our mind has wandered and returning to our anchor is part of the mindfulness practice.
So this is not a mistake of the practice.
This is not getting it wrong.
This is the practice.
Being present in the moment and being with whatever the experience is,
Is all part of the practice.
Following the natural rhythm and flow of the breath.
Tuning into the rhythm of the in-breath and tuning into the flow of the out-breath.
Not attempting to control anything,
Just noticing and allowing.
Being with the breath.
Stop.
Inhaling.
Noticing the inhalation.
Exhaling.
Noticing the exhalation.
And noticing the brief pause in between as the inhalation transitions into the exhalation.
Bringing this practice to a close.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
As we slowly begin to bring our awareness to our surroundings.
Perhaps stretching a bit.
Wiggling the toes.
Fluttering the fingers.
Shifting our position.
And then gently opening the eyes.
Thank you for spending time in meditation.
