Mindful Moments: Ocean Breath

Welcome to five minutes of mindfulness.

Today's practice will be about cultivating awareness of our breath,

Noticing the flow coming in and out like the gentle waves on an ocean shore.

We begin by finding a comfortable position wherever you are,

Gently closing the eyes and lifting the gaze behind these closed lids upward and outward,

Checking in with the body,

Releasing any grip you may have on the abdomen,

The lower back,

On the chest,

Allowing the shoulders to fall away from the ears,

Creating space for our breath to flow,

And bringing our awareness now to the point where breath flows into the nostrils,

Noticing any sensation,

The coolness of the breath,

The flow of the air traveling upwards to the point where the bridge of the nose meets the forehead,

And flows gently down the back of the throat,

Feeling and expanding the abdomen,

And the breath rising up through the diaphragm,

And then filling and expanding the lungs,

And like a wave,

The exhale from the chest to the diaphragm to the belly,

And the warm air spilling out the nostrils,

Feeling for the wave this air is creating in the body,

Your natural rhythm and flow,

And riding this wave,

Noticing if it hits any rocks and has to move around it,

The brightness in the body,

In the chest perhaps,

Really filling the belly first,

Rising up,

And expanding the chest,

And then allow the falling and release of the air,

Continuing this for a few more breaths,

As you notice space created,

Space between breaths,

Space between thoughts,

And a feeling of ease and relaxation washes over you,

As the breath cleanses like a wave,

Flowing in and flowing out.

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