Take a comfortable seated position.
If you're seated on the floor,
You can use a cushion or pillow.
If you're comfortably seated in a chair,
Place your feet flat on the floor.
In either position,
Allow your hands to rest lightly on your knees or thighs,
Palms up.
If at any time during this short little experience,
You need to squiggle,
Wiggle,
Or scratch your nose,
Feel completely free to do so.
And then come back to these very simple instructions as soon as possible.
Gently begin to close your eyes,
Simply to reduce the amount of sensory data that's being processed.
Without struggle,
Without strain,
Begin to lengthen the depth of your inhalations and exhalations just slightly.
Relax your abdomen,
Relax your shoulders,
And begin to allow all expression to fade from your face.
And to captivate your mental capacities,
Begin to bring your attention to the center of the abdomen.
All of your attention focused at the center of the abdomen.
And begin to add the feeling of visualization of having a small opening in the center of the abdomen.
And you're actually able to breathe in and out through this small opening in the center of the abdomen.
If this visualization is a little challenging for you,
You can simply touch yourself in the center of the abdomen and allow that tactile sensation to orient your attention.
Once you've made that tactile sensation,
You can allow the hand to return to the knee or thigh,
And then as best you can,
You cannot do anything wrong.
Feel as though you can actually breathe in and out through a small opening in the center of the abdomen.
Notice any subtle sensations that may be present around the center of the abdomen,
And how soft your breath is as it gently flows in and out.
As you take your next breath in,
Draw the breath in through the center of the abdomen,
Allow your attention and the subtle sensations to rise up in the torso,
And exit a small opening in the center of the chest.
So the breathing pattern now,
As you're drawing the breath in through the center of the abdomen,
You're feeling your attention and the subtle sensations rise up in the torso and feel as though the breath can exit.
Small opening in the center of the chest.
Notice any subtle sensations that may be present around the center of the abdomen,
The center of the chest.
Once again,
Notice the soft sound of your own breath as it effortlessly flows in and out.
As you take your next breath in,
Draw the breath in through the center of the abdomen,
Close off that opening,
Allow your attention and the sensations to rise up in the torso,
And now feel as though you can simply breathe in and out through the center of the chest,
Allow all of your attention focused,
The center of the chest,
And let your ears be completely captivated by this soft,
Rhythmic sound of your own breath as it effortlessly flows in and out.
As you take your next breath in,
Draw the breath in through the center of the chest,
Let your attention and the breath in too,
And let it radiate down the arms and exit small openings,
One in the palm of each hand.
The breathing pattern now as you're drawing the breath in through the center of the chest,
As you're feeling your attention and the accompanying sensations stream down the arms,
And the breath exiting small openings,
One in the palm of each hand.
Notice any subtle sensations that may be present around the center of the chest,
The arms,
The palms,
And again the soft rhythm of your own breath.
Feel how the breath is actually breathing you.
As you take your next breath in,
Draw the breath in through the center of the chest,
Close off that opening,
Allow your attention and the sensations to stream down the arms,
And now feel as though you could actually breathe in and out through the small openings,
One in the palm of each hand.
Feel how the palms are filled with the slight tingling sensation from the focus of attention,
And maintaining this feeling visualization of being able to breathe in and out through the small openings,
One in the palm of each hand.
Begin to allow the hands very slowly,
Almost imperceptibly slow,
To lift up off the knees or thighs,
And continue the feeling visualization of breathing in and out through the palms of the hands.
And as the hands begin to lift up in that same slow,
Almost imperceptible motion,
Begin to rotate the forearms and the palms in such a way that the palms are facing one another.
And when you find the palms facing one another without allowing them to touch,
Begin to bring them towards one another till you feel a slight magnetic polarity,
A sensation,
An energetic feeling between the palms.
And when you first touch that energetic edge,
Keep breathing in and out through the palms of the hands,
See if you can ever so slightly pull the palms apart and then together,
Right on that energetic edge,
Perhaps just a small movement,
Eighth of an inch or so.
And actually experiment for yourself noticing this very specific attunement,
Being engaged in this simple action.
There is an absence of mental activity as you press and pull the hands ever so slightly apart and together,
Right on that energetic edge.
Again,
Noticing the absence of mental activity while you are absorbed in this simple action.
Very slowly and gently begin to allow the hands to float back into your lap,
Onto your knees or thighs.
And notice the content of your mind.
Notice the rhythm of your breath.
And feel the stillness and relaxation of the body.
And feel completely free to be absorbed in this presence for as long as is appropriate.
Thank you.
