Welcome to this breath awareness practice.
In this meditation we will be using our breath as an object to both focus on as well as to ground and center and then to release and let go.
Our breath is an unconscious process.
It's a function of our body that just happens.
But we can also bring our attention to our breath and we can change it.
So as we go through this practice together today,
If you feel the need to change your breath,
Or breathe any way that feels supportive for you,
That's different to the guidance I offer,
Please do honor your body and listen to yourself first.
Take a moment to consider your posture as we start to drop into the meditation together.
Perhaps you feel like dropping the shoulders a bit more,
Relaxing through the jaw,
Softening the face,
Finding a position that's comfortable and supportive,
Whilst also maintaining a quality of alertness,
Letting yourself be here.
And we'll start by taking three slightly longer,
Slower,
Deeper belly breaths.
Just in your own time,
Lengthening and deepening your breath.
And seeing if you can really follow the exhale all the way to the end.
Beautiful.
Once you've done those three long,
Slow,
Deep breaths,
We're going to dial up that body awareness and that breath awareness by first placing a hand or both hands on the upper chest.
Just instinctively letting the hands arrive at whatever position feels good there.
And with the hand or hands resting on the upper chest,
Let's take a moment to gently drum the fingertips.
And feeling,
Just dialing up the noticing of your physical body through a little bit of movement and touch.
Now inviting stillness with the hands and gently pushing the palms into the body.
So deepening that connection,
Finding a bit more strength,
Activating the muscles through the arms to push into the chest slightly.
Just coming off that intensity there for a moment.
Just acknowledging the hands resting on the chest here.
And now I'll invite you to see,
Can you notice as you breathe in,
Can you feel the chest rise and expand into the hands?
Maybe lengthen your inhale.
Perhaps there's a bit more depth to your breath.
If it's helpful,
You may like to imagine as your body breathes in,
How those front ribs are really expanding and gently meeting the hands resting on the chest.
And let's tune into the sensation now of the exhale,
Still keeping the hand or hands on the chest.
As your body exhales,
Do you notice how the chest softly falls in any way?
So there's a rising on the inhale and a falling on the exhale.
And now let's move the hands again.
So if you like gently dropping the hands for a moment,
Shaking it out,
Gently moving the fingertips,
Letting the blood flow again.
And we'll begin to place the hands once again on the body,
This time on the lower floating ribs.
So just towards the bottom of the rib cage,
Letting your hands rest on the upper abdomen or the lower floating ribs.
Once again,
Drumming the fingertips there for a few moments,
Just to dial up that sense of,
Yep,
My hands are here.
The hands are resting here on this part of the body.
Letting the fingertips come to stillness now and gently pushing the ribs in with the palms of the hands.
Yeah,
Just deepening that connection by applying a bit more pressure through the palms,
Just providing that extra feedback that yes,
The hands are here resting on the lower floating ribs.
Now let's find a place of stillness with the hands resting in this space.
And I'll invite you to focus on your breath again and seeing if you can focus on the breath flowing down into your hands,
Where attention goes,
Energy flows.
And as you bring your attention to those lower floating ribs,
Can you feel any movement there?
You may instinctively take a deeper breath.
If it's helpful,
You might like to visualize pouring a glass of water and how the water fills the glass from the bottom up to the top.
Can you visualize your breath pouring into the body,
Starting at those lower floating ribs,
Gently filling up the rib cage,
All the way up to the collarbones and releasing.
Just a couple more rounds there,
Focusing on filling the body with your breath,
Noticing the hands resting on the lower floating ribs.
Now let's tune into the exhale.
And maybe even intentionally squeezing the ribs and the belly in slightly on the exhale.
Really following the exhale all the way to the end.
If it's helpful,
You may visualize a wet flannel that you twist in your hands,
Just wringing out the excess water.
Can the contraction of the stomach muscles and the rib cage support the gentle wringing out of the lungs of the exhale.
And noticing if the inhale or the exhale comes more easily to you.
Does it feel more comfortable to focus on the inhale or the exhale?
Beautiful.
The final part of our practice together today,
We're going to gently move the hands once more.
So it might feel good to gently shake them out,
Wiggling the fingertips.
Now allow the hands to rest just either side of the body or in the lap.
And for the final part of this practice,
I'll invite you to see if you can stay focusing on your breath now,
But without trying to change it.
Are you able to watch the physical body breathing?
Trusting your body knows how to do this.
Resisting the urge to try to change the depth or the pace.
Mind may wander off.
Just noticing that.
Are you able to release those thoughts,
Maybe even with an exhale?
So just drop back into the body,
Noticing the breath.
As the body slows down and calms down,
The breath sometimes becomes more shallow and light.
The breath may become more smooth and gentle.
Can you just practice noticing whatever your breath is like right now?
Not judging or analyzing it.
Just being with your body.
Are you able to just be with your body?
Just being with your breath.
Just letting your awareness rest alongside your breath.
Notice how each cycle of breath may vary.
One inhale and exhale,
Maybe shallow or light.
And the next might be a bit deeper or even slightly jagged.
Just being curious about your breath in this moment.
For a final part of this practice,
We'll take one final long,
Luxurious breath together and releasing.
Perhaps starting to stretch the body,
Beginning to invite a bit of movement here.
Maybe you're letting a sigh out through the mouth or even a yawn.
Ah,
Beautiful.
Thank you for joining me in this practice today.
Wishing you well.
