Uniqueness of breath meditation.
This guided meditation using the breath will help you to switch from the doing mode to the being mode.
So to begin,
Find a comfortable position,
Either seated on a chair,
On a cushion on the floor,
Or simply lying down.
Try to make sure that your back is straight but not strained,
And spend a moment or two just finding a position that's comfortable for you.
And when you're ready,
Just closing your eyes or lowering your gaze.
And now simply bringing your attention to the breath,
Just as you find it.
Breathing in and out through your nose,
Following the breath through the body.
Being aware of it entering and leaving the body.
And perhaps noticing the pause at the end of each inhale and the end of each exhale.
Not trying to change the breath in any way.
Simply becoming aware of it and any feelings or sensations that may arise.
Observing now the breath right down in the belly.
Feeling the abdomen expanding gently on the in-breath and falling away on the out-breath.
Noticing the movement of the chest and the ribcage.
The lungs expanding and how each breath is unique.
Being present here in each moment with each breath.
And noticing the flow and cycle of the breath.
As you do this practice you may notice the mind wandering off into thoughts,
Planning,
Worrying.
If this happens,
Just notice where the mind wanders to.
And without judging yourself,
Bring your attention gently back to your breath.
Do this every time the mind wanders with kindness to yourself.
Follow if you can the length of the breath and the depth of the breath.
Using your breath to help you tune into a sense of calm and relaxed stillness.
As you follow the breath,
Become aware of your contact with the floor beneath you.
And use your breath as an anchor to focus your attention and bring it back to your present experience whenever the mind wanders.
As you practice you may become aware of sensations or feelings arising in the body.
Again just notice how these can arise,
Linger and disappear.
And as you sit or lie here,
See if it's possible for you to expand your field of awareness to include a sense of the whole body.
Breathing if you can,
Up and down the body from head to toe.
When feelings or sensations arise,
Just see if you can be present with them and not react to them.
Just being fully aware of your experience in this present moment.
Being here with nothing else to do and nowhere else to go.
Taking these moments for yourself to be fully here.
Extending now your inhale and exhale,
Making your exhale a little longer if you can.
Observing the physical effect this has on the body and on where you feel the breath most.
Again if you find yourself being pulled into a stream of thinking and you're no longer observing the breath,
Just bring your mind back to your breath without judgement.
Noticing again where the mind has wandered to.
And just taking a few moments now to sit or lie in stillness.
And as this practice comes to an end,
Gently now open your eyes and see if you can bring a sense of calm with you into the rest of your day.
