Finding a comfortable position,
Making sure you feel gently supported and at ease.
Allowing your shoulders to drop slightly and allowing your chin to gently drop towards your chest.
And when you're ready and feeling comfortable,
Gently closing your eyes or lowering your gaze.
To help you settle into the moment,
I'm going to ring a bell.
Just listen until the sound of the bell turns into silence.
Join this to help you ground yourself to the present moment.
Take three slow,
Easy breaths to help you relax.
As you breathe in,
Allow yourself to be nourished.
And as you breathe out,
Letting go of any burdens you're carrying.
If you wish,
Put your hand over your heart or wherever is comfortable for you to remind yourself that you're bringing not only attention but kind attention to yourself in this moment.
Now finding your breath wherever you can feel it most easily.
Perhaps at the tip of your nose as the air enters and exits your nostrils.
Or your belly as it rises and falls.
Or perhaps noticing the gentle movement of your whole body.
Just letting yourself nourish the simple sensations of breathing.
Not trying to control your breath or change it.
Just allowing your body to breathe naturally.
Allowing your body to breathe for you.
Notice how your breath nourishes your body even when you're not paying any attention to it.
Feeling your body with oxygen,
Giving life to your cells.
Just feeling your breath for a while.
Feeling it as it enters your body and exits your body.
Noticing the soothing rhythm of your breath.
And each time your mind wanders off with your thoughts,
Just bringing yourself back to noticing the soothing rhythm of your breath.
Now feeling your whole body breathe.
Gently moving with the rising and falling of the breath.
Like the movement of the sea.
Like the waves in an ocean naturally flowing in and out of you.
Noticing your body is gently rocking and is soothed by the rhythm of your breath.
Giving yourself over to your breath.
Giving yourself become your breath,
Gently rocked and soothed back and forth.
Your mind will naturally wander away from the sensation.
Don't worry about how often your mind wanders.
Gently returning it to the feeling of your breathing when you notice that your mind has wandered.
There is nothing you need to do.
Just allowing your breath to comfort and nourish you.
Your breath is always present,
Always with you,
Even as you sleep.
It's your constant,
Trusty companion.
See if you can incline towards your breathing as you might incline towards a child or a beloved pet with curiosity and tenderness.
Letting your body breathe you.
Giving over to your breath for these few moments.
Now taking a few final moments to savour the stillness of your body and remembering that whatever life throws at you,
The highs and the lows,
You can always close your eyes and return to your ever present breath.
And taking a few more breaths now and when you're ready,
Gently opening your eyes and coming back to the room.
