Before thoughts,
Before words,
Before holding,
There was this breath.
Slow,
Honest,
Simple,
Real.
And so starting by finding a position that allows you to fully let go.
Lying down if you can.
Or sitting back in a chair that supports you.
And once you're there,
Letting your hands rest on your abdomen.
Feeling the warmth of their contact.
And feeling into the stillness that's right here.
As you let everything else fall away.
For now.
Taking a slow breath in through your nose.
And exhaling gently through your mouth.
And as you do,
Letting something soften.
Letting the breath start to guide you inwards.
And now,
Starting to direct the breath down into the abdomen.
Feeling the ribs moving out to the sides with each in-breath.
Feeling the ribs moving back in with each out-breath.
Feeling the abdomen gently rise with each inhale.
And gently fall with each exhale.
And just continuing in this way.
With each inhale,
Allowing the breath to move deeply within you.
And with each exhale,
Experiencing the belly softening a little more.
Feeling that rhythm under your hands.
Letting it be like the tide.
A quiet wave rising and returning.
This is the breath of rest.
The breath of parasympathetic calm.
The breath that says to your system,
You're safe.
You can settle now.
It's safe to be here.
If the breath feels shallow at first,
That's okay.
Letting it deepen with time.
Like a slow unfolding.
And just continuing in this way.
Letting the hands feel the movement.
Letting the mind rest inside the rhythm.
Letting that belly breath reconnect you to your ground.
To your root.
To the quiet trust within your body.
Nothing to hold here.
Just breath.
Just warmth.
Just rhythm.
Just you.
Inhaling,
Receiving.
Exhaling,
Releasing.
Just continuing in this way.
And now gently just returning to your natural breath.
Noticing what's here now.
Maybe a little more space.
Maybe a little more peace.
Maybe there is.
Maybe there isn't.
Both are fine.
But just taking a moment to notice.
You return to the breath that's always here.
Waiting beneath it all.
And taking as much time as you want or need here.
Only when you're ready.
Returning to your space.
Feeling the support beneath you.
And feeling the breath within you.
