Mindful awareness of the breath.
Find a comfortable seated position where the spine can be long and straight,
Either sitting
in a chair or on the floor.
You can also lie on your back if you wish.
Open the shoulders and relax the eyelids to a softly closed position.
Begin now by feeling your breath.
Notice how the breath feels right now to you without trying to change anything.
Now notice its qualities.
Does it feel deep or shallow,
Warm or cool,
Energized or relaxed,
Restricted or expansive?
Just notice the breath's natural rhythm and notice any movement or motion in the body that comes with it.
If at any time you notice your mind being drawn away by thoughts,
Simply acknowledge
that the mind has wandered and bring your attention right back to the sensations of the breath.
Keep returning to the feeling of its moving in and out of the body right now.
Take a moment now to notice where you're sensing the movement of the air entering and
exiting the body the most.
Is there one point or are there multiple places?
If you are quiet and alert,
You can feel the airflow at the tip of the nostrils,
The back
of the throat,
The chest,
Back and belly.
Each time the thoughts distracts your attention,
Recognize that the mind is simply being drawn
away which is its nature and then gently turn your awareness back to the movement and sensations
of the breath.
Practice trying not to judge anything that you may notice arising with the breath.
For a few minutes,
Be the observer of its activity.
Watch curiously with a desire to become familiar with how your breath and energy moves right
now in this present moment.
Your only task right now is to be with the breath,
To travel in and out of the body riding
this wave,
In and out,
Again and again and simply to notice what is taking place and
what the activity of the breath feels like.
This automatic movement that is always happening whether we are conscious of it or not is providing
us with an essential life-giving force.
Notice the breath changes or shifts just by bringing our awareness towards it,
Just by
shining our full attention onto it,
Onto the intricacies and details of this constant motion.
Become aware if any qualities of your breath have shifted as you focus your attention onto
it.
Without concern,
Still watching,
There is no sense of judgment,
No condemnation,
No
right or wrong,
Just getting to know how the breath behaves and responds to the body.
And when you are ready,
Slowly begin to bring your awareness back to the whole body,
Noticing
the body in its seat or lying down,
Feeling the weight of the body,
The air on the skin
and face.
And very slowly allow your eyes to open,
Take a moment to notice how you feel right now.
Throughout your day,
Just remember you have this ability to come back to the breath,
To
come back to the now and ground yourself in this moment in your body.
Even when thoughts distract you,
You are in control of your body,
You are in control of
your breath.
