Breath by Kirsten Doesle,
Still Potential.
Assume your chosen position of comfort for the guided breath awareness session.
This is a great exercise to do in sitting as it is one that is ideal to transfer to your everyday life,
To be done whilst you are sitting or standing.
You may perform this meditation with your eyes open or closed.
If you are distracted by your environment,
Eyes closed is the best way to start and graduate to being able to perform this focus activity with eyes open.
Ideally both your feet are flat on the floor and your hands may be palm up or palm down in your lap.
Your back should be long and comfortably upright and your neck in a neutral position.
That is with the chin drawn back a little allowing your eyes to gaze ahead at about a 45 degree angle.
You may need a back support or not.
Ensure you are comfortable.
You may wish to sit on the floor or on a meditation stool or on a cushion if that is comfortable for you.
Begin by noticing the position and sensations of your whole body.
Make any adjustments for comfort.
Release and let go of any muscle tightness.
Check your neck,
Shoulder and jaw area and let go again.
In your mind's eye travel down the body and allow any muscle tightness to ease away.
Loosening and softening.
This scan serves to transition into the time for breath awareness.
Take it slowly and easily.
Breathe in the way that is usual and comfortable for you.
So if you are usually a nose breather do so.
If you have a cold you may need to breathe through your mouth.
Choose the way of comfort for you in this moment.
Notice the physical sensations of sitting in the chair,
Areas of pressure and gap and then allow your awareness to come to your breath.
No need to make any changes.
Just observe the physical act of breathing.
You may notice that as you observe the breath you actually change it.
Just feel how the breath comes in your nostrils,
How it travels through the back of the throat.
Notice where you feel the expansion and movement in the chest as the air inflates your lungs.
Just watch a few rounds of breath.
You may notice that the belly rises with the breath in and the belly falls as the air flows out.
The body breathes itself.
A relaxed breath happens at the base of the lungs.
On your next breath out ensure that you have emptied the lungs fully.
You may sigh out or imagine blowing out candles on a cake.
Add that little extra effort to your out breath and then simply let go of effort and notice that your body takes the breath in.
Often that next breath will be deep and even and towards the base of your lungs.
Try this a couple of times.
Empty the air out through pursed lips until your lungs are very empty.
Feeling the tummy muscles helping to empty the lungs.
Then release the effort and feel that rebound expansion of your lungs.
Now let that go.
Imagine watching a baby sleep.
The belly gently rising and falling.
Rising with the breath in,
Falling with the breath out.
To help direct the air to the base of your lungs you may wish to place your hands on the lower ribs.
And think about pushing out against your hands as you breathe in.
Allow your hands to come back to your position of comfort.
Let that concentration go and simply come back to observing your body breathe.
Place your attention on either the belly or the nostrils.
And allow this place and the movement and sensations there to be your focus.
Observe all sensations.
No thinking required.
Just feel the in and the out.
Can you feel the temperature as the air draws in?
Feel the movement and stretch on your skin with expansion.
Perhaps you notice the warmth of your out breath.
Be aware of the rhythm and tide of your breath.
Should your mind wander,
Gently draw your attention back to watching and observing.
Be fascinated by the act of breathing.
Notice the subtle differences in each stage and breath.
One breath to the next.
Just watch.
And every time you are distracted by your thoughts,
Acknowledge that and draw your attention back to breath.
You may wish to count your breath to anchor you more.
Count the in,
One,
Out,
One,
In,
Two,
Out,
Two,
And when your mind takes you away,
Begin again.
No need to be frustrated or annoyed.
This is the practice of awareness.
Be kind to yourself.
This exercise takes some practice and you will find on some days when you are more distracted it can be challenging.
No matter.
Observe just that as an insight to how you are today in this moment.
I will be quiet now for a little while while you count or observe without my interrupting dialogue.
Notice that you can direct the flow of air to different areas of your lungs.
Play for a few breaths.
Direct expansion to the underarm area,
Then to the back or base or perhaps the top of your lungs.
And now complete this exercise by drawing a long breath in.
Sense this breath coming all the way up to,
Lengthening along the neck towards the head.
Expanding your lungs fully and completely.
And then gently release and allow the breath to pour out.
And again take a deeper breath in and this time sigh the breath out.
And simply allow your body to breathe in its own way.
And begin to awaken moving fingers and toes.
Slowly opening your eyes.
Your deeper belly breath can be done as a stress break at any time throughout the day.
The longer focus on breath can be done whilst commuting or waiting in a queue.
Beginning also to notice the way that you breathe when you're stressed and moving towards using that belly breath as a better way of breathing.
Thank you for watching!
Thank you for watching!
