Hello and welcome.
I'm Leslie Brooks.
Today we'll explore a simple breathing and body sensing meditation.
Breathing may be the most important thing that we do.
It's keeping you alive right now.
Yet most of us do not pay attention to our breath at all.
That's why it's so crucial to our physical and mental health to oxygenate our bodies fully and consciously.
Setting aside a few minutes each day to focus on breathing and awareness can increase your focus,
Open your mind,
And help you achieve your desired goals.
This practice can be done any day and at any time.
With consistent practice,
Meditation can help you with things like enhancing your ability to learn and retain information,
Recognizing and stopping recurring negative thought patterns,
Managing stress and anxiety,
And expanding your creativity.
So are you ready?
Great.
Put aside everything else and let's begin.
Get into a comfortable seated position and a place where you will not be disturbed.
Now close your eyes and follow my voice.
Let's take five deep and full breaths together.
I'll share words that represent feelings or emotions you might wish to take in on the inhale and others you may want to release when you exhale.
Feel free to envision the ones I share or use your own.
Now fully inhale,
Drawing in positive energy,
Filling your lungs all the way up.
And now exhale stale energy by releasing your breath.
Deeply inhale the way that you want to feel in this moment and for the rest of the day.
And now exhale all that is troubling you.
Inhale self acceptance,
Self love,
And exhale judgment.
Inhale wellness and well being and exhale illness and pain.
And finally inhale filling your lungs all the way up,
Drawing in peace and tranquility and exhale fear.
Now allow yourself to breathe naturally.
Now bring your attention to your body.
Feel the space around you.
Notice the feeling of your weight pressing down into your seat.
See if you can sense the earth beneath you and imagine it rising up to support you.
Now become aware of the very top of your head and put all of your focus there,
Noticing any sensations you may feel.
Now moving down,
Focus on your eyes and notice how they feel.
Notice the tiny movements that they're making.
And now bring your awareness to your nose.
Feel the air passing through as you breathe in and out.
Bring your attention down over the curve of your chin towards your neck.
Allow your attention to go all the way around your neck from front to back.
Continue to notice the sensations in your body and ease further into relaxation.
And now become aware of your chest and lungs.
Notice how they expand and contract with your breath.
Perhaps you can feel your heart beating and pumping with life.
Now send your focus down your arms all the way down to each fingertip.
Feel the sensations there.
Now carry your attention to your belly and note how it rises and falls with each breath.
Go deeper and notice how your belly feels.
Maybe you can even feel it digesting your last meal.
Notice your pelvis and hips and the sensation of your weight pressing down on your seat.
And go deeper still into relaxation.
Carry your awareness down each leg and over your knees,
Down to each foot and each individual toe.
Now with your eyes still closed,
Gently allow your attention to return to your surroundings.
Notice the sounds and the smells around you.
Notice the feel of your garments on your skin or the pressure of the surface beneath you.
You are now aware of every part of your body.
Feel free to linger here for a few moments and when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Regular practice of this mindfulness technique will help you build the resilience you need to work through many of the challenges you face each day.
So when you find yourself exhausted,
Stressed or afraid,
Come back to this meditation.
Simply take a few minutes to stop,
Breathe and regroup.
I hope you enjoyed our time together.
I look forward to meditating with you again soon.
Have a beautiful day.
