Awareness of Breath: Lying and Sitting

Coming into a comfortable position,

Lying on your back,

Arms resting by your side,

Legs extended,

With the feet falling away from one another,

Closing your eyes if that feels comfortable to you.

Becoming aware of the body in this position as you allow the weight of the floor to support your body here.

There's nothing you need to do.

There's nothing you need to change,

Other than observing what it feels like to breathe.

Simply paying attention,

Seeing what you notice about breathing,

Bringing a kind of friendly curiosity to it.

Simply becoming attentive to breathing,

Just as it is in this moment.

Remembering there is no right or wrong here.

This is your experience right here,

Right now,

As it is in this moment.

Becoming aware of the breath where it is most dominant for you.

This might be at the level of the nostrils,

Noting that the air feels cool and dry on the inhalation,

And perhaps slightly warmer on the exhalation.

Noticing a difference,

If there is a difference.

Or perhaps the breath is most dominant for you at the level of the chest or the abdomen,

Noting the expansion of the chest on the inhalation and its deflation on the exhalation,

Or the rise of the belly on the inhalation,

And its lowering on the exhalation.

Deciding on a place where you wish to bring your attention to the body breathing at the level of the nostrils,

The chest,

Or the abdomen,

And holding your attention to this one place throughout this practice.

Noticing what part of the body moves as you breathe.

In this position that you are in right now,

You may be noticing belly rising and falling with each breath in and out.

You may wish to check this out by gently placing your hand on the belly,

Abdomen rising and falling,

Rising and falling,

But without trying to breathe abdominally,

Simply allowing the breath to breathe itself.

Not judging,

Not analyzing,

Rather feeling how it is to breathe in the body in this moment,

To be with the breath as it is without changing anything or manipulating it in any way.

You may notice from time to time that the attention is wandering from your chosen place of focus on the breath,

And so we simply note that,

And then gently bring the awareness back to breathing.

The body breathing,

The body breathing as a refuge,

As a place to come home to,

Noting how the air flows in and out,

However that feels,

Becoming aware of the sensations of breathing just as they are right here,

Right now.

And when thoughts arise,

Or judgments,

Or planning,

Or reverie,

Simply note them.

The instruction is always the same.

Gently returning your wandering attention back to breathing.

Breathing in,

Breathing out,

Breathing in,

Breathing out.

Perhaps noticing the initiation of the inhalation,

The pause at the top of the inhalation,

The gentle exhalation,

And the pause at the bottom of the exhalation.

Noticing how the body moves with each breath in and out,

In and out.

Being with the breath moment by moment,

And breath by breath.

I'm going to invite you now to move from lying to sitting on a cushion,

Or chair.

Transitions are useful for mindfulness practice,

So becoming aware how the body moves from lying to sitting.

Sitting with your legs crossed,

Or kneeling on the backs of your heels.

If it is more comfortable for you,

Slowly and with attention,

Moving to a chair.

The important thing is to be sitting upright,

Allowing the breath to flow easily.

The purpose of this is to enable you to be focusing on the breath when you are sitting,

As well as when you are lying down.

Becoming aware of the body in space,

Sitting,

Allowing the back to adopt an erect and dignified position that is comfortable and alert.

If you are sitting on a chair,

It is helpful to place your feet flat on the floor,

With the legs uncrossed.

At this point,

Gently closing your eyes,

Allowing them to come to rest in the lower sockets if this feels okay,

Or adopting a half-open,

Unfocused and receptive gaze a few feet in front of you on the floor.

Bringing your awareness to the level of physical sensations,

By focusing your attention on the sensations of touch and pressure in the body where it makes contact with the floor,

And whatever you are sitting on.

Bending a few moments,

Exploring these sensations.

And now when you are ready on the next out-breath,

Letting go of the attention to sensation,

And on the in-breath,

Bringing your awareness to breathing,

Noting how the sensations of breathing feel in this posture.

There is no right or wrong here,

Simply your experience right now,

Right here.

Allowing the breath to find its own natural rhythm,

Allowing it to be exactly as it is in this moment.

Again,

Choosing a focus of attention for the breath,

Either at the level of the nostrils,

The chest,

Or the belly.

Noticing that each breath has a beginning,

A middle,

And an end.

A cycle occurring over and over,

Saying if you can bring your full attention to the entire duration of the breath in your chosen location,

Including the transition point where one breath ends,

And the next begins.

Noticing the expansion on the inhalation,

And the release on the exhalation.

You may be experiencing challenging sensations at this time,

Arising in the body.

If this is the case,

Note them.

Or if they are particularly strong,

Opening to them on the in-breath,

Ending and softening on the out-breath.

If the sensation should be particularly overwhelming,

Feel free to move with deliberation,

And then come back to sitting.

Living with the breath as it is in this moment.

Not the kind of breath you would like to be having,

Or the breath that you had before,

But the breath you are having right here,

Right now.

Allowing the breath to be as it is,

Whatever it is.

Noticing the sensations of breathing as they are in this moment,

And in this moment.

And when the attention wanders,

You know what to do.

Gently escorting your wandering attention back to the focus in this meditation,

Which is on the body breathing.

Remembering that coming back to the breath is as much a part of mindfulness as is focusing on the breath itself.

The moment that you are becoming aware of the attention wandering is meditation itself.

Allowing the breath to be as it is,

Allowing the body to be as it is,

Cultivating your capacity to be present in this way,

Noting when the attention wanders,

And escorting it back to the observation of breathing.

Without a story,

Without elaboration,

Without judgment,

Only focusing and breathing.

The breath is always with you,

Present,

Changing,

An anchor or refuge.

A place to return to over and over.

Remembering that the breath can bring you back to the present moment,

Anywhere,

And you can practice this moment to moment awareness at any time.