Welcome to this very simple breath and body awareness meditation.
You know from our very first inhalation that signals entrance into this world to our very last exhalation through which we bid the world a final farewell.
Our breath is with us our entire life.
We never miss a breath.
In fact it's the most vital nourishment to keep our body alive.
And so our breath can flow freely like a stream in spring or it can become a little stagnant like a river that is blocked.
And so if this becomes a constant tension then the body and mind will also follow,
Bringing restrictions.
And so when we learn to surrender the breath into a more even way,
It brings vibrancy to the body and peace to the mind.
So let's go ahead and find a comfortable position for this meditation.
You just want to be comfortable but not so comfortable that you might fall asleep.
And again there's no need for any special yogic posture.
You can simply sit on a chair and just have your spine a little more elongated.
And even sense that there is a little more space between each of the vertebrae and imagine that there is a straight line through the crown of your head all the way to your tailbone.
And when you're ready simply close your eyes.
Sense relaxation of your forehead.
Sense your cheeks and jaw relax.
Sense your whole face relax.
Sense your shoulders relax and your belly let go of any tension.
Just allow the breath to take its natural rhythm.
There is no need to alter it in any way.
To begin we're simply just observing the breath moving in and out as if it's breathing in through the whole body on the inhale.
And as you breathe out it's as if you're breathing out through the whole body.
And so as best you can just allow any tension to dissolve away.
And if your mind wanders at any point during this practice then simply bring your awareness back to the breath as if your whole body is breathing in on the inhale and your whole body is breathing out on the exhale.
So you might even like to imagine that your inhale doesn't stop at the lungs but continues right down into the pelvis and legs.
And as you breathe out just noticing that the breath moves up from the legs to the pelvis all the way up the body on the exhale.
So again as if you're inhaling into the body down into the pelvis and legs.
And as you're exhaling all the way from the legs and the pelvis out of the body.
And just allow yourself to experience and feel any sensations that you find.
So our pelvis and legs form the base of support for the upright spine.
And the sacrum at the back of the pelvis is where the spine begins.
And so as you breathe into your pelvis and legs just notice how the breath and awareness can bring sensations alive.
And now bring your awareness upwards and take a few breaths as if from your diaphragm down into your belly,
Down into the lower spine and pelvic bowl.
And again just simply paying special attention to the sensations that you feel in the lumbar area of your spine.
So you're filling your entire belly with breath and just find where it can be felt to rest most easefully and effortlessly.
And again if the mind wanders then simply bring it back to the breath moving in and the breath moving out.
And now keep moving your attention upwards and take several breaths as if in from your upper torso from the diaphragm up to the base of the neck.
Feeling the breath spread through your chest and upper back.
Again paying special attention to the sensations and energies and any emotion that you might feel in the upper spine.
And just allow this feeling of presence of your whole upper torso to find its way into balance.
And now move your awareness to the shoulders girdle which rests like an oxen's yoke on your spine and ribcage.
And sense your shoulder girdle,
Your arms,
Your hands simply letting go as you breathe so that they too can join in this play of balance.
And now feel your neck,
The fleshy part of your neck as well as all the sensations in each of the vertebrae of your cervical spine.
And as you breathe in and out just imagine that your breath is activating every single sensation in every single cell of your neck.
And now finally feel your head,
The uppermost segment of your body.
Feel its fleshy coverings,
The skin and hair,
The bony cranium,
The brain and the brain stem and everything they attach to.
And just notice how your head balances itself through the connecting and very pliable link of the neck on top of everything underneath it like a beautiful lotus blossom floating on a lake.
And now notice how all the sensations of the body are simply stacked upon each other like a lotus.
The pelvic bowl and legs are anchored deeply into the stability of the mud forming a place for the stem and roots of the lotus.
And notice how the whole spine is simply relaxed and upright.
And notice and feel the sensations in each and every individual segment.
Notice that you can feel both the pelvis and the spine by simply broadening your focus to feel it all at once from the lower spine up to the cranium as an integrated vibratory sensation.
And so you're simply allowing your head to float with a sense of deep balance and relaxation,
Allowing the breath to move effortlessly through the entire body.
Simply sense the upright floating and liberated spine free of obstructions.
Feel free to stay here as long as you wish in this meditation and when you're ready simply floating open your eyes.
Noticing the aliveness by simply breathing with awareness.
You're all set.
