Sit comfortably in a quiet place where you can be free from distractions.
Choose a posture that promotes a long neutral spine,
Even if you're lying down.
If you are seated,
Set your chin to a neutral position so the back of your neck stays long.
Drop your shoulders from your ears and soften your belly.
When you feel comfortable,
Gently close your eyes and turn your attention and awareness inward toward your breath.
Without trying to change anything,
Simply notice how you're breathing right now.
Is the breath moving through the nose or the mouth?
Describe the rhythm and depth of the breath.
Notice if there's a difference between the breath in and breath out.
How does the breath feel as it moves through your body?
Where in the body do you notice the breath?
And as you focus inward toward your breath,
Your body,
Notice also your mind.
How might the breath as it is right now relate to the mind as it is right now?
Notice without judgement,
Just notice.
And now,
If you haven't already,
Close your lips and begin to breathe in and out through your nose.
Without making any drastic changes,
Staying comfortable without forcing or pushing or straining.
With as much ease as possible,
Use a short count to even out the breath.
Inhale for one,
Two,
Three.
Exhale for one,
Two,
Three.
Match the exhale breath to the length of the inhale breath.
Equal breathing in and out through your nose.
Breathe as naturally as possible but equally.
No need to push the length of breath in.
Just match your easy breath out with the length of the breath in.
Let the quality of your breath reflect the qualities you'd like to see in your mind.
Patient,
Easy,
Spacious,
Calm.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three.
Exhale one,
Two,
Three.
Find balance between breath in and out.
Find balance also in your mind.
Focus on equal breathing and also aware of the mind.
Focus the breath as it is right now.
Relate to the mind as it is right now.
And now without making any big changes,
Staying comfortable without forcing or pushing or straining.
Relax as much ease as possible.
Extend the exhale breath to four.
So we inhale one,
Two,
Three.
Exhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Take your time on breath out,
Then you do on breath in.
Breath in still long.
Breath in still easy.
Breath in still patient and calm.
Breath out a little longer.
With each longer breath out,
Release any unnecessary energy in the mind.
Inhale one,
Two,
Three.
Exhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale to three.
Exhale to four.
Aware of the breath and aware too of the mind.
And how does the quality of breath reflect the mind right now?
And now still breathing comfortably without pushing or forcing or straining.
With as much ease as possible.
Extend the exhale breath to five.
So we inhale one,
Two,
Three.
And exhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Same easy breath in,
Just a slightly longer breath out.
With each longer breath out,
Letting go of excess energy in the mind.
Inhale to three and exhale to five.
Inhale to three and exhale to five.
And as you watch the breath,
Notice the mind.
Notice how the quality of the mind is reflected in the breath.
Notice how the breath reflects the quality of mind.
Breath and mind,
Neither one comes first.
Change either one and you change the other.
Inhale to three,
Exhale to five.
Letting go of excess energy in the mind with each long breath out.
Inhale to three,
Exhale to five.
Now coming toward the end of our calming exhale meditation.
You may choose to stay here for a while.
Or maybe you slowly bring yourself back to the body,
Back to where you are now.
Moving the fingers and toes.
Relaxing the count of the breath.
Letting the mind wander.
Whenever you feel ready,
Gently opening the eyes.
