During this meditation you will develop the skill of using slow diaphragmatic breathing to bring deep relaxation to your body and calm to your mind.
If you just start out by taking your meditation posture,
Either seated or lying down,
Then simply start to be aware of what it feels like just to be here in the room.
Tune into any sounds around you and allow the flow,
The change within the sound to hold your attention.
Tune into any sounds around you and allow the flow,
The change within the sound to hold your attention.
Now we're going to learn to take some softening breaths using our diaphragm.
Placing your palms below your belly button,
Fingers lightly touching in the middle.
It's helpful to press in slightly so that you can feel the movement of your breathing.
Now to breathe in,
Slowly extend the lower part of your abdomen away from your body.
Notice how it lifts your palms and slowly lower it back again to allow the breath to go out.
To breathe in,
Slowly extend the lower part of your abdomen away from your body and to breathe out,
Slowly lower it back again.
Keeping this movement gentle,
Free from strain.
Repeat it a few times to get a feeling of this movement.
Notice how extending the lower part of your abdomen away from your body draws the breath in through your nose.
Notice how lowering it back again makes the breath go out through your nose.
Think of this movement as like a handle on a pump.
As you slowly extend it outwards,
The breath draws in.
As you slowly lower it back again,
The breath goes out.
As you slowly lower it back again,
The breath goes out.
As you slowly lower it back again,
The breath goes out.
Now we are going to learn to take a full softening breath.
Leaving one palm below your belly button,
Place the other on the top of your chest.
Starting the breath in your belly,
Pushing your ribs out slightly and bringing the breath up to the top of your chest filling you up.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
Taking another breath in,
Starting the breath in your belly,
Moving it up through your ribs to the top of your chest,
Lifting you up.
And slowly allowing the breath out,
Allowing your shoulders to drop,
Your chest,
Your upper back,
Relax.
The in,
Belly,
Ribs,
Chest,
Slowly out and relax.
Starting with that out breath.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
We are going to allow the breathing to happen naturally now.
Not controlling the breathing in any way.
As you release your breathing,
Feel that breath flow freely and naturally within your body.
As the breathing calms down it becomes more gentle,
More subtle.
As the breathing calms down it becomes more gentle,
More subtle.
Notice how calming this movement is.
And as it calms it naturally moves gently within your belly.
To relax you deeper.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
And slowly allowing that breath out to relax.
Now bringing awareness back into your body.
And becoming aware of any sounds around you.
Allowing those sounds to come into you.
And when you're ready you can gently open your eyes.
Thank you for spending this time meditating with me.
Take care of yourself and have a wonderful day.
