So just going ahead and finding yourself in a comfortable seated position,
Making any last minute adjustments you may need and ensuring that the body feels nice and supported.
And then whenever you're ready,
Just beginning to lower the eyes.
And if you're not comfortable lowering the eyes,
That's okay.
You can just have a nice,
Soft,
Steady gaze right ahead of you.
And then slowly and gently just beginning to have an awareness of the breath,
Following the inhale into the body and following the trail of the exhale as it exits out.
As if with every breath out,
You're allowing the body to release and soften.
And then breath by breath,
Releasing and letting go,
Softening the forehead and the eyebrows and even between the brows,
The nose and the mouth,
The cheeks,
The chin,
Relaxing the shoulders,
Even softening through the belly,
The hips,
Allowing the legs to be heavy as they rest on the cushion or the floor,
However they're supported.
Then resting your palms either on top of the thighs or towards the edge of the knees,
Whatever feels best for you.
And then just simply just inhaling into the body,
Exhaling out and not changing the pace of the breath,
Just truly allowing it to be whatever it's going to be for you today.
And you're just there,
Just witnessing,
Sensing and feeling.
Feeling the expansion of your body as you take the next inhale in.
Feeling the contraction of the body on the exhale out.
And allowing your awareness to rest there on the expansion and spaciousness of the body on the inhale,
The contraction of the body back on the exhale.
And just allow your awareness just to be there just for the next three breaths.
Even seeing if you can allow the breath to be smooth as you take it into the body,
Allowing it to nurture the body on the inhale.
And then sensing the warmth and the comfort of the breath on the exhale.
Noticing the coolness of the breath as you breathe it in,
As it hits the tip of the nostrils.
And then the change to warm on the exhale.
And for a moment,
Just allowing yourself to observe the breath moving from cool to warm,
Warm to cool on the inhale and the exhale.
Even noticing within your own body where it is that you're feeling your breath the most.
Where is it that you're sensing and feeling this movement?
This movement of life flowing in and throughout the body?
Is it at the tip of the nostrils or in the nose?
Do you feel your breath the most in the throat or the chest?
Or perhaps you're more connected in the belly.
Wherever you're connecting with your breathing the most,
Going ahead and just resting your awareness there just for the next five breaths.
And if the mind wanders,
That's okay.
You can place a hand on whatever part of the body you're feeling the breath the most and just rest your attention there.
Feeling and sensing the inhale.
Connecting and feeling the exhale.
And still keeping your awareness there at that point where you and the breath are intertwined.
And just taking it a step further and attaching a sense of gratitude to the inhale and the exhale.
Breathing in the breath with a sense of gratefulness.
Perhaps gratefulness just for this moment.
Gratefulness for this opportunity just to be.
Or even just gratefulness for something as simple as connecting with the inhale and the exhale.
Whatever you're grateful for,
Breathing in your breath into the body with that sense of gratitude.
And perhaps even as you're taking these next several breaths in,
Allowing a smile to come across the lips as you're breathing the breath in.
Feeling and sensing gratefulness in the body.
And then whenever you're ready,
Just beginning to deepen the breath.
Bringing the breath all the way up the spine to the crown on the inhale.
And as you exhale out,
Imagining the breath going back down the spine and out the soles of the feet,
Back into the earth on the exhale.
And doing it once again,
Bringing the breath up all the way up the body,
Up the spine to the crown.
Gentle and slow exhale out as we move the breath back down the body and out through the soles of the feet.
And then just beginning to invite slow movement,
Whether that's moving the head from side to side,
Or giving the body a deep stretch.
Moving in a way that feels good for you.
Wiggling fingers and wiggling toes.
Even inviting maybe a rock from left to right and right to left.
And then on the next breath in,
Just bringing your palms together at heart center and thanks and gratitude for your breath awareness practice for today.
Gently tilting the chin down in further thanks.
And we'll all collectively take a deep breath here.
Inhaling in.
And exhaling out.
My name is Leah.
It's always an honor and a pleasure to hold space for you.
This breath awareness meditation was from my heart to yours.
And so it is.
