Mindfulness Practice:
Mindfulness of Breath

1.  Lying on the floor or sitting in a chair, find a comfortable posture that feels relaxed and alert, noticing how you adjust to find this feeling. Rest your hands on your knees or on your lap. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Take a few deep breathes, letting go of tension throughout the body.

2.  As much as you can, allow your breath to breathe on its own, through the nose or mouth as is comfortable for you. Let your breath adjust itself naturally and effortlessly throughout.

3.  When you are ready, bring your attention to the sensation of breath within your body. You might focus on a single sensation such as air in the nostrils or the movement of your belly, or you might just focus on the ebb and flow, and feelings within the breath.

4.  If your mind wanders towards thoughts or other sensations, simply notice the wandering. Observe the thought or sensation arising, and any feelings that come with it. When you can, gently welcome attention back to the breath, allowing other things to recede.

5.  If the mind begins to create a story or image about the breath, acknowledge it without judging it or pushing it away. When you can, simply and gently bring awareness back to the feeling of breathing beneath the stories or images of the mind.

6.  To finish, take a deep inhale and let it go with a effortless exhale. Allow your attention to travel freely through your body and into the space around you, noticing how you feel after.