now that you are centered, grounded, and vertically aligned, lets settle in and quiet the mind, come to stillness, and follow the breath.

first i will offer you directions, and then you will hear the ringing of a bell that will signal the start of the basic breath meditation.

the purpose of this simple technique is to make the practice of meditation easy, accessible.
training the mind to be still is a lifetime pursuit.
start today with 5 minutes of silent meditation, and as you develop your concentration and focus, you can increase the time in small increments.
change and transformation happens in small shifts, small adjustments to our regular routines and daily practices.

please get comfortable either seated or lying down.
begin to take a few deep cleansing breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, exhaling audibly, releasing any tension int he body.
pause
after a few of these breaths, close the mouth, and begin to breathe in and out thru the nose.
this meditation gives the mind a job to do, to focus on the intake and release of the breath.
to follow the breath with your attention, to tune into alll of the sensations of the breath moving into your body, and then following the breath as it leaves the body.
the mind will wander. but with love and gentle patience, continue to bring the mind back to the breath.

now, let us actively breathe on a 6 count inhale and an 8 count exhale.
please follow me:
and breathe in 2 3 4 5 6 and out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
and in 2 3 4 5 6
and out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
and in 2 3 4 5 6
and out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
please continue this long inhale and longer exhale, as you tune into the feeling of the breath moving through your nostrils, down your throat, into the lungs, expanding your chest the diaphragm contracting, feel the pause before the exhale, and now feel the sensation of exhaling, the slow release of the lungs, the breath flowing out of the body thru the nose, release.
this is following the breath.
again, be gentle and patient with yourself and you practice this.

know that you can take 5 minutes out of your day, even multiple times a day, set a timer on your phone, and simply follow the breath, come to stillness, meditate.

take a deep breath, and as you exhale come back into your body… move your face, swallow a couple of times, wiggle your fingers and toes, take a deep breath and audibly exhale returning to this moment, awakening.
tune into the sounds around you, the hum of the refrigerator, traffic nearby, birds chirping.
take one more deep breath and as you exhale, gently open your eyes.

with gratitude i bid you brightest blessings on your journey.
thankyou.
blessed be.