1. WE’RE GOING TO DO A BASIC MEDITATION. THAT IS THE BASIC PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS JUST A VERY SIMPLE BREATH MEDITATION, I’LL GUIDE YOU THROUGH IT.

2. I INVITE YOU TO SETTLE BACK ON YOUR CHAIR IF YOUR COMFORTABLE CLOSE YOUR EYES, YOU DON’T HAVE TO MEDITATE WITH Y OUR E YES CLOSED, YOU DON’T HAVE TO MEDITATE WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED, BUT IT CAN BE QUITE HELPFUL. AND IF IT DOESN’T FEEL COMFORTABLE KEEP THEM LOOKING DOWNWARD WITH A SOFT GAZE.

3. YOUR FEET SHOULD BE ON THE FLOOR, YOUR BACK UPRIGHT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN THESE CHAIRS, AND AT THE SAME TIME BEING COMFORTABLE. NOT TOO RIGID NOT TOO TIGHT JUST COMFORTABLE. YOUR HANDS CAN BE RESTING WHEREVER IS COMFORTABLE, ON YOUR LEGS, ON THE ARM OF THE CHAIR, IN YOUR LAP. (PAUSE) -- I LIKE TO PUT MY TONGUE ON THE ROOF OF MY MOUTH BUT REALLY WHAT IS COMFORTABLE FOR YOU. LET’S BEGIN BY NOTICING OUR BODY PRESENT ON THE CHAIR. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN BEING MINDFUL IS BRINGING OUR ATTENTION INTO OUR BODY RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW (PAUSE) – YOU CAN NOTICE YOUR FEET ON THE FLOOR AND WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE TO HAVE YOUR FEET ON THE FLOOR. THERE’S WEIGHT AND CONTACT WITH THE FLOOR, VIBRATION AND TOUCH AND MOVEMENT. (PAUSE) –

4. AND THEN NOTICE YOUR LEGS IN THE POSITION THAT THEY’RE IN AND THEN NOTICE WHERE YOUR LEGS TOUCH THE CHAIR. (PAUSE) – SO THERE’S HEAVINESS, PRESSURE, VIBRATION. BECAUSE YOU’RE DOING THIS YOU’RE BRINGING YOUR BODY INSIDE TO THE PRESENT MOMENT. OUR BODIES ARE ALWAYS IN THE PRESENT MOMENT SO WE BRING OUR MINDS THERE TOO. YOU CAN NOTICE YOUR BACK AGAINST THE CHAIR AND NOTICE WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE. (PAUSE) – AND BRING YOUR ATTENTION INTO YOUR STOMACH AREA AND SEE IF YOUR STOMACH IS TIGHT OR TENSE, AND IF IT IS, ALLOW IT TO SOFTEN A LITTLE BIT. YOU CAN BREATHE MORE DEEPLY INTO YOUR STOMACH AREA. (PAUSE) – AND THEN NOTICE YOUR HANDS, IF YOUR HANDS ARE TENSE ALLOW THEM TO SOFTEN. HOW ABOUT YOUR ARMS AND SHOULDERS. NOTICE THEM AND LET THEM BE RELAXED. (PAUSE) –

5. AND NOTICE YOUR JAW AND THROAT AND FACE, SOFTEN YOUR JAW, SOFTEN YOUR FACIAL MUSCLES, (PAUSE) – AND THEN BEGIN TO NOTICE THAT Y OUR BODY IS BREATHING. NOW WITHOUT YOU HAVING TO DO ANYTHING, YOUR BODY IS NATURALLY BREATHING, (PAUSE) – SEE IF YOU CAN FIND YOUR BREATH IN YOUR BODY, AND LET THE BREATH BE NATURAL, DON’T TRY TO ELONGATE IT OR SHORTEN IT. YOU MIGHT NOTICE YOUR ABDOMEN AREA. WHEN YOU FEEL THE BREATH IN Y OUR ABDOMEN THERE IS A RISING, A FALLING SENSATION, EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION, (PAUSE) – HOW ABOUT IN YOUR CHEST AREA, CAN YOU FEEL YOUR CHEST MOVING UP AND DOWN. EXPANDING, CONTRACTING, R ISING, FALLING, AND NOW NOTICE IF YOU CAN FEEL YOUR BREATH AT YOUR NOSTRILS. THERE’S COOLNESS, HEAT, TINGLING, FLOW OF SENSATIONS, (SOUND HERE) – NOW IF THERE’S SOUND, JUST LET THERE BE SOUND IN THE BACKGROUND. AND TRY TO FOCUS ON YOUR BREATH. FINDING YOUR BREATH IN ONE OF THESE SPOTS: ABDOMEN OR CHEST OR NOSTRILS. LETTING Y OUR ATTENTION COME TO REST. CHOOSE ONE. IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER WHICH ONE, JUST CHOOSE THE ONE THAT IS THE MOST OBVIOUS TO YOU OR THE EASIEST, MOST COMPELLING. SEE IF YOU CAN FEEL ONE BREATH AT A TIME, ONE BREATH AFTER THE NEXT. AS YOU DO THIS, IT’S LIKELY THAT YO UR MIND WILL START TO WANDER – PERHAPS ALL SORTS OF THINGS WILL COME INTO YOUR MIND, AND IF THAT’S THE CASE, Y OU’RE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG, IT’S ACTUALLY QUITE NORMAL,

6. WHEN YOU NOTICE YOUR MIND WANDERING YOU CAN ACTUALLY SAY “THINKING” OR “WANDERING,” AND THEN VERY GENTLY BRING YOUR ATTENTION BACK TO YOUR BREATHING. SO YOU ARE WITH YOUR BREATH. IF YOU GET LOST IN YOUR THOUGHT YOU MIGHT SAY “THINKING.” THEN COME BACK TO YOUR BREATH. IF YOU NOTICE YOU’RE SLEEPY THAT’S FINE, IF Y OU CAN BE AWARE OF YOUR BEING SLEEPY, FEELING RESTLESS, NOTICE THAT. WHATEVER TAKES YOU AWAY FROM YOUR BREATH BECOME AWARE OF IT. AND THEN COME BACK TO THE BREATH. SO WE’RE GOING TO PRACTICE THIS FOR A FEW MOMENTS, I’LL BE QUIET, AND YOU PRACTICE IT ON YOUR OWN.