File Name 10 Minute Guided Breathing Meditation

Welcome to this guided meditation for breathing. Begin by getting into a comfortable seated position, preferably in a chair with your feet planted firmly on the floor, legs uncrossed. Either way, take a moment to adjust your sit bones so that they feel balanced and even on either side, and let your spine strengthen and lengthen, feeling balanced and centered. Shoulders rolling back slightly to open up your heart, and letting your palms rest comfortably in your lap, however feels good to you. Allow your chin to tuck very slightly under, making sure your spine is perfectly straight, and when you're ready, lovingly close your eyes. For now, just become aware of your breath. What sensations do you notice? Do you feel perhaps a coolness at the tip of your nose when you breathe in? Maybe a warmth as you breathe out? What muscles are you engaging? As you become more aware of your breath, you also become more aware of your body as a whole, noticing the points of contact between you and the surface on which you are seated, perhaps feeling the sensation of clothes on your skin, and as you let yourself be more present in your body with your breath, we will begin to become more intentional with the style of breathing. On your next inhale, at a pace that feels good to you, let your belly expand as you breathe in, while your upper chest remains relatively still, breathing in through your nose, holding at the top, and when you're ready, exhale through your mouth, stomach contracting, ribcage continuing to remain relatively calm and still. At the bottom of that breath repeat, stomach expands as you breathe in, as your upper chest remains relatively still, breath is held momentarily at the top, and when you're ready, exhale through your mouth, stomach contracting, all the while your chest remains relatively still. Again, stomach expands as you breathe in, through the nose, chest is still, and belly contracts as you breathe out through the mouth, chest is calm. I want you to do this at a pace that feels good to you, but on your next exhale, take your time with it, and let every exhale be twice as long as every inhale, moving at a pace that feels good to you, all there is right now is this breath. Breathing in through your nose, belly expands. Breathing out through your mouth, belly contracts. Every exhale is twice as long as every inhale. This helps you slow down. If any thoughts or feelings come up for you, that's okay, do not judge yourself if you get caught up in anything. When this happens, just return your awareness to your breath. Keeping your upper chest relatively calm and still lets your body know that you are safe. Belly expands on every inhale, and contracts on every exhale. Breathing in through the nose, and out through the mouth, with each exhale twice as long as each inhale, at whatever pace feels good to you. If it helps you to count the breath, you could perhaps breathe in for 4, and out for 8, or you can just focus on how it feels. We're all different, choose what feels best for you. Either way, any time a thought comes to mind, instead of forcing it away, just retune your attention to this beautiful breath all throughout the rest of this meditation. Remembering to keep your upper chest both stomach and rib cage fully expanding now. Feeling your entire torso expand as you breathe in, holding it at the top, and whenever you're ready, let it all go with an audible sigh, feeling your chest and belly contract. Notice a sense of expansion now as you breathe in, returning to a pace of breathing that feels good to you, letting your chest rise on every inhale, and fall on every exhale. You begin to become grateful to yourself for showing up for this, saying thank you out loud or in your mind, and you take this peaceful feeling with you as you begin to roll your shoulders, wiggle your fingers and toes, and at a slow pace that feels good to you, open your eyes back to the world around you.