Low Belly Breath

Welcome back. In this practice, we are going to observe our breath in our belly, in our low belly. And I will use the gong to indicate the beginning and the end of the practice. So find your seat, close your eyes, let's begin. Drawing your attention inwards, noticing any sensations in the body, feeling the weight of your seat, the gravitational pull, the heaviness of your legs.

Find your breath beneath your navel center. Feel the soft undulation of the inhale and the exhale and the pause. Again, noticing if your mind is drawn away by a thought or a sensation. Or a feeling, simply notice it and return to the sensation of the breath, the calm undulation in and out, softening all the internal organs around the sensation of the breath. And now gently open the eyes, gaze soft, a few feet in front of you.

Maintaining in your environment, while still maintaining your awareness of your breath in your belly, the soft rising and falling like waves. Calm mind, soft breath, stable, clear body. Noticing any tension that may be forming in the mouth and the jaw and just softening that tension when you notice it. And again, returning to the sensation of the breath at the lower belly. Maintaining your awareness of the breath at the lower belly.

Again, checking in with the physical body. Maintaining your legs, your seat, your chest, the drop of the shoulders, the relaxation of the jaw, subtle tilt in the back of the neck and the eyes soft gazing forward. The weight of the arms as they rest on the upper thighs. And again, the rising and falling of breath at your belly. Feel free to close your eyes, to tune into the sensation of it more deeply.

And again, softly open the eyes, gentle gaze. Soft belly, easy breath. Soft gaze, stable body. Now relax the technique a little, let your awareness begin to mix in the space. Raise your gaze ever so slightly.

Taking in more of the room, noticing in your peripheral vision, the objects, the lights in the space, feeling the sensations in your body. As you begin to open up your field of vision and awareness. Relaxing the technique. Simply noticing what arises in the visual field, what you hear, any thoughts, sensations. And then gently raise the gaze, taking in even more of the room, soft breath.

Bring the hands into the heart, gently bow. Thank you.