The Breathing Space Audio Transcript


In step 1 of the breathing space, becoming aware of the present moment in its fullness by deliberately adopting an erect and dignified posture, whether sitting or standing, allowing your eyes to close if that is possible or appropriate in this moment, otherwise keeping them open. And in either case, resting in an awareness of your inner experience, opening to it and asking, what is my experience right now? What thoughts are going through the mind? As best you can, noting thoughts as mental events, perhaps even becoming aware of their content in words. What feelings are here, turning towards and opening to any sense of emotional discomfort or unpleasant feelings?

What body sensations are here right now? Perhaps quickly scanning the body to pick up on any sensations of tightness or bracing. Now in step 2, gathering and redirecting your attention to focus on the physical sensations of the breath just breathing itself. Moving in close to the sense of the breath in the belly, feeling the sensations in the abdominal wall as it expands with each in breath and falls back with each out breath. With full awareness following the breath all the way in and all the way out, using the breathing itself to anchor you in the present moment.

And now, in step 3, expanding the field of awareness around your breathing so that in addition to the sensations of the breath, it includes a sense of the body as a whole, your posture, and your facial expression, how they feel from the inside. If you become aware of any sensations of discomfort, tension, or resistance, experimenting gently with breathing into them on the in breath and breathing out from them on the out breath, perhaps feeling a softening and releasing with each out breath. If you care to, perhaps saying to yourself on the out breath, it's already here. Whatever it is, it's already here. Let me feel it.

And now, as best you can, bringing this expanded, more spacious, and accepting awareness to the next moments of your day, whatever circumstances you find yourself in, as it continues to unfold.