Posture
Take care to adopt such a position of the body that the body itself cannot (because of fatigue, for instance) be a cause of distraction.
Sit
comfortably
on a simple straight-backed chair
in poised posture.
Your feet,
parallel
pointing directly ahead
hip- or shoulder-width apart
Your hands,
on your thighs
the right hand is laid over the left
‘cup’ them limply in your lap
with thumbs touching
with your wrists at the tops of your thighs.
Keep your neck and head straight.
Pull the chin back slightly and downwards.
Keep the spine straight and the back relaxed.
Your eyes closed.
Breathing
Breath softly through your belly.
Breath in through the nose – calm and strong.
Breath out through the nose – calm and strong.
There is no pause between breathing in and breathing out.
There is no pause between the breathing out and the breathing in.
Breath in seven counts
Pause briefly
Breath out seven counts
Pause briefly
In, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Out, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Let each breath start deep
in your stomach
then expand your rib cage
and fill your lungs
Feel the air moving into
your stomach the way
water fills a vase
from the bottom
Exhale slowly
So gently that your breath
could bring to life
a flame from a tiny spark
glowing in twigs
Relax your toes
the ball of your feet
And slowly and thoroughly,
move your awareness up through
Imagine that you are surrounded by light
As you breath in,
inhale this light and feel your body filled with it
And as you breathe out,
exhale any tension, any pain you may feel in
your toes
the ball of your feet
Exhale any tension you feel in
the soles of your feet
your heels
your insteps
your whole feet
your ankles
your calves
your knees
your thighs
your hips
your whole legs
your fingers
your thumbs
your palms
your whole hands
your wrists
your lower arms
your elbows
your upper arms
your armpits
your whole arms
your perineum
your buttocks
your lower back
up the spine
your shoulder blades
your neck
the back of your head
the top of your head
your forehead
your temples
your eyebrows
at the root of the nose
your eyelids
your eyes
your ears
your nose
your lips
your mouth
your teeth
your tongue
your chin
your jaw
your cheeks
your whole face
your throat
your larynx
your shoulders
your torso
your chest
your solar plexus
your stomach
your navel
your lower abdomen
your genital area
your whole body
Will you continue with another exercise or finish?
Become aware of your breath
moving in,
and out,
in,
and out.
When you are ready,
Notice your breathing
Become aware of your body, of the place where you are
Feel your heartbeat
Listen to all the sounds around you
Slowly, very slowly, in your own time
Open your eyes
Look around you
Look at your world
Wait for your body to cool down before moving