A Breath Visualisation

Preparation

Take your most comfortable position on the floor – crossed legged in easy pose or kneeling in vajrasana, or even seated on a chair if you like.

Sit on your seat bones, feeling grounded into the floor. Make sure your spine is straight and your head balanced on top of your spine (imagine puppet strings pulling up from the crown of your head). You will need to be able to comfortably hold this pose for a good 10 mins, and you might find that this is easier if you put a block under your buttocks. It helps to keep the spine straight and takes the strain off the back and thigh muscles. We are going to be doing some breath awareness and a straight spine ensures smooth and unhindered breathing. Place your hands on your knees, adopting chin mudra (forefinger to thumb). And gently close your eyes.

Relaxation

Relax and let go of any tension in your body. Paying particular attention to the neck and shoulder area – where a lot of tension is often held. Breath out and feel a sense of letting go of any tension. Gently shrug your shoulders a couple of times to feel this releasing and move your neck gently from side to side. Let go of all tension and feel totally relaxed. Breath out let go. Let go of all tension … put all the hustle and bustle of the day behind you. Just be here now, ready to start your practice. Giving all your attention to this present moment … not worrying about the past, or the future … what you have to do when you get home … be here with this moment, now.

Awareness

Become aware of the natural breath, become aware of the deep, natural spontaneous breath. Be a witness to your breath at this moment. Draw your attention to the natural ingoing and outgoing of the breath. (PAUSE) Feel the breath moving along the passage between the navel and the throat, on inhalation it rises from the navel to the throat … on exhalation it descends from the throat to the navel, (PAUSE) Be completely aware of your breathing, navel to throat, throat to navel … visualise the breath moving like this on a wire. As you breath in it rises along the wire from the navel to the throat (PAUSE) as you breath out it descends along the wire from the throat to the navel (PAUSE) … do not try to force the breath, just be aware of the movement of the breath. (PAUSE) Maintain your awareness of the breath moving along this wire, up and down, navel to throat, throat to navel. Follow the rise and fall of your breath from navel to throat and back again. (PAUSE) Maintain total awareness of your breathing. The breathing is slow and relaxed. (PAUSE). Keep a tension in your lower tummy, below the navel and as you breath in the breath moves down the wire into your navel, the diaphragm flattening and the abdomen distending a little. Be a witness to this, don't try to control it. On the out breath the breath moves back up along the wire to the throat, as the diaphragm arches up pushing the air out. (PAUSE) Witness this movement of the breath, up and down along the wire.

Finish

Now let go of the image of the wire, and become aware of your natural breathing. Just awareness of breathing and relaxation. Develop awareness of your arms and legs and your body sitting on the floor. (PAUSE) Become aware of meeting points between your body and the floor. (PAUSE) Develop awareness of the noises in the room, and noises outside, take your mind outwards, become completely external. Sit quietly for a few moments, keep your eyes closed. Now start moving your body and stretching yourself, slowly into savasana … take your time. Lie back fully on the floor in savasana.