Soft Belly Breath can be a helpful practice for settling and creating focus, after just a single breath.
It connects your mind and your body a little bit more with each repetition.
Try one, two or three and notice for yourself what you create in your body, in your mind. This is your practice, your tool for focusing from the inside.
Enjoy your practice…
Length 4:29FocusSitting
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Soft Belly Breath
Try sitting in seated mountain. Still, strong.
Your weight is solid and supported by a chair or the floor.
Your shoulders are heavy and down.
Your chin is tucked slightly so the back crown of your head is gently lifted.
Jaw is loose. Hands are resting. Eyes might close.
Your body is a mountain.
And now your attention can rest, even for one moment at a time, on your body, as you breathe.
Maybe you can notice breath coming in through your nose, follow it down into your chest. Notice if breathing expands your back. It is subtle, but might be detectable.
If your mind wanders, which minds tend to do, just bring it back to your body breathing, wherever you notice it wandered.
Now direct you attention to your belly. It will be tempting to judge, label or make plans to change it – but try to just let your belly be your belly. It may expand and deflate with breath. Notice that. Rest your attention there. Breathe.
Now attach words – intention – to your breath, to your belly.
Silently think the word SOFT as you breathe in.
Think the word BELLY as you breathe out.
SOFT on your in-breath. BELLY on your out-breath.
That’s the practice. One breath at a time. One word at a time.
SOFT
BELLY
You mind wanders away, to something else. No problem.
SOFT inhale, BELLY exhale.
Try a few more, on your own.
SOFT in, BELLY out.
Check in on your seated mountain. Still? Strong? Maybe even settled now?
And your mind? Maybe focused?
One more, SOFT, BELLY.
This is your practice. Your focus – on your breath in your body.
That’s it, simple yet powerful. Let your body and mind connect and be your tool for settling and focusing.
Notice how you feel different in your body and in your mind.
When you have a moment or can make one – practice Soft Belly again and again. One Soft Belly Breath at a time.
It is your practice.
Length 4:29FocusSitting
