Effortless Breath Meditation
This is a breathing meditation I use to open some yoga classes, as well as to introduce thoughtful breathing to new students. It’s a wonderfully gentle way to learn about your own respiration patterns and where there may be some kinks. The goal of the meditation is not to actively change the breath, but to passively allow the breath to explore your body on its own. There are plenty of exercises to manipulate and/or tone the breath or breathing patterns. This meditation is to establish a baseline and to establish a natural, unimpeded, effortless breath.
Lay comfortably on your back with your knees supported by a bolster or a rolled up blanket.
Yield your body’s weight into the floor. Give into gravity. Feel each and every bone sink.
Melt your soft tissues. Feel the weight of your organs yield to gravity. Feel your muscles falling off the bones and your skin falling off the muscles.
Bring your attention to your belly. Observe any tension in your belly. Let go of the tension. Let your belly become soft.
Bring your attention to your ribs. Observe any tension in the ribcage. Let go of the tension. Let your ribs float freely. Let the tiny intercostal muscles between the ribs relax. Allow the ribcage to expand and contract passively.
Let your attention rise to your collarbones. Let them slide, allowing more space for the lungs.
Bring attention to the throat. If your throat is tight or constricted, let it open. If you feel as if you are sucking air through a straw, let it go. Let your throat be a wide, open channel.
Draw attention to your mouth. Let the jaw relax. Feel the tongue, teeth, and lips relax. Let the mouth and the back of your throat be an open cavern.
Draw your attention to your cheeks. Let them melt. Let your eyebrows unfurl. Feel the volume of your open sinuses. Feel your melting cheeks widen your nostrils.
Feel the length of your airway. If you should feel any restriction or tightness along the airway, bring your attention to that point and allow it to relax. Allow the muscles to remain soft and at rest. Allow the body to breathe passively. Observe the breath as it flows in through your nostrils, into your sinuses. Feel the air pour out of your sinuses and down your throat. Feel the air pour out of your throat to fill your lungs. Feel the breath expand beyond the lungs throughout the body. Observe the breath as it expands into the body, flowing all the out to the fingers and toes. Stay here, breathing effortlessly, for several minutes.
When you are ready to leave the meditation, slowly deepen your breath. Draw life into your fingers and toes. Gently awaken the body.