Breath Awareness: a guided breathing meditation
Rest attention on the breath at the nostrils, chest or belly and return each time it wanders. Timed text cues appear on screen, with optional device narration.
Before you begin
Sit comfortably upright, hands in your lap or on your knees. After reading a cue, you may close your eyes and rest with the breath until the next one appears.
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The full script
Each line appears at the time shown. Read it, then rest until the next.
3-minute version
- 0:00Settle into your seat and take two or three slower breaths. Then let the breath go back to its natural rhythm.
- 0:30Choose one place to feel the breath: the nostrils, the chest, or the belly. Rest attention there.
- 1:20When you notice the mind has wandered, that is the moment of practice. Come back to the breath without judgement.
- 2:05Feel one breath in. Feel one breath out. Just this one.
- 2:40Let attention widen from the breath to the whole body and the sounds around you. The chime will sound soon.
- 3:00Bell. The sit is complete. The breath is here whenever you choose to return to it.
5-minute version
- 0:00Settle into your seat and take two or three slower breaths. Then let the breath go back to its natural rhythm.
- 0:30Choose one place to feel the breath: the nostrils, the chest, or the belly. Rest attention there.
- 1:20Notice the slight stretch of breathing in and the softening of breathing out. There is no need to control it.
- 2:30If the mind has wandered, no problem. Notice where it went, then return to the breath without judgement.
- 3:40Feel one breath in. Feel one breath out. Just this one.
- 4:40Let attention widen from the breath to the whole body and the room. The chime will sound shortly.
- 5:00Bell. The sit is complete. The breath is here whenever you choose to return to it.
10-minute version
- 0:00Settle into your seat and take two or three slower breaths. Then let the breath go back to its natural rhythm.
- 0:30Choose one place to feel the breath: the nostrils, the chest, or the belly. Rest attention there.
- 1:30Notice the slight stretch of breathing in and the softening of breathing out. There is no need to control it.
- 3:00If the mind has wandered, no problem. Notice where it went, then return to the breath without judgement.
- 5:00You may have returned many times by now. Each return counts. Rest again with the breath where you feel it most.
- 7:00Feel one breath in. Feel one breath out. Just this one.
- 8:30Let the breath be exactly as it is, short or long, and keep it gentle company.
- 9:30Let attention widen from the breath to the whole body and the room. The chime will sound shortly.
- 10:00Bell. The sit is complete. The breath is here whenever you choose to return to it.