A Guided Meditation on Breath and Posture

Settle into a comfortable seated position. Find a chair or a cushion on the floor where you can sit upright with ease. Allow your back to be straight, but not stiff. You are here to simply be aware.

Posture

First, let's turn our attention to the body's posture. Bring your awareness to your shoulders. Gently roll them back and down, allowing your chest to open slightly. Feel your spine naturally straighten, supporting your head and neck. This is a posture of quiet strength and ease.

Now, bring your attention to your jaw. Notice any tension you might be holding there. Gently allow your jaw to relax. Let the muscles soften. You can even part your lips slightly. Feel how relaxing the jaw also helps to release tension in your neck and across your shoulders. This relaxation spreads through your head and down into the rest of your body.

Take a moment to simply sit in this posture—with relaxed shoulders and a soft jaw.

Breathing

Now, let's turn our awareness to your breath.

Take a deep breath in through your nostrils. Imagine you are filling a balloon deep in your belly. The in-breath is slow, deep, and full. Notice how your diaphragm expands as you draw the air in. Be aware of the entire journey of the breath as it fills you up, all the way down to your belly.

Once you are full, begin to breathe out. As you exhale, let the breath flow from your belly. Gently, very gently, feel a slight pushback of air from the area around your voice box. This is a very subtle sensation—a soft pressure, as if you are monitoring the air as it passes. This little bit of awareness at the voice box helps you to control and be present with the out-breath.

Continue to breathe in and out with this awareness. In-breathing, deep and slow, filling your belly. Out-breathing, gentle and steady, with that subtle, relaxing pushback from your voice box.

Remember to keep your jaw, neck, and shoulders relaxed as you do this. The practice is to maintain this awareness without tensing any muscles. The body remains soft and at ease while the mind gently monitors the breath.

Continue to practice these four steps—relaxed shoulders, soft jaw, deep in-breath, and gentle out-breath with a slight pushback—for the next 20 minutes. Simply sit and be aware.