#43 Guided Meditations with Star: 3 Mindful Breaths

In a world bustling with distractions and demands, the simple act of breathing can lead to profound transformation. This episode dives into the essence of mindful breathing, revealing how reconnecting with our breath can foster peace amidst chaos. Join us as we uncover the art of three mindful breaths—an effective technique that helps reduce stress and encourages presence in daily life.

As we guide you through this episode, you'll discover the physical and emotional benefits of tuning into your breath. We explore how cultivating awareness of our breathing patterns can enhance our overall well-being, allowing us to let go of tension and reconnect with ourselves. Listen in as we reflect on the sensations experienced during mindful breathing and the effects they have on our minds and bodies. 

Together, we also challenge the perception of mindfulness, emphasising its necessity in modern life rather than as an afterthought. With repeated practice, we aim to nurture mindfulness as an essential component of self-care, encouraging ongoing exploration of personal experiences. By integrating breathing exercises into your routine, you can pave the way for a calmer, more centred existence.

Are you ready to embrace the clarity that mindfulness offers? Tune in to enhance your journey towards inner peace. Don’t forget to subscribe, share your experiences, and leave us a review!

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Mindful Breathing
• 5:00 Practicing Three Mindful Breaths
• 10:00 Reflecting on Your Breathing Experience

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:18

Welcome to Meditations with Star. Our meditation today is called Three Mindful Breaths. Let's begin by taking a moment just to settle your body in a comfortable position. To settle your body in a comfortable position, you can be standing, sitting or laying down. Just inviting a sense of ease and relaxation in the body, feeling comfortable with the intention to bring awareness and alertness to the physical sensations of your body on the earth or whatever is beneath you. Sounds around you move through your ears, noticing any smells. Bringing awareness to the sensations of can relax your belly and your chest, seeing if you can loosen any tension, softening any tightness and allowing yourself to breathe deep breaths, inviting a sense of ease in your belly and your chest as you let go of any tension, dropping your shoulders, softening your hands and the muscles of your face. Just feeling a sense of ease as you breathe, noticing the physical sensations around your body. What does it feel like to be breathing in this moment? Inhale and exhale, and today we're going to practice three mindful breaths.

Speaker 1: 5:10

Begin by taking a slow, gentle inhale, resting your attention on the sensation of the air passing through your nostrils, filling your chest and abdomen. Notice the inhale ends and shifts back through a gentle exhale. Notice the sensations in the body as the air passes back out. Rest for a moment and begin again as the air passes back out. Rest for a moment and begin again. Long, slow inhale, directing your attention to the sensation of the air as you breathe in and the long, slow exhale, noticing the sensations as the air passes out. The air passes out, noticing the air move in and out.

Speaker 1: 7:02

Wonderful, what did that feel like? If you had to describe the sensations of breathing in those moments to somebody, how would you describe it? What temperature was the air? How long was each exhale? Was there a sense of ease or a sense of trying to do it right? What was that experience like for you? Over time, you'll be building your concentration as well as a sense of kind curiosity, where you'll be able to stay present with the sense of openness, just noticing all the physical sensations as well as how your mind relates to your experiences. So don't worry if you felt like you didn't get this right or if you felt like this was boring. Those are completely natural reactions. But if this provided a sense of ease for you, I invite you to try this again and again. In the coming weeks, we'll be exploring different ways of bringing mindfulness to the breath as well as to the body, to build embodied awareness, sense of confidence and also kindness for ourselves and others. Thank you.