Thought Bubble - Guided Alternate Breathing Meditation - Good for Beginners

For this breathing meditation we will not be following the breath on it's journey into and out of our bodies, but we will be concentrating on our abdomen. If we are breathing properly our abdomen will expand when we inhale and deflate when we exhale. If you find that your shoulders are rising and falling with your breath then you are breathing too shallow and this may be from too much stress. You need to try to breath more deeply and purposefully into your abdomen.

Remember, if you catch your mind wandering during the meditation you are not failing, but actually succeeding because you are become more aware of your mind and beginning to gain control over it.

This meditation will include a relaxation technique, a healing technique, the virtuous motivation or intention, the meditation itself, the virtuous dedication to keep our good karma safe and then the return process.

So, let's get started.

We need to get into our meditation posture. Sitting in a chair, we place our feet flat on the ground and sit with our backs as straight as possible, without being uncomfortable. We want to place our left hand palm up in our lap and then put our right hand palm up on top of the left hand. We gently place our thumbs together and point them towards our navel or belly button. We tuck our chin down slightly and close our eyes to reduce distractions.

 

(Pause where needed.)

Starting with our relaxation we can think to ourselves, my forehead is relaxed and feel muscles of our forehead becoming relaxed. Now we can think my eyes are relaxed and feel the tension float away. And my face is relaxed. Allow yourself to become relaxed. My jaw is relaxed. My entire head is completely relaxed. My throat is warm and comfortable. My neck is relaxed. My shoulders are relaxed and free of all tension and stress, just let it go. My upper arms are relaxed. My lower arms and hands are relaxed. My chest is open, warm and relaxed. My stomach is relaxed and free of all stress and worry, just release it. My abdomen is relaxed and feel yourself becoming more deeply relaxed. My pelvis is relaxed. My upper back is relaxed and free of all tension and stress. My lower back is relaxed and free of all stress and worry. My entire spine is completely relaxed. Feel yourself becoming even more tranquil. My hips are relaxed. My upper legs are relaxed. My lower legs and feet are relaxed. My entire body is completely relaxed.

Now we can scan through our bodies to see if we find any illness, pain or discomfort. When we find any we turn it into thick black smoke and exhale it on our breath so it leaves our body. As we exhale the smoke disintegrates and disappears. Go ahead and do this.

Now we can think to ourselves, I am doing this meditation, so that I may improve my concentration to not only benefit myself but everyone that I come into contact with either direct or indirectly.

Breathing normally, we want to focus our mind at our abdomen. As we inhale we can feel our abdomen expanding and as we exhale we can feel it receding again. Concentrate on those feelings as you breath in and again when you breathe out. Go ahead.

If you find your mind is wandering just simply and gently bring your focus back to your abdomen as it moves out as you inhale and in as you exhale.

And now, before we come out of our meditation we can dedicate, so we can think to ourselves, I wish to dedicate this virtuous act of meditating to reduce the suffering of everyone I know, including myself, so that we can all be happier.

And now, slowly and gently open your eyes, taking as much time as you need to return.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this meditation. 

You can find the podcast for this meditation here: https://youtu.be/RUzr56WobBE