Home Practice Guide - Week Two - Breath

Seated Practice
This week we ask you to really focus and steady your seated practice on the breath. Choose one specific place in the body where the breath sensation is strong (below the nose, the chest, the belly) to be the “anchor” of your meditation and stick with it. All manner of distractions may arise (sounds, other sensations in the body, thoughts, emotions, etc.) but your intention is to simply notice these distractions and return to your anchor‐‐ over and over again. If a body sensation other than breath becomes very strong, explore it in the way we’ve been practicing, staying interested in the changes and moving with intention and awareness if need be. As the “pull” of the sensation diminishes, return your attention to the breath.

For those of you who are new to meditation, we ask you to up your daily practice to 10 minutes a day. Carving out 10 minutes of stillness can seem daunting in a busy life, but what most people find is that the stillness actually creates time in the day by generating a greater sense of spaciousness and perspective.

For those of you with an established practice, continue to augment your practice in a specific way—a longer sit, sitting more frequently during the week or adding an additional short sit during the day.

Supports to concentration
In / Out: Many people find that a soft gentle label (“in” as the breath enters, “out” as the breath exits) supports their ability to stay with the breath. When concentration grows, you can release the label and just be with the direct experience of the breath itself.
Counting: There are many traditional methods of counting to help build concentration. One easy strategy is to count backwards from 10 to 1 for each breath. Whenever the mind wanders, you start back at 10 again. Once you are able to move through a number of full sets without getting distracted, release counting and stay with the direct experience of the breath.
Metta (loving kindness meditation): As mentioned in class, metta is a concentration practice! You might try beginning your breath practice with a few minutes of metta to help steady the mind.
May I be Safe
May I be Happy
May I be Healthy
May I live with Ease (of heart)

Mindfulness in Daily Life
This week, whenever you "remember," take a few deep breaths into the belly or heart. You can use a mental support like saying to yourself, "breathing in, I know that I am breathing in, and breathing out I know that I am breathing out" (a suggestion from Thich Nhat Han) or simply be present to the physical sensations as they are. You might notice the differences in the breath when you are waiting in line, in an argument, caught in traffic, talking to a child, about to take a bite of something, etc. Taking this pause to notice the breath throughout the day can be a tremendous support to building mindfulness in your life.

Enjoy!! Let us know any questions or concerns here or via eyesyoga@gmail.com

Jenn & Rebecca