A shared practice
Waking Softly: A Morning Breath Practice for Gentle Arrival
A practice by Studio Test · Breath Awareness · 5 min
A short settling practice for the first quiet minutes of the morning, releasing sleep and arriving in the day
Listen
Script
[0:00]
[gentle]
Good morning. 2s of stillness Welcome to this quiet moment, however you've arrived here. 3s of stillness
Before anything else, know this: you are in complete control throughout this practice. 3s of stillness You can open your eyes, shift your position, or stop at any point. 5s of stillness
You might be sitting up in bed, or in a chair, or wherever feels right for you this morning. 3s of stillness There's no wrong way to begin. 5s of stillness
To start, you might rest your attention on the weight of your body against the mattress or chair... 3s of stillness or the sounds beginning to stir in your home or outside your window... 3s of stillness or, if it feels right, the natural rhythm of your breath. 5s of stillness Any of these can be your anchor today.
[0:50]
[slower]
Take a moment to notice your feet, wherever they are resting. 3s of stillness Feel the surface beneath them. 5s of stillness
Notice the weight of your hands. 3s of stillness Perhaps still soft with sleep. 5s of stillness
There's no need to change anything. 3s of stillness Simply noticing is enough. 5s of stillness
If any part of you still feels heavy with sleep, that's completely natural. 3s of stillness This is a practice of arriving slowly, not forcing yourself awake.
[1:30]
[normal]
Now, if it feels comfortable, you might bring some attention to your breath. 3s of stillness And remember — if breath doesn't feel like an easy place to rest, you can always return to your feet, or the sounds in the room. 5s of stillness
Notice the breath entering... 3s of stillness and leaving... 3s of stillness without needing to change its pace. 5s of stillness
Feel the coolness of the incoming air. 3s of stillness The slight warmth as it leaves. 5s of stillness
When your mind wanders to today's plans, or last night's dreams — and it will — that's not a mistake. 3s of stillness Each time you notice, and return, that's the practice itself. 5s of stillness
[3:00]
Feel your feet again, grounded beneath you. 3s of stillness Feel your seat, supported. 5s of stillness
Like a stone settling to the bottom of a still lake, allow yourself to settle here, in this early moment of the day. 5s of stillness
[3:45]
[slower][softer]
Take a few more breaths, at your own pace. 10s of stillness
You might silently ask yourself: how do I want to meet this day? 10s of stillness
Whatever arose for you this morning is exactly right.
[4:15]
[normal]
Slowly, begin to widen your awareness. 3s of stillness Notice the light in the room, even behind closed eyes. 3s of stillness Notice any sounds nearby. 5s of stillness
You might wiggle your fingers... 2s of stillness roll your shoulders... 3s of stillness and when you're ready, let your eyes open, if they were closed. 5s of stillness
Carry this steadiness with you into the day. 3s of stillness You can return here tomorrow morning, or anytime you need to.
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This practice was written and narrated with Mindfulness Exercises Studio. Yours takes a few minutes to make.
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