GiG : 01. Breathing Space Meditation
Grounding in Grace series
Today we explore our breath through meditation. This is a simple, 3-minute meditation that you can do at any time of day you need to find some focus and grounding.***
Here are the steps:
1. Become Aware: Either sit or stand straight, back comfortably erect, shoulders back, chest opened. Close your eyes and bring your awareness to what is happening within you right now. What thoughts are going through your mind? Acknowledge the thoughts, don't focus on them. What emotions are you experiencing right now? Examine uncomfortable feelings, acknowledge that you are experiencing them in this moment. Be curious about what these emotions feel like in you. What body sensations are you experiencing in this moment? Any physical aches or pains? Is your heart racing? Is your breathing shallow or are you holding your breath? Simply observe, trying not to change what is happening.
2. Gathering and focusing attention: Focus your attention on the physical sensations of the breath, narrowing focus to the physical sensations of the breath in the abdomen, expanding as the breath comes in, falling back as the breath releases. Follow the breath all the way in and out. Use each breath as an opportunity to anchor yourself in the present moment. As your mind wanders, gently bring yourself back to focusing on the breath. Continue for a minute or so.
3. Expanding attention: Gently move your focus out from your abdomen so that it includes your whole body, your posture, your facial expression, your heartbeat - see how your whole body interacts with the breath, what happens on inhale, what happens on exhale? If you become aware of any places of pain or tension, bring your focus right in to the intensity of the discomfort by imagining that the breath could move into and around the sensations. Your intent is to explore the physical sensations, to become friends with them, give them some love, rather than change them in any way. If the sensation no long needs or wants your attention, focus back on your whole body and how the breath is affecting it. Continue this for as long as you feel necessary.
***Please note that for some breath work actually increases anxiety. If this is you, I invite you to listen to your body and not do this exercise or modify it in a way that works for you (perhaps ignore the breathing and focus only on awareness)
Grounding in Grace was an online program I offered in 2013 (!!). I have chosen some of the content from this program to share here and have edited and modified as appropriate or necessary.
If you benefit from my writing and resources, I would greatly appreciate you considering a paid subscription for $7/month. The extra material paid subscribers recieve (the ability to comment on posts and have access to the full archive, which includes all posts over three months old) will be available once you become a paid subscriber and remains available for the lifetime of your subscription. (I want to have my work available for everyone who needs it and those who can’t afford it. For those who are able, your paid subscription allows me to keep this material available to all).
Ways for us to connect
Embodied Relating/Trauma Informed Embodiment on Insta*
Gwynn Raimondi Writes on Insta*
Soothe Your Nervous System Card Deck
Individual Sessions (I currently have a few bi-weekly spots available (sliding scale options are available for these spots). If you are interested in working with me, you can either dm me here or email me at raimondi dot gwynn at gmail dot com to request a free 30-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.)
Tarot Readings Every month I offer four readings and they are given on a first come, first served basis. If you are interested in having a reading done by me, you can email me at raimondi dot gwynn at gmail dot com with Tarot/Oracle Request in the subject line and I will get back to you with questions and payment information.
Ancestral Healing & Journeying Work - (Re)Connecting to who we were before whiteness. Individual sessions to find reconnection with your ancesters, healing ancestral curses/processing ancestral trauma, and nourishing our ancestral strength and wisdom. If this kind of work interests you, I invite you to reach out so we can set up a 30-minute free consultation to discuss what this work could look like for you by emailing me at raimondi dot gwynn at gmail dot com with “Ancestral Connection Inquiry” in the subject line.
*Please note I am slowly moving away from social media. The best way to connect with me and my work is right here.
