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Last week, in the first episode of our Embodied Meditation series, we explored deep body scan. If you missed it, you can catch it at mindful15.com/body. Today I’m going to teach you whole body breathing, another helpful somatic meditation practice that helps you bring body and mind together in the present moment.
Remember, embodied meditation, also known as somatic meditation involves using the body as the object of meditation, because the body always lives in the present moment. 
Whole body breathing involves breathing through the skin. You draw breath through the skin of the entire body at once. This may seem a little odd until you try it, but the exercise works best if you take the attitude that you really are drawing the breath through the skin.
In this practice, we focus on drawing air in, and we simply allow the air to dissipate without focusing on how it’s leaving the body. The emphasis is on the in-breath.
Personally, I find this technique to be deeply relaxing and highly energizing at the same time. It helps me achieve a calm, focused state. But, I’m not promising you these results. Remember, meditation is all about dwelling in the present moment without judging what’s happening. If you begin with expectations about the experience, you set yourself up to judge what’s happening against those expectations. It’s best to approach each meditation session with an open mind and experience whatever comes up as you sit. Each session may be different from the ones that came before.
Whole body breathing may be done in a sitting or lying position, or you can include both a sitting and lying down period in the same meditation session. If you lie down, you should take steps to prevent yourself from falling asleep. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground, just a little wider than hip distance apart. Let your knees fall toward one another. You’ll form a sort of pyramid with your legs that is comfortable and stable, but likely to involve just enough muscular activity to help keep you awake.
So, let’s try a 12-minute whole body breathing meditation. Mindful15 Members will find a longer version in the Meditation Library.
Join me now for some whole body breathing
For a 12-minute whole body breathing meditation, forward podcast or video above to 2:30.
Up Next Week
Next week brings Episode 3 in the Embodied Meditation series where I’ll teach you to breathe through the belly. For a reminder, sign up for our newsletter at mindful15.com/subscribe. When you sign up I’ll send you a copy of Your Meditation Action Plan, our step-by-step guide to building a healthy meditation habit that lasts a lifetime.
And, if you’re enjoying the Mindful15 Podcast, you might also be interested in becoming a member of Mindful15. To learn about the many benefits of membership, please go to Mindful15.com/memberships

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