Learning to Letting Go: Mindful Breathing Meditation

In fall nature prepares for seasonal changes by letting go of what is no longer needed. The leaves change color and are eventually “let go” by the trees leaving room for re-birth, and revitalization These seasonal changes make it the perfect time for us to focus our energy on letting go of what no longer serves us and making space for change and growth. Mindful breathing meditation is the perfect tool to mental shift in the state of mind and can help us let of metaphorical baggage.  “Now (fall) is a good time to shed anything that binds you to your indignant and stubborn ways of sabotaging your dreams. Without pruning, there can be no new growth.” – The Chopra Center

Below is a guided mindful breathing meditation to help you purge and get unstuck in this beautiful fall season.

If you’d like an audio guide you can try this version on YouTube:

Or if you’d just like some relaxing background music you can check out this link:

1. Get comfortable! Inside out find a space where you can find pure relaxation.
2. Start your meditation by connecting with your breath. Slowly inhale through your nose, and slowly exhale out your mouth. Notice how your body becomes less stiff. Let go of the thoughts that clutter your mind and stay in the present moment.
3. Time for visualization! Imagine a scene from nature in the fall. See the colors of the leaves. Try to picture the crispness of the air. See if you can picture the smells of fall-cinnamon, pumpkin spice etc.
4. As you settle into your meditation focus your thoughts on one thing you would like to release from your life.
5. Keeping that thought in mind start to deepen your breath using every inhale as a positive affirmation and every exhale as a release. As if with every exhale you were slow letting go of that one thing in your life you would like to change.
6. Continue for at least 10 breaths
7. After 10 or more cleansing breaths shift your focus to the transition. Imagine your life once you’ve let go of whatever has you feeling stuck or blocked. Imagine how your life will be positively impacted by this change.
8. When you are ready to close your meditation, take a few more deep breaths.

The breath is an incredibly important aspect of meditation. Using a breathing resistance exerciser like Expand-A-Lung could be a great tool to help you lengthen your breath allowing for a deeper meditation.

Some may even find it helpful to use Expand-A-Lung on a very low setting during the meditation as it really helps to get a deeper inhale and a deeper exhale.