Breath counting is one of the most common meditation technique introduced to beginners. If you are new to breathing and meditation practice, this guided meditation is certainly a good start for you. We have created the 15-mins exercise into three stages as following,

Stage One | Conscious Breathing connect to present moment.
Stage Two | Physical Body Relaxation through breathing.
Stage Three | Breathing Counting into deeper meditative stage.

15 mins guided Meditation for Beginners

Click the video for the audio version, and start your guided meditation.

Scroll down for the full text for personal practice.

15-minute guided meditation for beginners.

Guided breathing counting meditation | full text

Prepare yourself for the practice

Before you start the practice, please find a quiet place in a comfortable position.
Consider sitting on the floor with leg crossed or any sitting position that keep your spine straight comfortably.
Put you hands on your knees, either with your palms up facing the sky or down at your choice.
Slowly close your eyes and relax your eyelids. No tension around you eyes.

All set and ready. Let’s begin the practice.

Stage One | Conscious Breathing connect to present moment.

Now, bring your attention towards both side of your nostrils.
Gently inhale, then exhale through the nostrils;
Inhaling, and exhaling through the nostrils;
Inhaling, and slowly exhale through the nostrils;

Continue to inhale and exhale, paying attention to your breathing rhythm and the length.
In the next ten seconds, follow your own rhythm..
Now for ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...

Stage Two | Physical Body Relaxation through breathing

Based on stage one, we relax different part of the body while exhaling.

Inhale, exhale relax your knees. To relax means not to tighten or engage, knees are the first place to relax today.
Inhale, relax your sit bone as you exhale. Relax the left side of your hips, relax the right side of your hip. Check that your body weight is evenly distributed on both sides of your hips.
Inhale, relax your arms when you exhale. Check whether the left and right shoulders are relaxed, the left shoulder sinks down, and the right shoulder sinks down. Keep your shoulders away from your ears with a balanced distance.
Inhale, check your arms again when you exhale, and now the shoulder on both sides are kept horizontal.
Inhale, exhale relax your hands on both sides. The arms are no longer in any tension, and there is a feeling of natural sinking.
Inhale, exhale relax your palms and fingers. It’s normal to find relaxed fingers curled.
Inhale, exhale, try to relax the neck, and feel the pressure on the neck slowly dissipates in the breath.
Inhale, exhale relax your upper lip, then lower lip. The relaxed lips may open slightly, which is a normal state.
Inhale and exhale, relax your cheeks on both sides. When we are in tension, we unconsciously tighten the muscles on our face. Now, relax.
Inhale and exhale relax your ears. If you have never relaxed your ears before, this is the perfect moment to reconnect your consciousness with your ears.
Inhale, exhale and relax your eyes, together with the muscles around your eyes are completely relaxed. When you relax your eyes.
Inhale, exhale relax your eyebrows (the third-eye chakra). We often frown unconsciously when we are thinking or in worries. Now, relax.
Inhale, and exhale to relax your forehead. Your brain is right behind your forehead. Before you relax your brain, please relax your forehead.
Inhale and exhale, slowly transfer your consciousness from your forehead into your brain.
Inhale and exhale, relax your brain muscles. All the thoughts and ideas of the brain are slowly drifting away through each exhalation.
Continue to breath in and breathing out, keep up the cleansing progress, sinking deeper and deeper. Now relax.

Stage Three | Breathing Counting into deeper meditation stage

Continue to breath in and out, now slowly we transform into the next stage of practice - the breath counting practice is about to begin.

Now gently breath in, then breath out, count One in your heart;
Next breath in, then breath out , count Two in your heart;
Inhale slowly, then breath out, count Three in your heart;
Inhale slowly, then breath out, count Four in your heart;
Inhale slowly, then breath out, count Five in your heart;
Inhale slowly, then breath out, count Six in your heart;
Inhale slowly, then breath out, count Three in your heart;
Sinking deeper and deeper, keep counting until you reach Ten...

When you are in full relaxation, you start to lose track of your counts. You can always go back to one, or if you are in full enjoyment of your process, you can also drop the count. Just relax and breath. Breath in to recharging, breath out what is no longer serving you. Cleanse, cleanse, and cleanse.

Transform yourself completely through the breath, and observe your mind as you are a third person. Separate your soul from your mind, let the mind be your servant to serve you. Be the master of the mind, when you breath out notice you can always turn you mind off when you need a break.

You may continue your practice, or you maybe you slowly open your eyes and continue the journey of the day.