So hi everyone and thank you for joining me today and if you're listening to this chances are you're feeling anxious,
Stressed or overwhelmed.
So let me just say this first,
In this moment it is okay for you to feel like this.
Now you're a soul living in a human body that was designed for survival in a much simpler world and your nervous system right now is doing exactly what it's supposed to do which is trying to keep you safe.
But sometimes this ancient system gets a little confused in our modern world and today we are going to gently guide your system back to its natural state of calm and safety.
We are not going to fight your anxiety or push it away.
We are simply going to remind your body and soul that right now in this moment you are safe.
Your anxiety is not your enemy it's your nervous system trying to protect you.
Sometimes our body's alarm gets triggered by things that are not actual threats.
Maybe deadlines,
Social situations,
Emails,
Fights or even our own thoughts.
Everyone has a nervous system that responds to stress and threat.
Some people feel it more intensely,
Some less.
But we all have this mechanism working inside of us.
Your body is incredibly intelligent.
It's been keeping you alive your whole life and sometimes it just needs a gentle reminder that you are safe so it can return to its natural state of calm connection and alignment.
So let's begin by finding a position that feels most comfortable for you.
You could be sitting up,
You could be lying down.
Just find a position which you think is most comfortable for you in this moment.
It doesn't have to be perfect.
Wherever you can just settle right now.
If you feel safe you can close your eyes or just soften your gaze towards the ground,
Towards the floor.
Take a moment now to notice that you're supported.
Feel the surface beneath you holding you.
You don't have to hold yourself up right now.
Something else is supporting you.
So this is your first reminder.
You don't have to do everything alone.
Even gravity,
Floor,
Mother earth,
Gaia is helping you right now.
You don't have to do everything alone.
Now very gently place your left hand on your heart center.
Place your right hand on your belly and just notice your breathing.
Don't try to change your breathing.
Just notice it.
At this stage if you haven't done so already you are very welcome to close your eyes.
Now your breath has been taking care of you your whole life without you having to think about it.
Even when you're anxious,
Even when you are scared,
Your breath continues.
This is your body's wisdom taking care of you.
Very gently only if your body allows.
See if you can slow your exhale just a little bit.
Not forcing it,
Just inviting it.
Just breathe in naturally a little bit slower and let your exhale be a little longer like a gentle sigh in this moment.
And as you continue to do this with each exhale imagine that you're releasing anything that doesn't belong to you.
Any stress,
Any worry,
Any energy that isn't yours to carry right now is leaving you without forcing anything.
Just letting the process unfold naturally.
Feeling what you feel,
Sensing what you sense and feeling the support of the floor of the gravity holding you in this moment.
Now let's also invite the body to feel your feet on the ground or the surface that they're resting on.
Even if you're lying down,
Notice the connection that your feet have with what's supporting it right now.
If you are a visual person,
You can imagine roots growing down from your body into the earth below you.
These roots anchor you,
Ground you and remind you that you belong here on this earth.
You are not just floating in space,
Disconnected and alone.
You are very much connected to this planet,
To the universe,
To this moment and to the ground that's holding you right now.
Feeling the belly,
The stomach rise as you breathe in and the lungs and the stomach gently fall as you breathe out.
Now,
In this moment,
Just in this moment,
Notice where you might be holding tension in your body.
Very often when we are anxious,
Our body creates tightness as if we are bracing for an impact.
So let's gently invite the body to free up that tightness now that you are a little bit more connected to your safety.
Let's start with your jaw first.
Take all your attention,
All your awareness to your jaw.
Let your tongue rest gently in your mouth.
Now,
Soften your shoulders.
Let them drop away from your ears.
And now,
Soften your belly.
Just let it be soft and natural.
Soften your heart now.
Your heart is safe to be open right now.
Now,
Your nervous system has two main modes.
So when it is activated,
Which we call fight or flight and rest,
When it is calm and connected.
So we are gently right now inviting your system back into the rest mode.
Now think of it like you're working with a frightened kitten.
You're trying to calm it down.
So you'd speak very softly.
You move very slowly.
And you create safety very gently.
So in the same way,
My nervous system feels frightened right now for whatever reason.
So we be gentle.
Your left hand still on the heart,
Right hand still on the belly,
Connected to the floor below you.
You can either gently receive my words.
Or you can repeat them after me.
It's okay.
You are safe right now.
You can rest.
It's okay.
You are safe right now.
You can rest.
It's okay.
You are safe right now.
And you can rest.
Also notice any changes in the body.
As we say these words,
Any warmth,
Cold,
Tingling,
Softening.
It's all welcome in this moment.
Now sometimes we also carry emotions or stress that don't actually belong to us.
We might absorb tension from other people,
From our environment,
Even from situations we have encountered in our day,
In our past,
And even in our childhood.
So take a moment now to just sort through what you're feeling right now.
By asking yourself gently,
Is this anxiety mind?
Is this anxiety mind?
Is this anxiety mind?
And if any of it feels like it belongs to another person,
To a situation,
To another time in your life,
We can now imagine gently releasing it.
You can care about people and situations without carrying their emotional weight.
So once again,
We say these words,
Or you receive these words.
This is only what belongs to me.
Once again,
Noticing any changes,
Shifts,
Or movements in the physical body.
As you have said these words.
Now,
Beneath the anxiety,
Beneath the stress,
Beneath all human concerns,
There is a part of you that is always calm,
That is always at peace.
This part of you is unshakable,
And it's deeply rooted in love.
I want you to now feel this calm center into your body.
It's always been there,
Even when you couldn't feel it.
Like the sun behind the clouds,
Your peaceful essence is always present,
Even when anxiety temporarily covers it up.
Rest in this knowing now.
The anxiety is weather passing through.
Like clouds in the sky,
You are the sky.
Vast,
Spacious,
And unchanging.
Let's find that calm center now in the body,
Which was there all along,
Which can coexist with the anxiety,
And which will be there regardless of the anxiety or stress being there.
If it feels good for you right now,
Let's also bring some gentle movement into the body.
Let's roll our shoulders now forward,
And now gently roll them back.
Let's turn our head now side to side,
Any side first,
Back to the center slowly,
And to the side again.
Now wiggle your fingers,
Wiggle your toes.
Take a deep breath in now,
And breathe it all out.
Now movement helps you complete the stress cycle.
It helps your nervous system discharge any leftover activations.
There's no right or wrong way to do this.
Just follow what feels good for your body right now.
Now,
Look for some evidence that you are safe right now.
Notice the temperature of the air on your skin.
Listen to the sounds around you.
Maybe it's quiet.
Feel your heartbeat right now.
Steady,
Reliable,
Taking care of you.
And notice your breath is flowing so easily now,
Maybe deeper than when you first started.
So you're training your nervous system to notice what's peaceful rather than what's threatening.
Now I can bring both my hands on the center of my chest,
And offer yourself some compassion.
I am doing my best.
Now,
Being human comes with challenges,
And having a nervous system that responds to stress is part of the human experience.
Everyone deals with anxiety and stress in some form and in some intensity,
And there's nothing wrong with you for feeling this way.
Now speak to yourself as you would talk to your best friend.
I know this is difficult right now,
And that's okay.
I am doing the best that I can.
I am learning to take care of myself with kindness.
You don't need to be perfect.
You don't need to push the anxiety away.
You just need to remember how to return to your natural state when you get pulled away from it.
Now as we prepare to close,
Set a gentle intention of how you want to carry this calm with you now.
What will I do to remind myself that my natural state is one of calm and safety?
Now maybe it's taking three conscious breaths.
Maybe it's pausing to feel your feet on the ground.
Maybe it's placing your hand on your heart or simply saying,
I am safe right now.
Choose something that's simple and that's doable for you.
Now take a moment to thank your body for carrying you through everything it has experienced.
Thank your nervous system for trying so hard to keep you safe.
And thank yourself for taking this time to care for your well-being.
You are not anxious.
You are a peaceful being having an anxious experience.
The anxiety will pass,
But your essential nature,
The calm,
Loving whole will stay.
Whenever you're ready now,
You can gently open your eyes.
Return to your body.
Return to your day.
Return to your evening.
Return to your night.
Carrying this reminder with you now,
You are safe.
You are supported.
You have everything within you to navigate life's challenges.
If the anxiety returns,
That's okay too.
Just come back to your breath.
Come back to your body.
Come back to the knowing that beneath all of this human experience,
You are and you will be okay.
Now,
Leaving you with this affirmation,
I am safe in this moment.
I can feel anxious and still be okay.
I now return to my natural state of calm with gentleness and patience.
So thank you very much for joining me and Namaste.
