Calming Your Amygdala
In this 15-minute recording, you’ll explore breathwork and meditation techniques that soothe the amygdala—the part of the brain that can overreact to stress and threat. The result is a shift from hyper-vigilance to balance, rest, and clarity.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to this breathwork meditation for calming your brain and soothing your amygdala.
Begin by finding a comfortable position.
You may sit upright or lie down.
Whatever allows you to relax but remain silent.
Gently close your eyes if that's comfortable or even soften your gaze towards the floor.
Take a moment to settle in.
Close your mouth.
Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth and just breathe through your nose.
Feel the surface supporting you.
Notice the weight of your body and allow yourself to arrive in this moment.
Take a slow deep breath in the nose and exhale through the nose slowly.
As you breathe start to let go of tension in your body.
Relax your shoulders.
Soften your face.
Unclench your jaw.
Let your hands rest easily.
Invite your whole body to become a little heavier,
A little softer.
There's nowhere else you need to be right now.
This is your time to relax and be present.
Now bring your attention to the here and now.
Notice any sounds around you in the room or outside.
Notice the temperature of the air on your skin.
Become aware of your body breathing.
If you find your mind already racing or worrying that's okay.
Gently acknowledge any thoughts that are pulling at you and let them float by like clouds.
Right now there is no need to solve any problems.
You are giving your brain permission to take a break.
Most importantly remind yourself that in this moment you are safe.
Tell your brain it's okay you can rest.
I am safe.
Feel that message start to sink in.
Your only job right now is to nasal breathe and just be.
We'll now begin a deep diaphragmatic breathing exercise.
This type of breathing sends signals to your nervous system that it can shift out of fight or flight mode and into a state of calm.
Start by placing one hand on your belly and if you like the other hand on your chest.
This will help you feel how you breathe.
First exhale completely to empty your lungs.
Now gently inhale through your nose for a count of one,
Two,
Three.
Feeling your belly expand under your hand.
Then out for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Letting the air flow out of your belly fall.
Let's do that again.
Breathe in calmly for three seconds.
One,
Two,
Three and breathe out for six.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Keep going.
Notice the air filling you up then softly releasing.
Each long exhale helps turn on your body's natural relaxation response.
Continue with this 3-6 breathing pattern at your own pace.
Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly.
Elongating out that breath.
If the 3-6 is too long,
Feel free to adjust the counts to whatever length keeps your breathing smooth and comfortable.
The key is simply to make your exhale about twice as long as your inhale which helps calm the mind and body.
As you breathe,
Direct the air down into your belly so that your lower hand rises more than your upper chest hand.
This means you are engaging your diaphragm.
Notice how each breath is becoming a bit slower and steadier.
With every exhale imagine any stress or tension melting away.
With every inhale,
Breathing in a sense of calm.
If thoughts pop up which are natural,
Just acknowledge them and gently return your focus to the breath.
Your only priority right now is this slow,
Soothing rhythm of breathing.
Slow and low and soft.
Keep going,
You're doing great.
Now,
Gently bring your attention back to my voice.
Keep breathing slowly and naturally.
By now,
You may notice your body feels a little more relaxed or your mind a bit quieter.
You may have a build up of saliva in your mouth which is the rest and digest.
If there is still any racing thoughts or anxiety,
Let's take a moment to reframe those worries and further calm our brain.
Bring to mind something that has been worrying you or making you anxious lately.
It might be a to-do list,
An upcoming event or just a general feeling of unease.
See if you can observe this worry as if from a slight distance,
Almost like watching a small cloud in the sky of your mind.
Acknowledge it.
You might silently say,
I see you.
Now consider naming the feeling.
Perhaps you identify it as stress or fear or a specific type of anxiety from your past.
Next,
Gently remind yourself,
This thought is not an actual threat right now.
It might feel important but it is not life threatening.
It is not actually a fight or flight moment.
You are here,
Breathing and you are safe.
This worry is just that,
A thought or an imagined scenario.
Notice how a thought or something bad is not the same as it actually happening.
In this moment,
Nothing is attacking you.
There is no emergency.
You are simply sitting here and nothing needs to be felt or fled.
Allow the realisation to comfort your mind.
The amygdala,
Your brain's alarm system,
Can stand down now.
It might have been sounding the alarm needlessly but you,
The wise observer,
Know that this is not a true danger.
You might even silently reassure your brain.
Thank it for trying to protect you but you are okay.
By doing this,
You are teaching your brain to tell the difference between a real threat and a false alarm.
Now,
We will reinforce this sense of safety and calm with some positive affirmations.
I will introduce a few phrases,
One by one.
You can either repeat them softly in your mind or,
If you prefer,
Even speak them out loud in a whisper.
Feel free to adjust the wording to whatever resonates with you.
The meaning is what matters.
May I be safe and secure.
May I be healthy and strong.
May I be happy and purposeful.
May I be at peace.
Continue the slow nasal breathing and repeat the phrases again silently in your mind.
May I be safe and secure.
May I be healthy and strong.
May I be happy and purposeful.
May I be at peace.
Let each phrase echo in your mind.
You are planting these seeds of positive intention in your brain,
Changing the neuroplasticity.
As you slowly repeat such phrases with kindness,
They will become part of you,
Gradually crowding out the power of any anxious or negative voices inside.
Continue to cycle through them,
Sending yourself these heartfelt wishes.
I will now give you another two minutes to continue repeating any of these affirmations that speak to you.
Allow the words to sink in deeply.
Now,
Gently bring your awareness back to the sound of my voice as we come to the last part of this meditation.
Notice how you feel right now.
Perhaps your breath is steadier,
Your heart is calmer,
You have a build-up of saliva in your mouth,
You have warmth in your hand.
Take a moment to appreciate the calm you generated,
Even if there is still some lingering worries.
You have taken positive steps to soothe your brain and separate real danger from false alarm.
Remember that this peaceful feeling is always available to you,
Any time you start to feel overwhelmed by day-to-day stress.
You can pause and take a few slow,
Deep nasal breaths,
Just like we practiced.
You can remind yourself of the phrases,
I am safe,
I am secure,
I am at peace.
By doing so,
You tell your amygdala that it doesn't need to push the panic button for every little thing.
Not every discomfort is an emergency,
Many are just challenges you can handle with a calm mind.
As you practice this meditation regularly,
You are training your brain to stay calmer and more balanced.
Little by little,
Your new natural neural pathways make it easier to find peace,
And you weaken the old pathways of fear.
Science has shown that experiences like this can rewire the brain over time,
Strengthening the connections that help you cope with stress and reducing hyper-reactivity in the amygdala.
Think of each session as an exercise for your mind's calm muscle.
The more you work it,
The stronger it gets.
Now let's return to your day.
Take one more nice nasal breath in and out.
If your eyes are closed,
You can gently blink and open them whenever you're ready.
Take in the room around you,
Noticing colours and light.
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
Maybe stretch your arms,
Bring gentle movement back to your body.
Before you get up,
Thank yourself for taking this time to care for your mind and body.
You just gave yourself the gift of relaxation and healing.
Know that you are building a healthier,
More resilient brain with every peaceful breath you took today.
Carry this sense of calm and safety with you as you move onward.
Whenever you feel like life's worries are creeping in,
Remember that you have the tools to find your centre again,
Right here in your breath and in the kind thoughts you can offer yourself.
Thank you for joining this practice.
May you be safe,
Strong and at peace.
