This short meditation is going to help you interrupt the continuous stress cycle.
And give your body and mind an opportunity to settle.
Throughout the day.
We experience demands,
Pressures,
Decisions.
Responsibilities and stimulation.
Our bodies respond to these things,
Preparing us to act,
Concentrate,
Solve problems,
And keep going.
And that's exactly what our stress response is designed to do.
However,
The difficulty comes when one demand follows another and another and another.
Without giving us enough time in between.
For us to settle again.
So we keep going,
Thinking,
Responding.
And some of that activation can accumulate as physical tension and busyness.
Mental tightness and a feeling that we never let go.
Can quite switch on.
So take these few minutes.
There's nothing here to solve.
Instead we are just creating a small interruption in that cycle.
This is a chance for you to pause.
To notice what you are carrying.
And a chance to allow some of that accumulated stress to settle.
So find a position that feels comfortable for you.
And begin to notice where your body is.
Is being supported.
Maybe you're feeling ground beneath your feet.
Or a chair or couch or bed beneath you.
Notice this supportive surface.
And know that for these next few minutes,
You don't have to hold yourself up.
You can allow yourself to be supported.
Draw your awareness to your breath.
Just noticing it arise.
And leave again.
Maybe today your breath feels shallow.
Or tea.
Maybe you notice that it changes as you draw your awareness to it.
Whatever your awareness.
Whatever you notice is fine.
And now bring attention to your body.
Noticing sensations in your face.
With your tool.
Down through your neck.
And into your shoulders.
Maybe you can feel some of the places where you have been holding yourself together.
Without trying to force them to relax,
Just acknowledge them.
You have been busy.
You've been responding.
You've been getting things done.
And your body may have been carrying a lot of that effort.
So now as you breathe out.
Invite softness in.
Your chore.
Your shoulders.
Allowing your hands to relax and unclench.
Letting your belly be soft.
Rather than held in.
You don't have to make the tension disappear.
You're just giving your body permission to let go a little.
And to stop adding to it.
And now notice your mind.
Perhaps it's busy.
Maybe it's already thinking about what comes next.
Or maybe it's replaying something that's already happened.
You don't need to stop these thoughts.
The mind doesn't have to become completely quiet.
For the stress cycle to be interrupted.
Instead just notice.
That you are no longer required to follow every thought.
A thought can arise.
And it can pass.
Another thought can arrive.
And it compiles.
For a few moments.
You don't need to act on any of them.
Nothing needs answering right now Nothing needs organizing.
Or fixing.
And now allow your awareness to widen.
Towards the sounds around you.
Near sound.
Distant sounds.
You don't have to do anything with them.
Just allow yourself to receive what's here.
Notice the air against your skin.
Maybe there's a smell in the air.
Notice the temperature around you.
And even though your eyes are closed,
You might notice different shades of color.
Or shapes.
Movement.
Let yourself remember that there is existence beyond your thoughts and your to-do lists.
And it's okay at times.
To take even one minute.
Just to pause.
Great.
Scent.
And be.
And now come back to your body.
Notice your contact with the surface beneath you.
Notice your breath and maybe anything that might feel different.
From when you began this meditation.
Maybe you feel a little more space.
Maybe your shoulders have softened.
Your breathing is a little easier.
Or maybe nothing obvious has changed.
Remember that this experience hasn't been about forcing your body into relaxation.
It's about giving yourself an opportunity.
To move out of constant doing.
And towards moments of settling.
Your stress needs somewhere to go.
And sometimes that begins just by stopping the continual addition of more.
Just breathing.
Feeling.
Listening.
Take one more deep breath.
Sigh it out.
And when you feel ready to come back.
Blink your eyes open again.
And take a moment.
Before you step into the rest of your day.
Or your evening.
You can come back to this practice anytime you need that extra support.
Thank you for allowing me to guide you today.
