Welcome.
My name is Courtney and today I'd like to invite you to a short,
Gentle meditation with a focus on your breath.
A simple yet powerful tool that we all carry within us 24-7.
For those who experience anxiety or panic attacks,
Breathing can become shallow or fast or irregular.
And because of this,
The body enters a stress response.
The heart races,
The chest tightens,
Thoughts begin to spiral.
The beautiful thing is,
Though,
Is that we can interrupt that cycle with our breath.
By breathing slowly and consciously,
We activate the parasympathetic nervous system,
Our body's natural rest and restore mode.
Our heart rate slows,
Our muscles soften,
And our thoughts start to settle.
So this meditation is for anyone who wants to come back to the present moment gently,
Kindly,
Without pressure.
We'll begin practicing a calming breath rhythm,
Inhaling gently through the nose for a count of four,
And exhaling softly through the mouth for a count of six.
But please know if my counting feels too slow or too fast,
That's okay.
You can absolutely breathe in your own rhythm.
The most important thing is that you try to get your exhale longer than your inhale,
Even just by a little bit.
Trust your body and adjust the pace if you need to.
So let's begin by finding a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down.
Let your hands rest softly in your lap or by your sides.
If it feels safe to do so,
You can gently close the eyes and bring your attention inward.
Just notice that you're breathing.
There's nothing you need to do yet,
Just simply be.
And when you're ready,
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
And exhale gently through your mouth.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Keep going,
And if this rhythm feels too fast or too slow for you,
Please feel free to adjust it.
Breathe in a way that makes you feel comfortable,
A natural breath,
Allowing your inhale to be shorter than your exhale.
You're doing it absolutely right simply by showing up and giving your breath some awareness.
Keep inhaling for your count of four,
And exhale for six in your own rhythm.
And if you feel comfortable,
Imagine that with each exhale you're releasing just a little bit of tension.
Maybe it's fear,
Maybe it's a tightness in your chest.
Let it melt away with each breath.
With each inhale,
You're drawing in calm,
Steady,
Quiet.
Your breath is your anchor.
You are safe here in this moment.
You are not your anxiety,
You are not your fear,
You are not your panic.
It's something that you're experiencing,
But it will pass.
And your breath is helping it pass,
Moment by moment,
Breath by breath.
Now gently let go of the breath count.
Come back to your natural rhythm.
Take a moment to thank yourself for showing up,
Especially if it was hard.
Even a few minutes of breathing consciously can shift your whole nervous system.
When you're ready,
You can slowly open the eyes.
Maybe you want to wiggle your fingers and your toes,
Stretch.
Bring your awareness back to the room.
And carry this calm with you into the rest of your day.
The breath is always here,
Your quiet anchor,
No matter what waits may come.
Have a good day.
