Hi,
It's Danny and welcome back to Stillness in the Storm.
So far in this series we've cleared space,
We've softened and created pause.
Today we shift the focus slightly into reconnection.
Coming back to the parts of ourselves we've maybe ignored,
Forgotten or even pushed aside.
Those are our values,
Our relationships,
Our sense of meaning.
It's not about chasing anything new,
It's about remembering what's already there.
Session five.
This session is called reconnection.
Sometimes it can feel as if we're drifting,
Going through the motions,
Ticking the boxes and getting things done.
But underneath there can be a feeling of numbness.
Meditation and breath work can help us return,
Return back to presence,
Return back to feeling,
Return back to what matters.
We'll use gentle awareness and breath to reconnect with ourselves,
Not by force but by attention.
Begin to settle in.
I invite you to find a position that feels steady and relaxed.
You may want to sit upright,
Cross-legged or even lie down on your back.
Let your arms rest naturally on your legs,
Chest or by your sides.
When you're ready,
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Towards the floor,
Take a slow,
Steady inhale through the nose,
Holding it gently at the top and exhale through the mouth.
Again,
Inhale through the nose,
Holding it gently at the top,
Exhale through the mouth.
One last time,
Inhaling through the nose,
Holding,
Holding at the top and exhale through the mouth.
Let your breath return to its natural rhythm and begin to bring your awareness into the body.
Start at the top of your head.
Notice your forehead,
Your eyes,
Your jaw.
Soften what can be softened.
Move down through the neck,
Your shoulders,
Your upper back.
Let your shoulders drop and let gravity do the work.
Feel it into your chest,
Your belly.
Notice the natural movement of the breath.
Let everything be soft.
Now down through the hips,
The thighs,
The knees,
Into the calves,
The ankles,
The feet,
All the way to the toes.
Take a moment now to feel the whole body.
Held,
Supported,
No effort.
Let's stay here for a moment.
Today,
I'm going to introduce a breathing technique called coherent breathing.
A simple breath technique that helps regulate the nervous system and creates a sense of calmness.
We'll breathe in for a count of five and out for a count of five.
Let's try it together.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
One final time.
Inhaling,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhaling,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Five.
Let the breath return to its natural rhythm and gently bring your attention to the heart area.
You may place one hand there if you like.
Breathe in to that space.
And as you breathe in,
Silently repeat this phrase,
I am here,
I am open.
Inhale,
I am here.
Exhale,
I am open.
Inhale,
I am here.
Exhale,
I am open.
Continue repeating that in silence whilst we take a moment of stillness.
Now bring your mind to someone or something you care about.
It may be a person,
A pet,
A memory,
Or part of yourself.
Let yourself feel that connection.
No need to analyze it.
Just breathe with it.
Inhale,
I am here.
Exhale,
I am open.
Inhale,
I am here.
Exhale,
I am open.
Let that phrase become a rhythm in the body,
A gentle reminder that you don't have to shut down to be safe.
You can feel,
You can connect.
Let yourself receive this moment,
The breath,
The body,
The space,
The stillness.
Not performing,
Not fixing,
Just returning.
Slowly begin to bring a little movement back into your body.
Wiggle your fingers,
Your toes,
And maybe roll the shoulders.
Take a long,
Deep breath in,
And a big breath out.
When you're ready,
Begin to open the eyes.
You've just taken a few minutes to reconnect to yourself,
To whatever matters.
And that's something worth doing again and again.
Thank you for being here.
I'll see you in the final session.
