This is a meditation on calming your nervous system.
So before we begin,
Just remember,
Your body already knows how to calm down.
There's nothing you need to force here.
Sometimes things feel busy and sometimes your system can feel a bit on edge.
So this is a chance to just slow things down and give your body that space it needs to settle.
So take a moment to arrive.
Just come into the space,
Feel what you feel,
And notice where you are.
And just allowing yourself this time.
To just be.
You can find a comfortable position.
Sitting upright.
Your head balanced over your shoulders and your shoulders relaxed.
Your hands can rest just gently by your side.
And as with all meditations.
.
.
You might like to set an intention.
Whatever that is for you.
Maybe just to calm your mind down,
Your nervous system.
And generally a calm mind is a calm body.
And you can move around as well.
If you want to stretch your body.
And we don't need to sit like a robot.
This is for everyday people.
And just take a moment here to just have a look around where you are and just notice what you can see.
Just any vibrant colours.
If you're in the room,
What can you notice?
Maybe there's different shades.
Of colors there,
Might be darkness.
Maybe some things that are more bright.
And know as well,
If you feel the need to through your practice,
You can always open your eyes and come back to this space,
Your safe space where you are now.
Anytime.
So gently now.
Soften your gaze or close your eyes down.
Just letting your eyelids soften.
And your eyes can soften.
Take a slow breath in.
And an easy breath out.
Just letting your breath.
Just run its natural rhythm.
Just settling in.
And notice any tastes you might have.
Anything in you Anything in your mouth from the last thing that you ate?
Can you sense anything?
Or maybe the last thing that you drank?
And if you can't taste anything,
That's totally fine.
You just notice that.
I'm not trying to force.
Things that aren't there.
You notice any smells?
Can you smell in your room or outside wherever you are?
Or maybe sounds.
Can you hear sounds around you?
You hear the sound of my voice?
Closer in your body,
The sound of your breath.
Any other sounds in the room?
Or if you're outside,
Can you notice any sounds of birds chirping?
Or people walking by.
Or just.
.
.
The general busyness that goes on in our lives.
Can you hear that?
Just let those sounds come.
Let them go.
Now tuning in a bit more into your body.
Notice what you feel.
Feeling any sensations.
Maybe you can feel your heart around your heart space.
You feel the contact points where your hands are resting.
Or the surface beneath you.
The surface you're sitting on is connecting to the earth.
Maybe you can feel the gravity holding you down.
You can let your body.
.
.
Feel held here,
Supported.
Now bring your awareness into your breath.
Just noticing.
It is as it is.
Is noticing the in-breath and the out-breath.
The air in the flow.
In and the out.
And from here,
Slowly begin to shift.
The breath.
Just slightly.
Nice and gentle,
Nothing forced Breathe in through your nose.
And then a slightly longer breath out.
Let the exhale be slow and easy.
Breathing in.
And then out just that little bit longer.
Perhaps you breathe in for a count of three and you might breathe out for a count of five.
Or you might like to breathe in for four or five.
And then just breathe out longer than that.
Taking your time.
And you might notice as your exhale lengthens.
Your body might begin to just soften a little.
Perhaps your shoulders drop a bit.
Maybe your jaw relaxes a little bit more.
Just let it all happen naturally.
Just continue here.
Breathing in.
And a longer breath out.
If your mind drifts at all,
That's okay.
Just gently bring it back.
Back to your breath.
Back to your exhale.
Now begin to fill your body with each breath out.
As you breathe out,
You might visualize your body softening.
Your muscles letting go.
Breathing in.
Breathing out,
Softening.
You don't need to calm your nervous system.
You're just creating the condition.
And letting the body do the rest.
Now bring your awareness to your chest.
And your heart area.
Noticing any movement,
Any sensations here.
And again.
.
.
Breathing in.
.
.
And a slow,
Steady breath out.
You might begin to notice a shift.
Maybe subtle.
Perhaps not.
Either way,
Just staying with your breath.
Now move your attention into your belly.
Let your body and your belly soften.
Just let your body and your belly move naturally with your breath.
Not holding on.
No tension needed.
Breathing in.
And breathing out longer.
Each exhale like a signal to your body.
That it's okay to slow down.
That it's okay to soften.
Now just resting with your breath.
In and out.
Slow,
Steady and easy.
If thoughts come in,
Just let them pass.
There's no need to engage.
Just come back to your breath.
Now just sit here for a few moments.
Do nothing.
And after a few minutes of stillness,
I'll bring you out of this meditation.
But for now.
.
.
Just breathe.
Thank you.
When you're ready.
Gently bring your awareness back.
It's back to the space around you.
Just noticing any sounds again.
Noticing the taste,
Just tuning to them.
Tune in the smell.
Hummingbird.
Notice your body and the weight of it.
You might make a few small movements now.
You come back to where you are.
You can move your fingers and your toes and your shoulders and your neck.
Whatever feels right.
And you can slowly open your eyes.
And just take a moment before you move on back into the world you're about to go into.
And just take this time to just notice how you feel now.
Maybe just a little bit more calmer.
Maybe just a little bit more aware.
And remember,
Calming your nervous system isn't something you force.
It's something that happens.
It happens when you give your body the right conditions.
And this is a practice you can come back to anytime you need.
This concludes the meditation.
