Hi,
I'm Dorsey and thank you for choosing this meditation.
Today we're going to work with something very simple but incredibly useful,
Orienting your attention back to the present moment.
When we feel anxious,
Overstimulated or caught in our thoughts.
The brain can begin focusing heavily on what might happen next,
What needs fixing,
Or what feels uncertain.
In this practice rather than asking yourself to simply calm down.
We're going to use your senses and your attention.
To give the brain some updated information about where you are.
What's around you.
And what is actually happening right now.
So find a position that feels comfortable for you.
You can sit,
Lie down or simply allow your body to be supported wherever you are.
And before we close the eyes.
I want to begin slightly different.
Take a moment to look around the space you're in.
Not quickly.
Not scanning for anything in particular,
Just letting your eyes move slowly around the room.
Notice the shapes,
The light,
Perhaps the colour of something near you.
Notice where the walls meet the ceiling.
Notice the furthest point you can see from where you are sitting.
And this might feel incredibly simple,
But There's a reason we're starting here.
When we feel anxious,
Overwhelmed,
Overstimulated.
Or simply a little too on,
Our attention can become narrow.
The brain begins prioritising what might need our attention.
Thought speed up.
We become more internally focused and sometimes the body is responding as though something needs to be dealt with,
Even when in this particular moment.
There's nothing you need to solve.
So rather than telling the nervous system to calm down.
We're going to give the brain some current information.
Information about.
Where you actually are right now.
So let your eyes move around the room once more and quietly notice three things you can see.
No need to name them perfectly.
Just notice.
And now notice one thing that feels neutral or pleasant to look at.
Perhaps the light coming through a window,
A colour,
A piece of furniture,
A shadow,
Anything.
And let your gaze rest there for a few seconds.
And now if it feels comfortable.
Allow your eyes to close.
Or keep them softly open if that feels better today.
And bring your attention to the points where your body is making contact with whatever is supporting you.
Notice the weight of your body,
The chair beneath you,
The floor beneath your feet.
The surface beneath your back.
You don't need to change your posture.
Simply notice that something is holding you.
Take an easy breath in.
And let the breath leave the body naturally.
Again.
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
There's no special breathing pattern here.
We're not trying to manufacture a particular state.
We're simply giving your attention somewhere to land.
And now notice sound.
Start with the furthest sound you can hear.
It may be traffic,
Voices,
Birds,
Air conditioning,
Movement somewhere outside the room.
And listen without needing to decide whether the sound is good or bad.
It's simply information.
And now.
Notice a sound closer to you,
Perhaps something in the room.
And finally,
Notice the sound closest to the body.
Maybe the breath,
The movement of clothing.
Perhaps even the small sounds of your own body.
See if you can notice the shift there from the world outside of you towards the body.
Without completely disappearing into either.
And this ability to move attention is important because when we're anxious,
Attention can feel captured by a thought,
A sensation,
A problem,
A prediction.
Something that hasn't happened yet.
Something that happened yesterday.
But attention is not permanently stuck there.
We can practice moving it.
So now,
Notice one sensation in the body.
Not necessarily the strongest sensation.
Choose something neutral,
Perhaps your hands,
Your feet,
The temperature of the air against your skin.
And notice it for a moment.
And now move your awareness back out into the room and notice one sound again.
Back to the body,
Notice your feet.
Back to the room,
Notice the space around you.
And this is what I want you to remember.
Regulation does not always begin by going deeper inside yourself.
Sometimes it begins by looking outward.
By reminding the brain.
This is where I am.
This is what is around me and this is what is happening now.
Because anxiety so often pulls us into what might happen and the body can begin responding to that prediction as though it's already here.
So gently orienting to the present gives your brain something different to work with.
Right now,
Feel the support beneath you.
Notice the temperature of the room.
Listen to the sounds around you.
And notice your next breath.
Nothing to solve in this moment.
Nothing to analyse.
Just this room.
This body.
This breath.
This moment in time.
Take a slightly fuller breath in now and slowly let it go.
Again,
In and out.
Begin to bring a little movement back into your fingers,
Perhaps your toes.
Roll the shoulders if that feels good.
And before you open the eyes,
Just notice how the body feels now.
Compared with a few minutes ago.
Doesn't need to feel completely calm.
That isn't the goal.
And maybe there is simply a little more space,
A little less urgency,
A little more awareness of where you actually are.
And when you're ready.
Gently open your eyes.
Let them orient to the room again,
Taking the space around you.
And carry this with you.
When your mind races ahead.
You can bring your attention.
Back to what is here.
Not by forcing yourself to calm down.
But by giving the brain fresh information.
I am here.
This is now.
And for this moment.
Is enough.
Thank you for taking this time for yourself today.
And thank you for allowing me to guide you through this practice.
And if this meditation was helpful,
You can follow me here on Insight Timer for more practices exploring the brain,
The nervous system,
Meditation,
And the small tools we can use to support ourselves in everyday life.
And until next time,
Take care of yourself.
I'm Dorsey,
And I'll see you in the next one.
