So this is a meditation to help you when fear feels overwhelming.
And fear is a natural part of being human.
It protects us but when it takes over we can feel anxious,
Frozen,
Unable to move forward.
And in this meditation practice today you'll be guided to meet your fear but in a new way.
There's nothing you need to do but listen,
Follow along and allow yourself some deep rest.
So just get nice and comfortable now.
Allowing yourself to settle down and find a position that feels comfortable for you.
Maybe you're lying down,
Maybe sitting up with support.
Just allow it to be whatever it needs to be for you today.
I know my favorite position is lying down in bed before I've even got up.
That shows how lazy I am sometimes when I meditate.
And now let your eyes close gently and just bring your awareness to your breath.
Not to change it but just to notice it.
And inhaling softly and just exhale fully.
Almost like waves moving in and out of your body.
And every time you exhale your body will soften a little bit more.
Your shoulders,
Your jaw,
Your belly can let go.
You are safe in this moment.
There's nothing to do,
Nowhere to be.
Just be here with me today.
And as you rest here I want you to notice that fear is part of being human.
Fear is designed to protect us and a little bit of fear is healthy,
Natural.
It keeps us aware,
Sharp and alive.
But sometimes fear grows too strong and instead of guiding us it holds us back.
Instead of helping us move it freezes us on the spot.
But this meditation is here to help you loosen fears grip.
To remind you and your body what it feels like to be calm and to be safe.
And just drift even deeper now.
I'm gonna share a story with you about a young boy who had the same nightmare night after night.
And in his dreams a monster appeared and this monster was pretty frightening.
Each night he ran from the monster,
He hid,
He screamed,
He cried.
He always tried to escape but the following night the monster always returned.
And one night something changed,
Something happened.
The boy was so tired of running from this monster and this night instead of hiding he stopped,
He turned and he faced this monster.
And in that moment the monster began to shrink.
It became smaller and smaller until it was no longer frightening at all.
And the boy realized it had only been a shadow,
A creation of his imagination.
And as soon as he faced it that fear dissolved,
It lost its power,
Lost its grip.
And perhaps you can imagine yourself as that small child.
Or perhaps just simply yourself standing there running day after day from fear.
And I want you to turn and see the shape of your own fear before you.
It may appear as a shadow,
A mist,
A creature,
A monster.
Or perhaps it's just a feeling.
So just for a moment allow yourself to face this fear,
Look at it,
Notice it.
And as you stand calm and relaxed and still notice how this fear begins to change in your mind or in your body.
Perhaps it's getting smaller,
Lighter,
Softer.
Knowing you can handle anything that life throws your way.
And with every breath its power dissolves,
With every breath you become freer from this fear.
And just stay here now simply breathing,
Watching that fear shrink and fade into the background until only space remains.
And notice how your body feels now.
Does it feel different without that fear pressing down on you?
Perhaps you're breathing easier.
Perhaps there's more space in your chest.
You're allowing your nervous system to calm down now.
Because here in this moment you are safe.
Here in this present moment you are free.
So rest into this feeling of safety now.
The more we try and control our lives,
The more we try and control everything around us,
The less control we actually have.
So just know it's safe to let go now and simply be.
And now as this meditation comes to a close I want you to carry with you the knowing that you can feel fear,
You can face it.
But also know that fear is not bigger than you.
That the moment you meet it with calmness and presence it will always begin to dissolve.
And when you're ready take a nice slow deep breath in.
Exhale out of the mouth.
Let it be audible.
Let everything go that no longer serves you.
Taking your hands to your heart.
Feeling your heartbeat or perhaps the warmth of your skin.
Reminding yourself that you are safe.
You are supported.
And when you're ready gently start to open your eyes.
Returning to your day with a lighter heart and the sense of calmness and safety you have found here.
This is safety you can always come back to.
Thank you so much for meditating with me.
I'm Emily Hayden and I've loved having you here.
