Hello,
Welcome to this meditation for calming a worried mind.
So many of us know what it's like to have a mind that's constantly moving towards the future and sometimes doesn't quite make it back.
But this practice is about learning how to slow that down.
Not pretending that nothing's difficult or there's actually stuff to worry about,
But just finding a little more room,
A little bit more space inside of that.
So let's begin.
Right here,
Wherever you are.
You don't need to be in any particular state.
The worry can come with you.
So I'd like to invite you first to bring some attention to feeling whatever is beneath you right now.
Maybe that's the chair.
Or the floor.
And can you notice where your body makes contact with it?
Maybe it's the back of the legs.
At the base of the spine.
Or maybe even the weight of the hands,
Wherever they've come to rest.
And just noticing this for a moment.
When we slow down and feel what's physically holding us.
It gives the nervous system something real to orient to.
Something outside of the thought loop.
And maybe letting the weight of your body Just be held for a moment.
You don't have to carry yourself right now.
Enjoying perhaps the solidness beneath you.
The pressure.
The support.
Something that is just here and steady.
And before we move on in this state of subtleness and support.
I'm going to ask you to let your gaze move slowly around your room or where you're practicing.
Not searching for anything.
But just noticing.
Where you are.
Noticing an image.
Quality of life.
Or something familiar and pleasant in an ordinary space.
Going very slowly letting your nervous system take that information in You are safe.
And each time we orient like this we're gently reminding your nervous system,
Hey,
This is where I am.
I'm not in the future.
I'm not in the worry.
About what's to happen.
I'm here.
In this present moment.
And maybe taking a nice breath in.
And a slow,
Steady breath out.
If you'd like.
And if you haven't already,
You're welcome to let your eyes start to soften.
They can stay open if that's more comfortable.
Or you can let them close when you're ready.
And if that feels okay.
And so now we're going to bring a little bit more attention to your breath.
And let the breath find its own pace.
No particular depth.
No effort.
Just sort of noticing what's already here.
If it's shallow,
That's okay.
The chest still feels a little tight.
That's okay.
Your breath can keep moving even through today.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
And see if you can start to let your awareness move slowly through the body.
In a way that feels safe and comfortable.
You don't want to go all the way in,
You can sense the.
.
.
Outside.
Outline.
Of your body.
And maybe moving that awareness down through the chest.
Through the belly.
Into the hips and legs.
Maybe bringing that awareness into the neck.
And shoulders.
Arms and hands.
We're not looking for Relaxation.
Trying to make that happen.
Just getting a little curious about what's here.
I'm wondering.
If there is somewhere in your body That feels just a little bit more quiet.
Maybe even slightly less activated than the rest.
It can be small.
Maybe the hands resting in the lap.
The soles of your feet on the floor.
Maybe even just the tip of your nose.
Somewhere warm,
Somewhere subtle.
Somewhere maybe even just neutral You don't have to search hard.
Breathing into.
And through that area if you'd like.
When we find a place like that,
We let our attention rest there.
Even briefly.
You can help the system start to settle.
Not because we forced it.
But just because we gave it somewhere to land.
So,
Very gently now.
Let's turn toward what's actually present.
So if your mind has been worrying or rehearsing or scanning,
You don't need to name it or think it out clearly.
But I'm curious.
What does it feel like in the body?
Where do you notice it in the body?
Maybe there's a tightness somewhere or.
.
.
A pressure in the chest.
Attention in the jaw or the throat.
Or maybe there's a sense of bracing.
Holding.
Or maybe there's a sense of heaviness.
You don't need to explain or fix it.
See if you can just notice.
Yeah.
That's there.
When the nervous system believes something difficult may be ahead,
It tends to pull inward.
Tends to contract.
Stay ready.
And that's it.
Not a flaw.
The system doing what it believes it needs to do to protect you.
So we're not fighting that.
We're just noticing.
Are going to get curious slowly.
About what else might be here alongside of it.
Taking another breath in.
Another breath out.
Let's start to move.
In another direction now.
Not away from the difficulty.
Just towards something else that is also here.
What brings even a small sense of settling or support right now?
No matter how subtle.
There's nothing too small to count.
For some people,
It's the sensation of a chair or floor beneath them.
Knowing that something solid is there.
Holding them.
Without asking anything back.
For others,
It might be warmth.
Warmth of a blanket.
The temperature of your own hands.
It might be a sound in the room that feels neutral or soft.
Not demanding anything.
But just there.
Might be something in nature.
Even just an image of it.
Trees,
Water.
Open sky There could be a person,
Someone whose presence feels grounding.
Not physically here,
Maybe,
But just held somewhere in the body's memory.
Or it could be a pet,
The particular warmth of something that trusts you and loves you.
See what supports you.
In this moment.
Whenever you notice,
Even if it's faint.
Let your attention rest there.
For a few more moments.
You don't have to manufacture a strong feeling.
Subtle is enough.
Again each time we find something like this.
Even for a moment.
Or giving your nervous system a different experience to move towards.
That's what starts to build more flexibility over time.
Maybe noticing what's happening in the body as you stay here.
Maybe the breath shifts slightly.
Maybe something loosens.
Or maybe nothing obvious happens at all and that's fine too.
And from here,
From this slightly more subtle place.
Can you notice that you can hold more than one thing at once?
The worry might still be present somewhere,
But also,
Support is available.
You have options.
Choice.
That awareness you're resting in right now is large enough for both.
It always was.
The worry just made it hard to feel that.
Again,
Connecting with the breath,
If that is supportive.
Breathing in.
.
.
Breathing out.
And we'll start to move towards the end of this practice.
So you're invited to let your awareness widen a little bit more.
Still staying with the body.
Still staying with the support beneath you.
But also letting attention open outward now.
Your eyes were closed.
Letting them open very slowly.
Orienting to the room.
Air.
To the sounds.
The space.
To any other sensations.
Welcome to bring some movement into the body if that feels needed.
Stretch.
Twist a shake or a shimmy.
And just notice that this room and this space,
This present moment,
It holds all of it at once.
The worry and the breath.
And the resources.
And the quiet.
Without needing anything to be different.
See if you can notice any sense of space in that.
In the chest maybe,
In the breath.
And the awareness itself.
You don't need to feel completely calm.
Just experience a little bit more room.
Than what was there before.
That could be enough.
And each time we do this,
Each time we practice this,
Something is being built,
Not through force,
But through repetition.
Through the nervous system,
Learning slowly that there are other experiences available.
When you move back into your day,
You don't have to carry everything at once.
When the scanning or the worrying starts.
You can notice things like the weight of your feet on the floor.
Are your hands,
Are one breath moving through.
Or a beautiful image or some other sensation that supports you in the moment.
These are small anchors,
Small moments of return.
That's how this grows over time.
Thank you for practicing.
May we all be well.
May we all feel safe.
May we all.
