Welcome to a washing away anxiety guided meditation.
Just take a moment to fully arrive.
There is nowhere else you need to be right now.
Nothing you need to solve and nothing you need to understand.
Just this moment.
Begin by settling your body into a position that feels supportive.
If you're lying down,
Allow the ground to fully hold your weight.
And if you're seated,
Feel the steadiness beneath you.
Let your hands rest easily.
Unclench your jaw.
Soften the space behind your eyes.
Now gently closing your eyes or lowering your head,
Bring your attention to your breath.
Not to change it yet,
Just to notice it.
Notice where you feel the breath most clearly.
Maybe in the chest,
The belly,
Or the subtle movement of air at the nostrils.
Anxiety often pulls the breath upward,
Making it shallow or tight.
So we'll begin by inviting the breath to move lower.
Take a slow inhale through the nose,
Letting the belly gently expand,
And exhale through the mouth as if you're sighing.
Again,
Inhale steady,
Unforced,
Exhale releasing something you no longer need to hold.
Let the breath begin to move like a slow tide.
Now gently bring awareness to the feeling of anxiety itself.
Not the story of it,
Not why it's here,
Just the sensation.
Where do you feel anxiety in your body right now?
Perhaps it's a tightness in the chest,
A buzzing in the nervous system,
A heaviness in the stomach,
Or a restlessness that's hard to name.
Whatever you notice is welcome here.
You don't need to push it away,
You don't need to make it disappear.
Simply acknowledge it,
This is what I'm feeling right now,
And let that be enough.
Now imagine that you are near water.
This could be a warm shower,
A gentle rain,
A quiet stream,
Or the edge of the ocean.
Choose the image that feels most comforting to you.
Notice the temperature of the water,
Warm,
Cool,
Or neutral.
Notice the sound it makes as it moves.
This water is safe,
It's intelligent,
It knows how to carry things away.
Imagine this water beginning to flow over the top of your head.
As it does,
Feel your scalp soften,
Your forehead smooth,
Your thoughts slow.
With each breath out,
Allow the water to rinse away mental noise,
Plans,
Worries,
Or what-ifs.
You don't need to follow those thoughts anymore,
The water will hold them for you,
And carry them away.
Let it move down over your eyes.
If there's tension here,
You don't need to force it to leave,
Just let the water meet it.
Now the water flows down your neck and into your shoulders.
As the water moves over your shoulders,
Imagine it loosening any weight you've been carrying.
Let the shoulders drop.
Now feel the water moving through your chest and heart.
Silently say to yourself,
I am allowed to soften.
The water continues down through your arms,
Elbows,
And wrists.
Notice the sensation of release as it flows out through your fingertips.
Let the water wash through your hips,
Thighs,
Knees.
Feel it exiting through the soles of your feet,
Carrying anxiety gently back into the earth.
