Welcome.
When you're completely drained,
Even deciding what to do can feel like too much effort.
So this practice is deliberately simple.
You don't need to make yourself relax.
You don't need to change your energy.
And you don't need to breathe in a particular way if that doesn't feel comfortable for you.
The purpose is simply to give yourself a few minutes with less demand.
We'll begin the practice by settling into a comfortable position and noticing where you are today.
Then we'll use the breath to gradually reduce unnecessary effort.
There is very little movement and you can do the whole practice sitting or lying down if you prefer.
So when you feel ready Take whatever position feels most supportive today.
You might like to close your eyes or simply soften your gaze.
Give yourself a moment to arrive.
Notice the surface underneath you.
And let yourself be supported by it.
You don't need to hold yourself particularly well.
You don't need to sit up straight.
You don't need to create a special posture for this practice.
Just allow yourself to be here.
When you feel ready.
Begin by noticing your breath.
You don't need to change it.
Simply notice the breath moving in and out.
Notice whether the breath feels comfortable.
Notice whether you're making any effort to breathe more deeply than you need to.
If you are Allow the breath to become a little more ordinary.
There's nothing to achieve here.
Now,
Begin to notice your body.
Perhaps you feel heavy.
Perhaps you feel restless.
Perhaps you feel completely flat.
Maybe you don't have much sense of your body at all.
Whatever you notice is fine.
For now,
There's no need to change it.
Then take a moment to notice your face.
You're chill.
Your shoulders.
Your hands.
Your belly.
And just notice whether any of these areas are working harder than they need to.
You don't have to force them to relax.
But just notice how they feel.
When you feel ready.
Move your attention back to the breath.
As you breathe in.
Allow the inhalation to happen.
Without deliberately making it bigger.
As you breathe out.
See whether you can let the exhalation be a little softer.
Not longer,
Not stronger,
Just softer.
Then let the next inhalation arrive by itself.
And again,
A soft,
Unforced exhale,
Letting the breath leave you rather than pushing it out.
There's no need to count.
No need to control the breath.
We're simply exploring what happens when you do a little less.
So continue for a few breaths in your own time.
If the breath feels comfortable.
You might notice that the exhale naturally becomes slightly longer than the inhale.
If that happens,
Let it happen.
You don't need to force it to happen.
If it doesn't?
It's completely fine.
Stay with an easy,
Comfortable breath.
When you feel ready broaden your awareness beyond the breath.
Become aware of the weight of your body being supported.
The chair.
The floor.
The bat.
Whatever is underneath you.
Let that support do some of the work.
You don't need to hold yourself up quite so much.
Notice your shoulders.
Your hands,
Your face your belly.
If there's any unnecessary effort anywhere.
See whether you can reduce it a little.
We're not trying to collapse.
We're simply looking for somewhere you can do a little less.
Stay here for a few more comfortable breaths.
And then bring your attention back to your breathing again.
You might notice it has changed.
Or perhaps it hasn't.
Either is fine.
Then notice your overall state.
You don't need to decide whether you feel better.
Just notice what is here now.
You might feel calmer.
You might feel exactly as you did before.
You might simply feel a little more aware of yourself.
All of those are useful responses.
And then take one more comfortable breath.
And as you exhale,
Allow yourself to remain supported.
When you're ready.
Gradually bring your attention back to the room.
Notice the sounds around you.
Notice the light if your eyes are open.
Feel the surface underneath you.
Take your time.
There's no need to rush back into whatever comes next.
Before you finish.
Notice one more thing.
What changed when you stopped asking yourself to do more?
You don't need an answer immediately.
This is a practice you can return to whenever you're completely drained and don't have the capacity for something more demanding.
The aim isn't to force yourself into a particular state.
It's to practice recognizing when less effort may be the more useful response.
Take that with you as you move into the rest of your day.
