This is a short meditation for healthcare workers to help relieve stress during your work break.
To start,
Find a comfortable seat on a chair or on the floor and gently rest the eyes.
Notice the breath.
Inhalations in through the nose,
Out through the mouth.
Remember,
The breath is the key to calming the mind.
Breathe deep,
Less stress.
In through the nose,
Slow and steady.
Hold.
Gently exhale SH,
Elongate the breath.
Let go of any patient interactions that have occurred so far in your day.
If your mind is fixated on any mistakes you have made or any unpleasant experiences during your shift,
Redirect your focus to the breath.
In through the nose,
Out through the mouth SH.
Do your best not to feed your attention to heavy thoughts.
Don't let the past bring your day down.
Come into the present moment by using your breath as the anchor point.
Now together,
Inhale for a count of four.
In through the nose,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale SH,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Elongating the exhalations will help calm the nervous system.
Continue with the technique,
Inhaling for four counts.
In through the nose,
Exhaling SH for a count of eight.
Out through the mouth.
We'll do one more round together.
In for one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Continue a few more rounds.
In for four through the nose,
Out through the mouth for eight.
Use the exhalation to release any tension,
Any negativity,
Any heaviness.
As healthcare workers,
Our mind is constantly stimulated with tasks and talking.
Give the nervous system a break to recharge.
Reduce the stimulation,
Going back to the basics,
Which is our breath.
Be present with me.
Do your best to stay here for a few more rounds of this breathing.
Recharge your battery with the breath as your guide,
Letting any stress drift away,
Softening the shoulders,
Reminding yourself not to take yourself too seriously.
Last round here.
In for four,
Out for eight.
Let go of the technique.
Rest in the natural rhythm of your breath.
Remind yourself that you can handle any stress thrown at you if you just breathe.
Also notice that patients feel your energy.
It is okay to be stressed and overwhelmed.
It is even better to practice slowing down so that you can serve them better.
If your job is hard,
Cut yourself some slack.
Go easy on yourself if you don't meet your expectations.
One last inhalation in through the nose together,
Biggest breath of the day.
Hold the breath.
Exhale out through the mouth,
H-A.
Open your eyes,
Taking in your surroundings mindfully.
Now go and conquer the rest of your shift and move slow when possible.
I hope you enjoyed this meditation.
Until next time,
Have a good rest of your shift.
