Thanks for being here.
Now let's do the work.
Find a comfortable seat and close your eyes.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and slowly exhale out through your mouth.
Bring your awareness to your body and notice any tension you are holding.
Scan your muscles from head to toe,
Relaxing any tightness as you breathe deeply.
Bring your awareness to the top of your head.
Notice any sensations in your scalp.
Relax any tension.
Scan your forehead relaxing your brow.
Soften your eyes.
Release any clenching in your jaw.
Feel your face become smooth and free of tension.
Pay attention to your neck and throat.
Release any tightness as you inhale and exhale.
Notice your shoulders.
As you breathe out,
Feel them gently drop and relax.
Shift your awareness to your arms and hands.
Soften your grip.
Relax your wrists,
Elbows and upper arms.
Feel your chest rising and falling with each breath.
Your ribs expand around your lungs.
Release any constriction.
Bring your awareness to your abdomen.
Feel it expand as you inhale and contract as you exhale.
Move down to your hips,
Pelvis and lower back.
Release any tension you are holding here.
Shift your focus to your thighs,
Knees and calves.
Relax any clenched muscles.
Bring your attention to your ankles,
Toes and soles of your feet.
Release any gripping in your toes.
Scan your whole body from head to toe.
Find pockets of remaining tension and let go.
Now bring your attention to your mind.
Observe the thoughts moving through,
Perhaps worries,
Frustrations or things you feel you need to do.
Acknowledge these thoughts and then imagine them drifting away like a feather gently resting on the surface of a river.
Shift your focus to your emotions.
Stress can manifest as feelings of anxiety,
Irritability,
Sadness or anger.
See if you can identify any dominant emotions arising right now.
Recognise them without judgement.
Breathe into any difficult feelings.
Visualise your emotions as colours.
For example,
Red for anger,
Grey for sadness.
On your inhale,
Draw the colour into your body.
On the exhale,
Release it gently into the air.
Continue painting and releasing your emotions through breath.
Now envision your breath as a healing white light,
Flowing to every cell in your body.
This white light represents tranquility and calm.
Feel it soothing any remaining tension as you breathe deeply.
If thoughts or emotions try to break through,
Acknowledge them and then bring your focus back to your breath,
Visualising healing white light.
You are in control.
You can find peace in this moment.
When you feel centred,
Gently open your eyes.
Carry this sense of inner calm with you.
Knowing you can return to your breath whenever stress arises,
You have the power to find peace,
Even in difficulty.
