Welcome to this mental pause.
When I first started meditating,
I gave myself permission to let go of any rules.
I decided to follow what felt good to my mind,
Body,
And soul.
Today,
I invite you to do the same.
This is what I like to call a meditation mixer,
A sampler of different meditation styles.
During this session,
We'll explore focused breathing,
Vagus nerve stimulation,
Self-soothing touch,
And a short loving-kindness meditation.
Think of it as an opportunity to discover what resonates with you.
There are no right or wrong ways to do this,
Just what works for you in the moment.
Some days,
One technique might feel perfect,
While other times it might not.
Adjust as you like.
Remember,
Meditation is a practice.
Just like anything else you would practice and get better at,
As you continue to meditate,
Your focus will improve.
Don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself.
If you find your mind wandering,
Just gently guide it back.
Perhaps bring your attention to your feet planted on the floor,
Or maybe bring your attention to the way your body feels against the surface you're on,
Or even just the weight of your hands resting on your lap.
Let's explore together and see what feels good to you.
Let's begin by settling into a comfortable seated position.
Allow your body to relax into your seat and take two cleansing breaths.
Breathe in deeply through your nose,
Filling your lungs completely,
And exhale fully through your mouth.
One more time.
In through the nose,
And out through the mouth.
Now we'll try four breaths using a technique called straw breathing.
You will be inhaling slowly through your nose,
And as you exhale,
You will purse your lips as if you're blowing through a straw.
Let's begin.
Breathe in,
And blow out gently,
Slowly,
And fully through the straw.
Again,
In through the nose,
And out through the straw.
Two more times at your own pace,
Remembering to relax your shoulders.
Next,
We'll move on to box breathing.
This technique uses a steady rhythm of four counts for each part of the breath.
I'll guide you through two rounds,
And then you'll do two more on your own.
Let's begin.
Breathe in through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath for four.
Exhale slowly through your nose for four,
And hold again for four.
Let's repeat.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Out,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Two more times on your own.
Now let's stimulate the vagus nerve with humming breath.
You'll be inhaling deeply through your nose,
And as you exhale,
You will hum softly.
You'll feel a vibration throughout the head and throat.
You'll do this two times as I guide you through it.
The hum can be whatever sound you'd like.
The main point is to feel that vibration I mentioned earlier.
The humming sound will be about six to seven seconds on the out-breath.
Breathe in,
And hum softly as you exhale.
Again,
Inhale,
And hum.
Now just resume normal breathing as we move on to the next.
If it feels right for you,
Let's add an optional grounding technique.
Place your hands together in front of you.
Slowly trace each hand along the opposite arm with light pressure,
All the way up to your shoulders.
Now let your hands move to your torso,
Gently pressing down the sides of your body from your hips to your thighs,
And a little past your knees,
And then back up again.
Take a moment to notice any sensations or feelings this brings up.
To close our session,
We'll practice loving-kindness meditation.
As you breathe naturally,
I'll share some affirmations.
Repeat them silently in your mind.
May I be safe.
May I be happy.
May I be well in mind,
Body,
And soul.
May I be free from fear.
May I be free from suffering.
Take a moment to let these words settle in your heart.
Thank you for joining me on this meditation mixer.
I hope you discovered something that feels good to you.
Remember,
This is your journey,
And it's all about what feels good to you.
Take care of yourself.
