Welcome to Quick Calm Now,
A guided meditation for setting down what you're carrying.
My name is Sarah.
If you find this practice supportive,
You're warmly invited to follow me here on Insight Timer for more moments of rest.
This meditation is for those times when your mind feels busy,
Your body feels tense,
Or you've been carrying a little too much for a little too long.
If you're feeling anxious,
Stressed,
Or overwhelmed,
Please know that you are not alone.
For these next few minutes,
You are invited to pause,
Feel the support beneath you,
And set down whatever doesn't need to be held right now.
There is no way to do this practice wrong.
Simply allow yourself to be guided.
Let's begin.
Settle into a comfortable position,
Perhaps seated in a chair or resting somewhere you feel supported.
Allow your feet to meet the floor.
Your eyes can close or gaze softly on the floor.
Notice the surface beneath your body.
The chair supporting your weight.
The steady ground beneath your feet.
You don't need to hold yourself quite so firmly right now.
Become aware of the sounds around you.
Perhaps there are sounds nearby or farther away.
There is no need to make your surroundings perfectly quiet.
Simply allow yourself to be here in this moment.
Just as it is.
Take a gentle breath in,
Perhaps scrunching your shoulders up towards your ears.
And as you breathe out,
Let them drop with a sigh.
Perhaps one more time,
Breathing in,
Lifting the shoulders,
And breathing out with a sigh.
Allowing them to release as you sink deeper into this moment.
Notice the feeling of your body settling.
Supported.
At ease.
For now,
There is nothing to do and nowhere to be.
One.
Arriving.
To feeling supported.
Breathe,
Softening.
For letting go.
Five,
Resting here.
Without moving,
Bring awareness to your face.
Notice your forehead.
And allow it to smooth.
Soften the space around your eyes.
Cheeks heavy.
Unclench your jaw.
Perhaps allowing a little space between your teeth.
Let your tongue relax softly in your mouth.
Notice your neck and shoulders.
Perhaps there is still a little tension here.
Allow them to soften.
Let that softness move down through your arms.
Into your hand.
All the way to your fingertips.
Nothing you need to hold right now.
Notice your chest.
Your belly.
Allow the breath to move without needing to control it.
Feel your back resting against the surface beneath you.
Become aware of your hips.
Your leg.
Your feet.
Heavy.
Completely supported.
Sinking deeper into relaxation.
You don't have to force your muscles to release.
Simply notice where a little softness is available.
And allow yourself to receive it.
Settling in a little more inviting a sense of calm into this very moment.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Your natural breath.
There is nothing you need to change.
Nothing you need to deepen.
Simply notice the inhale arriving.
And the exhale leaving.
If it feels comfortable,
Silently offer yourself a word with each breath.
As you inhale,
Hear in your mind,
Settle.
As you exhale,
Hear the word release.
Inhale,
Settle.
Exhale,
Release.
With each breath,
Allow a little more space between you and the concerns of the day.
Like sand settling gently to the bottom of a river.
Perhaps the busyness within you can begin to settle as well.
There is nothing you need to attend to in this moment.
Simply breathing.
And allowing yourself to be here.
Continue in your own rhythm for a few breaths.
Now imagine yourself resting beside a peaceful river.
Perhaps you're sitting in a comfortable chair beneath the trees or settled on a soft blanket near the water.
Choose whatever feels supportive to you.
Notice the earth beneath you.
Steady and strong.
Perhaps you feel a gentle breeze against your skin.
Or the warmth of sunlight filtering through the leaves.
Listen to the river.
Water moving around smooth stones.
Flowing through the landscape.
Creating a soft,
Steady sound.
There is nothing you need to do here.
You can simply sit and listen.
And perhaps as you rest beside the river,
You become aware of something you've been carrying.
It might be a responsibility.
And expectation you've placed on yourself.
A worry that has been asking for your attention.
Something coming up in the future that you're feeling nervous about.
Or perhaps it's simply the feeling that there is too much to keep track of right now.
You don't need to search for anything in particular.
If something comes to mind,
Simply notice it.
And imagine gently placing it down beside you.
Not throwing it away.
Not sending it down the river.
Just setting it beside you.
Where it can rest for a little while.
You don't need to solve it in this moment.
You don't need to decide what to do next.
And you don't need to keep holding it just because that is what you have always done.
Simply setting it down as you enjoy this moment by the river.
Perhaps there is something else you would like to set down.
A question without an answer.
A conversation you've been replaying.
A situation that has been weighing on you.
If you'd like,
You can place that beside you as well.
One thing at a time,
Allowing your hands to become a little lighter.
Your shoulder is a little softer.
Your breath a little easier.
As you rest here,
The river continues flowing beside you.
The earth remains steady beneath you.
The things you've set down can remain right where they are.
You can return to them when you're ready.
Or perhaps discover that some things no longer need to be carried at all.
There is no need to decide that right now.
For these next few moments,
You can simply rest.
Nothing to solve.
Nothing to manage.
Nothing you need to carry.
Here beside the peaceful river.
With the steady Earth beneath you.
The gentle rhythm of your breath.
Nothing more required of you.
In a moment,
You'll slowly begin to return.
The river can remain here.
A calming place you can imagine whenever you need a little space to pause.
And whatever you've set down can remain beside you for now.
You can decide what needs your attention when the time comes.
Begin to notice the surface beneath your body again.
The feeling of your feet.
Your hands.
The air against your skin.
Gradually bring your awareness back to the present moment here in the room where you began.
Five,
Feeling steady.
Report it.
For observing your body,
Breath,
And experience with kindness.
Three,
Noticing thoughts and sensations returning to your awareness.
To noticing your breath.
Allowing it to deepen slightly.
One,
Sensing your whole body resting here.
Gradually becoming more awake and aware.
Notice the sounds around you.
Perhaps invite a little movement into your fingers,
Your toes,
Your shoulders.
Take a comfortable breath in and an easy breath out.
Perhaps you feel a little calmer,
A little more subtle or perhaps your mind is still busy.
Whatever your experience,
This moment of rest is yours.
You always have permission to pause.
You may still have things to do,
Responsibilities to care for.
Decisions to make.
But perhaps you don't need to carry them all at once.
As you continue into your day,
Consider this an invitation to return to the simple practice whenever you need it.
A brief moment to feel what's beneath you.
Notice your breath.
And allow yourself to set something down,
Even if only for a little while.
If it feels right,
You're invited to bring your hands to heart center.
If your eyes have been closed,
Allow them to open to a soft gaze on the floor.
Bow to yourself in appreciation for practicing today.
The light in me sees and honors the light in you.
Namaste.
