Hello I'm Chelle,
Thank you for joining me.
Together we're going to take a few moments just to soothe some of those feelings of overwhelm.
So first we'll take a moment to arrive just as you are.
You might choose to sit comfortably,
Supported or lay down if that just feels better in this moment and allow the body to settle.
Let's invite one hand onto the chest and one hand onto your belly,
Feeling that warmth of your own palms and this quiet offering of care towards ourself and if it feels safe to do so,
Allow the eyes to soften or just a soft gaze.
We'll notice the parts of ourself touching the ground,
Whether we're seated,
Our sit bones heavy or allowing your back body to rest.
The props or layers that are gently holding you and we'll start to bring awareness now to the breath,
Taking a slow breath in through the nose and as you exhale a little softening,
A letting go of any unnecessary gripping and tension in the body.
We begin to drop into our breath and we'll invite a little more awareness into the breath and where it's sitting in the body.
You might notice it's a little bit more in the upper chest,
That's okay,
We're going to invite the breath to slow a little and with each cycle of breath just gently coaxing it from the upper chest where we might feel that little bit of stress and overwhelm down towards the lower part of the lungs,
Not forcing,
Just a soft encouragement breath by breath.
You might start to feel it under the bottom hand,
Your belly gently rising with the inhale,
The diaphragm descending and making space for that slightly deeper breath.
And each time you exhale,
Allow that filled belly to naturally soften back towards the spine and imagine that with each breath out it's a gathering,
A gathering of a little bit of that overwhelm and stress in the body and as you breathe out let it be carried out of the body.
Breath by breath,
We're stimulating the vagus nerve to calm us,
To invite us back towards the parasympathetic nervous system rather than being in that fight or flight response.
So each slow breath you're taking now,
Your cortisol is dropping and the neurotransmitters of gabar and serotonin and oxytocin,
They begin to rise.
Each slow,
Deep,
Soft breath now.
Continue to breathe in this way,
Inhaling soft belly rises,
Exhale tension leaves with the breath.
And if the mind begins to wander that's okay,
Ride your next breath like a wave back into the body and that exhalation inviting even more softening.
And just take five more of these diaphragmatic or belly breaths,
Soft washing over our internal organs as the diaphragm moves down and back up again.
And then gently bring your bottom hand off your belly and onto your heart,
Two hands warming and holding your heart.
Let the rhythm of the breath just return to a natural rhythm without any manipulation now or effort.
Turning the corners of your mouth up ever so slightly,
A smile of thanks towards yourself for taking this moment to soothe the nervous system,
To return to your center.
These belly breaths are here for you always.
And the next breath in as that heart lifts,
Bring your hands together in Anjali Mantra.
We bow gently towards our own heart today,
May we meet ourself with compassion and kindness.
Those feelings of stress and overwhelm are not permanent,
You are just moving through it.
Namaste.
