For when you're experiencing panic.
Before we begin,
Please be gentle with yourself during this practice.
If you have any respiratory concerns.
Please make sure you breathe comfortably and naturally.
There's no need to force the breath at any point.
And if you're listening because you're feeling panicked right now,
Know that you are safe to take this slowly.
Nothing needs to happen perfectly.
Just stay with the sound of my voice.
Settle into the position that feels most supportive for you.
Perhaps sitting down.
Perhaps resting against a chair or a wall.
And before changing anything.
Notice how you're feeling right now.
Maybe your heart is racing.
Maybe your thoughts are moving quickly.
Maybe there's a sense of urgency in the body.
A feeling that something is wrong.
If that's true right now,
Know this.
Panic can feel frightening.
But feelings are not facts.
And your body is doing what it believes it needs to do to protect you.
So for the next few minutes.
Or simply going to help the nervous system receive a different message.
A message of safety.
Let's begin with a gentle breath.
Take a slow inhale through the nose.
And exhale out through the mouth.
Again,
Slow inhale.
Soft exhale.
Now we'll begin.
The physiological psi.
Take a breath in through the nose.
When you feel completely full,
Sip in a little more air if you can.
Seconds more inhale.
And then exhale slowly through the mouth.
Long and easy.
Let's do that again.
Inhale through the nose.
A second small sip of air.
And a long slow exhale.
Continue at your own pace.
A full inhale.
A small top-up inhale.
And a long slow exhale out through the mouth.
Allow the exhale to be relaxed.
Not forced.
And not pushed.
As though you're slowly letting go of tension with every breath out.
Continue for a few rounds.
And as you breathe,
Feel the support of whatever is beneath you.
Whatever is holding you right now.
You do not have to hold yourself together.
You're already being supported.
Thoughts are racing,
It's okay.
You do not need to try to stop them.
You do not need to argue with them.
You do not need to figure everything out right now.
Just for now.
Return to your breath.
Falling Hail.
Small sip of air.
And a long slow exhale.
Again.
Allowing the shoulders to soften.
The jaw to unclench.
And the muscles around the eyes to relax.
The body is beginning to understand.
Sense of emergency passing.
The breath is slowing.
The nervous system is settling.
You may still feel sensations in the body.
You may still notice thoughts moving through the mind and that's okay.
Calm is not the absence of sensation.
The ability to stay with yourself through it.
Take two more rounds and size in your own time.
Nothing to change.
Nothing to control.
Just breathing.
Be aware if there's even a smallest shift.
A little bit more space.
A little more steadiness or more ease.
Take a final gentle breath in.
And slowly breathe out.
And remind yourself this feeling will pass.
Perhaps saying to yourself.
I can trust myself to move with it and through it.
I trust myself to move with it and through it.
Maybe swallow,
Move the tongue around in the mouth.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes and bring awareness back to the space that surrounds you.
And say thank you to yourself for taking this moment to pause.
