Welcome to the safe space,
Take a moment to arrive,
Allow your body to settle into the surface beneath you,
Feel where you are supported,
Notice the contact points between your body and what's holding you.
Let the weight of the body be received,
There is nothing to adjust,
Nothing to fix.
Bring your awareness to the breath as it is right now,
The natural rhythm,
The gentle movement of your body breathing itself.
Notice where you feel the breath most clearly,
Perhaps in the chest,
Perhaps in the belly,
Perhaps as a subtle movement through the whole body,
Simply noticing,
No changing is needed.
Allow awareness to rest here,
Take your time.
Let the nervous system begin to recognize that this moment is different,
That there is space,
That there is no urgency.
The breath technique that we'll be using today is a 2-1 breathing ratio,
So you'll be breathing in through the nose for a count of 3 and out for a count of 6.
The longer exhale gently slows the nervous system and supports the body to settle into safety.
There is no forcing,
If at any point you need to pause you can return to your natural breathing.
I invite you now to set an intention for your practice.
What would you like to call more of into your life today?
Whatever arises,
Trust it.
Hold this intention gently in your heart space.
This breath works through rhythm,
Not effort.
A steady predictable pattern gives the nervous system clear information that it can slow down safely.
Nothing needs to be achieved here,
Nothing needs to be controlled.
The body already understands this language,
All that is required is allowing the rhythm to support you.
So on my count we will begin the technique,
3,
2,
1.
Begin breathing in through the nose for 3 and out for 6.
Let the exhale be smooth,
Unrushed,
Even.
So inhale for 3,
Exhale for 6.
As you continue breathing notice how the body responds to the longer exhale.
Notice how the chest begins to soften,
How the belly becomes less held.
And how the back of the body feels more supported.
Each longer exhale gives the nervous system more time,
More permission to settle.
So stay with this breathing technique now,
Inhaling for 3,
Exhaling for 6.
Notice how the shoulders respond,
How the jaw loosens,
How the muscles around the eyes soften.
This rhythm is steady,
Reliable.
The nervous system recognises consistency as safety.
As the breath continues begin to notice what is changing inside the body.
Notice the internal pace,
The quality of sensation,
The level of effort.
You may sense that the body feels heavier,
More grounded,
More settled into the surface beneath you.
The longer exhale supports balance in the system,
It allows the nervous system to recalibrate.
Each breath reinforces a sense of steadiness,
Not through thought but through sensation.
Inhaling for 3,
Exhaling for 6.
Notice how awareness naturally moves inward,
How the body becomes easier to feel,
How the mind has less to manage.
This is the system reorganising itself.
Continue breathing at the same steady pace,
Nice full breaths.
Notice how the breath now feels familiar,
Comfortable,
Supportive.
The body is beginning to trust this rhythm.
Notice the sense of containment,
Of being held within the breath,
Within the body.
There is nothing to anticipate,
Nothing to prepare for.
Just this moment,
Just this breath.
Safety is being experienced directly through the body.
Keep breathing,
Inhaling for 3,
Exhaling for 6.
Allow awareness to widen,
To include the whole body,
From the crown of the head down through the spine to the soles of the feet.
Feel the body breathing as one connected field.
Notice the steadiness of the rhythm.
The way the breath moves through the whole system,
This rhythm is available to you.
It's something the body can return to.
Keep breathing,
Inhaling for 3,
Exhaling for 6.
There is nothing to monitor,
Nothing to correct,
Just presence,
Just sensation.
As the breath continues,
Notice the quality of stillness that becomes available.
Not a forced stillness,
A natural quiet.
The nervous system has space to rest here.
Notice the sense of ease,
Of grounded presence,
Of being here without effort.
Continue breathing,
Let silence stretch.
Allow the breath to gradually soften back into its natural rhythm.
Notice how the body continues to breathe on its own.
Sense the aftereffects of the practice,
The steadiness,
The grounded presence.
Allow this to integrate.
Begin to come back into the body.
Take a few small movements,
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
And one big final deep slow inhale,
And a beautiful long exhale.
And when it feels right,
Gently open your eyes.
The sense of safety is always accessible to you.
It lives in the rhythm of your breath.
Thank you for going on this magical journey with me.
With love and gratitude always.
