Hello friend,
And welcome.
If you're feeling anxious right now,
I'm really glad you're here.
For many of us,
Anxiety becomes something we spend a great deal of energy trying to escape.
We distract ourselves,
Analyze it,
Brace against it,
Or wait impatiently for it to pass.
But for the next few minutes,
We're going to practice something much simpler.
Not trying to calm yourself down,
Not trying to breathe it away.
Not trying to convince yourself that everything is okay.
Just allowing yourself to experience what your body is doing with a little bit more confidence and a little less resistance.
When anxiety shows up,
It's easy to believe that something needs our immediate attention.
The body races,
The mind starts searching for answers.
Before long,
We're caught up in trying to make the feelings stop.
But what if,
Just for these next few minutes,
Nothing needed to happen?
What if you didn't have to fix your anxiety?
What if you simply allowed it to be here?
So let's find out together.
Take a comfortable position,
Allowing your body to be supported.
There's no special posture for this practice,
No right or wrong way to do it.
So take an easy breath.
And let it go.
Now begin to gently turn toward any sensations of anxiety that are present in this moment.
Perhaps you notice a racing heart,
A tightness in your throat,
Fluttering in your stomach.
Maybe there's shakiness or dizziness,
Clammy hands,
Dry mouth,
A sense of restlessness.
Or perhaps the anxiety feels completely different.
Whatever you notice is perfectly okay.
Rather than pulling away from these sensations.
See if you can let yourself move just a little closer,
Almost as though you're greeting an old acquaintance.
And not because you enjoy these feelings,
But because you're no longer interested in running from them.
So we are here spending a few moments simply observing with curiosity.
Notice where the sensations seem the strongest.
Notice whether they stay exactly the same or whether they ebb or flow.
There's no need to make anything happen.
Your body already knows how to experience sensations.
It has been doing so your entire life.
As you continue observing,
You may notice your mind wanting to ask questions.
Like,
Why am I anxious?
What if this gets worse?
How long will this last?
You don't need to answer these questions right now.
Simply let them drift into the background like passing clouds.
Then return your attention to the sensations of the anxious energy in your body.
You might even notice that the sensations are surprisingly alive.
Not fixed,
Not frozen.
Always changing,
Even if only a little.
If a wave of anxiety rises,
Allow it to rise.
If it settles,
Allow it to settle.
You don't have to help it.
You don't have to stop it.
Your only job is to let your body do what bodies naturally do.
Now notice if there's any part of you that's quietly bracing,
Trying to hold everything together.
Trying to stay one step ahead of the anxiety.
If you notice that,
See if you can soften your grip just a little.
Not forcing yourself to relax,
Simply allowing yourself to stop fighting,
To stop struggling for this moment.
There is nothing dangerous happening in these sensations.
They're uncomfortable,
Perhaps,
Or unfamiliar,
Maybe,
But just sensations all the same.
For the next few moments,
Simply allow the anxiety to be exactly as it is.
No resisting,
No analyzing,
Just allowing.
As we come to the end of our practice today,
Give yourself some gratitude for spending these few minutes doing something different.
Instead of turning away from anxiety,
You turn toward it.
Instead of struggling with it,
You made room for it.
And this is how your nervous system begins to lose its fear.
Not because the sensations disappear immediately.
But because you discover again and again that they can come and go without needing to control your life.
So take one more easy breath.
Notice the support beneath you again.
And gently bring your awareness back to the space around you.
As you continue with your day,
See if you can carry this same attitude with you.
If anxiety appears,
Perhaps you can quietly say to yourself,
Hello,
I see you.
You can stay as long as you need.
I don't have to be afraid of you anymore.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today.
I am wishing you well,
My friend.
Come back to this practice anytime you need,
And I'll be right here to guide you.
