Welcome to day four of the hormonal health challenge here on Insight Timer.
Hormonal changes can affect how you feel,
Think and get through the day.
Today we'll explore a simple strategy to help you feel more supported through those changes.
Let's jump in.
Hello and welcome back to the hormonal health challenge.
My name is Aiko Ota and I'm so happy you're here with me today.
The more we understand our hormones,
The more clearly we can understand our bodies.
And every conversation like this is another step towards building that connection.
Hormones influence our appetite,
Our energy,
Our blood sugar and the brain's reward system,
So cravings can become especially strong at certain times.
A craving might be for something sweet,
Nicotine,
Comfort or even rest.
And every craving carries information,
Inviting us to pause and listen with curiosity.
Today's practice is called urge surfing.
Offers an opportunity to experience a craving from a different perspective.
As you watch it rise,
Reach its peak and gently soften,
You begin to discover that every urge has its own rhythm.
As you stay with the experience,
You can begin to notice its rhythm and learn how to surf the wave,
Giving yourself more space to listen and choose how you want to respond.
So let's begin!
Find a comfortable position and allow your body to settle.
Relax your eyes,
Your shoulders and jaw.
Take a slow,
Easy breath in and slowly breathe out.
Breathing… and breathe out.
Now bring to mind a craving that feels familiar or one that's easy to remember.
It might be a craving for something to eat,
Something to drink,
Or perhaps the urge to reach for your phone.
Allow that experience to come gently into your awareness.
Breathe in and breathe out.
Notice how it feels to acknowledge that the craving is here.
Take a gentle moment to scan through your body and notice where the craving feels more present right now.
Perhaps you notice a sensation in your chest or stomach or a feeling of restlessness in your hands.
There might be tightness,
Tension,
Tingling or simply a sense of wanting.
Whatever you notice,
Rest your attention there as you continue breathing.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Allow your attention to rest in that part of your body with kindness.
Now imagine the craving as a wave forming out at sea.
It begins quietly.
And little by little it gathers strength.
Stay with the rhythm of your breath.
And gently inhale.
Inhale and exhale.
As the wave rises,
Notice what happens in your body.
Feel the sensation changing,
Moving,
Becoming stronger or more intense.
Keep breathing with it.
Serve the wave with your breath.
You don't need to control it.
Simply stay present and let your attention move with it.
Breathe in.
.
.
Breathe out.
The wave continues to rise and now as you continue to breathe Notice as it reaches its highest point.
Take a moment to feel what the peak is like and stay with it.
And then,
Just as every wave eventually turns,
This one also begins to soften its edges become a little gentler Its movement begins to slow.
Little by little,
Breath by breath.
The wave continues its journey.
This craving is a temporary experience,
Much like a wave.
It gathers,
Rises,
Reaches its crest and gradually softens.
Notice the space that begins to appear as it settles.
Stay with that feeling for another few breaths.
Now with the same gentle curiosity ask your body What would feel truly nourishing right now?
Allow the answer to arrive in its own time.
Stay with your breath and take a quiet moment just to listen.
And now begin to bring your awareness back to the room around you.
Feel the support beneath you Gently wiggle your fingers and toes and give yourself a gentle stretch.
And if you feel ready,
Softly open your eyes.
Carry this sense of curiosity with you as you move through the rest of your day.
Every time you pause to listen,
You strengthen the connection with your body and create a little more space for choice.
Tomorrow we turn to the emotional side of hormonal life,
The waves that can feel bigger than whatever set them off.
It's been a pleasure sharing this practice with you today.
I wish you all the very best for the rest of your hormonal health challenge and for all the small moments of listening and self-care that lie ahead.
