Hi,
This is Anya White and thank you for joining me in today's practice.
The intention behind this practice is to help you to calm the mind,
Body and cultivate a sense of stability within your own body.
We will start with some simple breath work followed by a guided meditation.
To begin,
Find a comfortable seated position.
This could be on a mat,
Cushion or in a chair.
However you're seated,
Ensure you are comfortable and feeling supported.
And if it feels comfortable for you,
I invite you to close the eyes down.
Take a moment to bring your awareness to your breath.
Let go of your breath.
There's no need to control your breath in any way.
Simply observe how your breath is flowing in and out of your body right now.
Notice if the mind is still trying to shape or control your breath and see if you can let that go.
If your breath is short,
Let it be short.
If your breath is deep,
Allow it to be deep.
Simply become an observer,
Noticing and allowing.
Staying connected to your breath,
We're going to practice some slow abdominal breathing where the exhale is longer than the inhale and the breath travels all the way down deep into your belly.
This can help to calm your nervous system and allow your body to come into a restful state.
After your next exhale,
Inhale through the nose for three,
Two,
One and exhale for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
You can either exhale through the nose or through pursed lips.
Choose one that feels more restorative for you.
You may also like to make a sound as you exhale.
Making a sound can help to release any tension we're holding in the jaw and throat.
We're going to continue this practice for a few minutes.
Inhale through the nose,
Exhale for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
1,
Exhale,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale,
3,
2,
1.
Exhale,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale,
3,
2,
1.
Exhale,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale,
3,
2,
1.
Exhale,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Continue at your own pace,
Finding a length of breath that feels comfortable for your lung capacity,
Just making sure that the exhale is longer than the inhale.
Notice if the mind becomes distracted by thoughts or if you lose count and that's okay,
Just return to counting the breath.
When you've finished your next round,
Gently return to a natural breath.
Notice how you're feeling.
Begin to bring your awareness deeper into the body.
Find a place in your body that represents stability.
Scan around the body until you find a place that gives you a sense of safety,
Groundedness and stability.
Take your time finding this place.
It might be your feet,
Your pelvis,
Your core,
Your hands or another part of the body.
Once you've found your place of stability,
Pause and breathe into that place.
Notice what stability feels like in your body right now.
Really allow yourself to absorb this feeling and as you do,
Notice how your breath is flowing.
Now think about something that has been causing you the most stress in your life right now.
Notice how that stress shows up in your body.
Where in your body does this stress manifest itself?
Take some time now to acknowledge this without judgment.
As you think about this difficult situation,
Feel back into the place of stability you found earlier.
Breathe into this place.
Can you allow yourself to find some support from this place as you navigate the challenges in your life right now?
Notice any subtle shifts in your body as you think about this difficult situation from this place of groundedness and stability.
A place you can always come back to in moments of unease.
Breathe into this strong foundation you have within you.
I encourage you to stay here for as long as you need.
When you feel ready,
Bring some movement back into the body and gently open the eyes.
Give yourself as much time as you need for this experience to integrate.
Thank you for joining me in this practice.
