Guided Meditation To Alleviate Stress With Deep Breathing

Breathing is one of the most effective ways to manage stress. In this guided meditation you will have an opportunity to experience the impact of breathing on your stress. You will see how breathing can support you to move from your ambush zone to your observation post. Breathing creates a "stop-gap" between feeling and reacting. It's a great "pull through" which allows you to calm your body and get blood flowing to the front of your brain where you can then think and react effectively.

Transcript

Hi,

My name is Barry Zworstein and you are listening to the Post-Military Transitioning Challenges Podcast.

I am a combat veteran,

Psychologist and author with over 20 years of sitting with veterans and current serving.

The PMTC Podcast can support you to achieve a successful navigation into civilian territory.

The core mission of my book and podcast is that no veteran should have to come home to die.

Hi,

Thanks for joining me today.

In the previous talk I explored the brain and ways to move from your ambush zone to your OP.

Today I thought we could try out a breathing process to alleviate stress.

You know,

Breathing is one of the most effective ways to kick down the back of the brain.

So before we begin,

I'd like you to take a moment to assess your territory and how you are currently managing your challenges.

I'd like you to rate this from 1,

Which is not good at all,

To 10,

Which means you're going really well.

At the end of the meditation,

I want you then to reassess for any change.

So take a moment,

Pause this after I've given you some instructions and then come back.

Find a great place to sit.

I want you to be comfortable and then we'll begin the meditation.

Okay.

Begin by taking a deep breath and hold it for five seconds.

Exhale and relax.

Take another deep breath,

As deep as you can,

And hold it.

And count for five seconds.

As you exhale,

Just imagine blowing out all of your stress.

Take a third deep breath and hold it.

And as you exhale,

You blow out any stress you've been holding onto,

Saying to yourself,

Relax now.

This is your new solution to stress.

Whenever you become stressed in the future,

You simply take three fully in and deep breaths,

Holding it at the top of the inhalation for five seconds.

And when you exhale,

Blow out any stresses that you feel.

And on the third breath,

As you exhale,

You simply say to yourself,

Relax now.

Begin by slowly blinking your eyes and with each number I say,

Blink once.

Ten,

Nine,

Eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

And zero.

Allow your eyes to gently close and when you do this,

You feel a wave of relaxation sweep over you.

Now I'd like for you to focus on the sensations at the top of your head.

Just notice how the very top of your head feels.

And now let that focus move down to your eyes.

Just notice how your eyes feel and ask them to relax even more.

The little movement in your eyes is called rapid eye movement and is completely normal.

These small eye movements allow for you to feel calm.

Notice how the back of your head feels against the surface that it is touching.

How heavy does your head feel right now?

Let your focus move to your nose and feel the slight sensations of the air moving in and out with your breath.

When you breathe in,

Imagine that you are being filled with calmness and when you breathe out,

Imagine your body feels heavy and deeply relaxed.

Very good.

Now focus on your ears.

Notice how they feel and what they hear around you.

Try to hear every single noise.

When sounds come into your ears,

They act as little waves of relaxation,

Taking you even deeper.

Notice the sound of my voice and how soothing it is.

From here forward,

You can only hear my voice guiding you.

All other sounds passing through only take you deeper into a state of relaxation.

Now focus on your mouth.

How does it feel and what do you notice?

Can you sense the flavor of something you recently tasted?

Perhaps you can imagine biting into a fresh slice of lemon and you notice how your mouth waters.

Very good.

And move your focus down now to your neck and if there is any tension,

Just ask it to release a little more.

Notice how your neck feels right now and just feel all of the sensations in your neck.

Now focus on your shoulders and move your attention slowly going down each arm,

Down all the way to each fingertip.

What are your fingertips touching right now?

Feel the sensations on your fingertips.

Nice.

Allow your focus to go to your chest,

Relaxing this area as well as your upper back.

And if you notice any tension,

Just ask it nicely to release just a little.

Now imagine you are focusing on your heart and feeling it beating strongly supporting you.

Relax your heart and notice how good it feels to do so.

And now focus on your lungs.

Feel them gently expanding and contracting with your breath,

Delivering oxygen to your body.

Allow your focus to move down to your vital organs and digestive system.

Just notice your belly and how it feels.

Just observe it working and digesting effortlessly for you.

Now notice your lower back and how it is pressing against the surface you are on.

And if you feel any tension,

Just say,

Please relax just a little more.

Focus now on your pelvis and hips and notice any sensations you are having there.

This takes you even deeper into a state of relaxation.

Allow your focus to move down each leg now,

Slowly relaxing those as well.

Your legs have been taking you so many places over the years and they deserve to fully relax.

Notice this wonderful wave of relaxation moving down to your knees and down your lower legs all the way to your feet and the very tip of each toe.

Good.

You are doing really well.

Now that you have relaxed your body so well,

I am going to count down from 10 and with each descending number,

Your conscious mind will relax even more so,

Letting go of any beliefs that hold you back from your goal.

Imagine that you are standing at the top of a set of stairs and when I begin counting,

You will walk down the stairs.

Okay.

Ten,

Nine,

Eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One,

And zero.

Good.

It's natural that your conscious mind gives less and less importance to the words that I'm saying,

Allowing your subconscious mind to be present right now.

From now on,

You choose to be relaxed.

You choose to be calm.

You choose to be in control of all you do because your health is very important to you.

Remember that it is natural for you to be healthy and happy.

It is unnatural for you to have sickness and misery.

Now hear yourself saying,

Each day in every way,

I get better and better.

In order to make change,

I challenge myself.

Change is not comfortable.

In fact,

It is inconvenient.

So if I feel comfortable with change,

I am making,

I am probably not extending myself enough.

When I have a negative thought,

Acknowledge that I feel this way and then I release it.

When another negative thought arises,

I catch it quickly and I say with confidence,

I acknowledge that part of me feels this way,

But this part does not help me right now.

Each day in every way,

I get better and better.

Whenever I am presented with feelings of stress,

I know my breath is there to soothe me and guide me into relaxation.

Every single day,

I become more aware of all the good things going on in my community and in the world around me.

When I feel that darkness is surrounding me,

I know that the way to see light is to take three deep breaths,

Relaxing my mind and body by doing so.

Each day in every way,

I get better and better.

In order to make great change,

I challenge my thoughts.

From now on,

I challenge every single negative and unproductive thought that arises.

From this point forward,

Whenever you find yourself having negative unproductive thoughts,

You will immediately say to yourself the word stop.

Let me repeat that to you so that it is perfectly clear.

Whenever you find yourself having negative unproductive thoughts,

You will immediately say to yourself the word stop and as soon as you say the word stop,

You'll find that the negative thoughts you were having will just disappear.

This gives you the opportunity to start a new positive thought process.

How do you feel?

Notice how you feel right now and take great note of exactly how you feel right now.

Good.

Now let's come to conscious awareness,

Bringing back everything that you learned today for the better.

One,

Slowly coming back to the present moment.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Feeling fresh new energy coming in as you breathe.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Bringing back all that you have learned today.

Eight.

Nine.

Almost there.

And ten.

Welcome back.

Well,

That was really great.

You've hung in there,

You've done some really powerful work and think about practicing this meditation daily as needed.

Remember the neuroscience of it all is that it will kick down the back of your brain.

It will help you to step back from the stresses,

Anxieties and tensions that you are experiencing.

Now that the meditation is finished,

I invite you just to stay with the music for a few more minutes and when you are ready,

Just get on with your day.

Thank you and see you back next time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.