Flying can be an intense experience.
Just navigating through the airport,
Through immigration and security,
Can be stressful,
And that's before you step on the plane.
According to the ancient science of Ayurveda,
Vata energy is a combination of air and ether.
Travel,
Particularly flying,
Can increase the vata energy in all of us.
An increase in vata can make us feel scattered,
Anxious and ungrounded.
This meditation is designed to help you ground and calm after your flight.
In this meditation we're going to express gratitude,
Then ground the body using a body scan technique before moving on to some deep breathing to help calm the nervous system.
If possible,
Sit in an upright position for this meditation.
This can be done on a chair or on the floor,
Or you could do this meditation sitting on your hotel bed.
Basically anywhere you can find a quiet space.
Take a few moments to land here.
Feel your sit bones on the floor.
Feel the air against your skin.
Notice any sounds you might hear.
The sounds may come and go.
Allow them to do so without judgement or without following the sounds.
Just take a moment to be grateful for the safe flight,
For all the cabin and ground crew for the precision,
Skill and care that has enabled you to arrive safely in your new destination.
Have gratitude that unlike our ancestors,
We can take a flight and be on the other side of the world in a day or so's travel time.
Our ancestors spent months on boats or days and weeks of uncomfortable overland travel to undertake the journey you've just made.
And many,
Many never made any journeys at all.
It's a privilege we can travel and experience different parts of the world.
Bring a smile to your face as you experience that gratitude.
Now as I mention the following body parts,
Take your awareness there.
Your toes and feet.
Your lower leg,
The calf and shin.
The upper leg.
And your thigh,
Feeling heavy now.
Your buttocks,
Seated and grounded.
Your hips,
Open and calm.
Your stomach.
Just pause here for a moment.
Notice any sensations and feelings here.
No judgements.
All is welcome.
Maybe you feel a little anxiety or even a little sick.
If you can,
Just notice these sensations and sit with the feelings,
However uncomfortable that might be.
Like all feelings and emotions,
These too shall pass.
Trust that as you notice what you notice.
Moving up to the chest now.
How is your heart?
Is your heart racing?
Or is it beating at a normal pace?
Again,
No judgements.
Just witnessing what you find here.
Then take your awareness to your arms,
Hands,
Fingers.
And then feel into your shoulders.
The shoulders can hold tension.
See if you can relax the shoulders.
And then finally feel into your throat and head.
Feel the area between your eyebrows.
Feel behind the eyes.
And notice if you're holding tension across the forehead.
Now just feel into your whole body.
Rest here for a moment or two.
Know you are here right now in your body and all is okay.
Your body may feel like it's stuck in a different time zone or continent.
So allow your focus on your body to bring you into this present moment in your new destination.
And now we're going to focus on the breaths to help your nervous system regulate after your travel.
I'm going to suggest some time counts for you.
But if this makes you feel uncomfortable or anxious,
Please just sit with whatever breath pattern works for you.
We're going to begin by taking inhale for a count of four.
We're going to hold for four.
We'll exhale for four.
And then we'll hold for four.
I'll talk you through the first round.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And hold,
Two,
Three,
Four.
I'm going to be quiet now and let you continue for a few minutes.
And I'll guide you back to finish our practice.
So continuing with the inhale for a count of four.
Holding for four.
Exhaling for four.
And then holding for four.
Now let go of the counting and just allow yourself to come back to your normal inhale and exhale.
Notice how you feel.
Knowing that you can come back to this practice any time you need to feel grounded.
Thank you for taking the time to truly arrive in your new destination.
If you enjoyed this meditation and you're flying again,
You might like to check out my pre-flying meditation practice on Insight Timer.
