Transform Stress: On The Spot Practice

This short meditation is designed to help transform stress and calm your nervous system. Whenever you notice stress present, you can use this meditation and its acronym "S-T-R-E-S-S" to help transform stress to find greater ease and peace. Using this practice repeatedly can help you interrupt the stress response and bring your body and nervous system back into balance.

Music by Dana Music from Pixabay (Meditation Relaxing Music)

Disclaimer: This meditation is purely for educational purposes and is not intended as a psychological intervention or as a substitute for professional mental health or other services.

Transcript

In this practice,

We'll use the acronym STRESS,

S-T-R-E-S-S,

Whenever you notice stress is present,

To transform it and find greater ease.

Begin by acknowledging that stress is here.

The first S of stress reminds you to see what is here with openness and curiosity.

Drop into the body and notice through kind eyes whatever is present.

Begin by meeting yourself right where you are.

Is there constriction,

Tightness,

Or holding of tension?

Where do you feel it most?

Notice if the breath feels shallow.

Notice the mind.

Acknowledge whatever you are feeling.

The T of stress reminds you to take time to pause and tend to yourself.

Allow your breath to come in naturally through your nose.

Take your time on the exhalation,

Making it slower and longer than the inhalation.

Allow your breath to become deeper as you feel the cool air entering your nose and feel the warmth of the exhalation as you extend your out-breath.

R reminds you to rest in this present moment.

Our minds often pull us into the future or past.

The invitation with R is to come back into this present moment,

Resting and resetting with each breath.

Rest and reset.

The E of stress invites you to find equanimity.

When we neither grasp nor push away what is here,

There is more ease.

What can you let go?

What can you let be?

Can you let your thoughts,

Emotions,

And sensations be here like passing weather through the vast spacious sky of awareness?

With the next S of stress,

Send yourself soothing energy and compassion.

Can you look through kind eyes and an open heart toward yourself,

Recognizing this moment of difficulty and softening into it?

With the final S,

See what is needed.

See how you might like to move forward into the next moments of your day.

Picture yourself moving from a place of more ease,

Choosing how you will show up for the next moments.

Take one more grounding breath,

Carrying well-being in your heart as you go forward into your day or evening.