Breathwork For Grounding In Uncertainty

This guided breathwork audio uses visualization and conscious connected breathing to walk you through times of uncertainty. It was specifically created for the 2024 US Presidential Election and mentions the election, however can be used whenever you are feeling worried or fearful of the future. This practice is open to all viewpoints and affiliations.

Transcript

Welcome!

My name is Julia.

I'm a certified breathwork facilitator and I'll be guiding you through today's breathwork.

I'm going to introduce you to the practice that we'll be doing today and giving some additional info on that.

We'll settle in for a short meditation followed by our breathwork.

At the end of the session,

We'll slowly return to the space and take some time for reflection.

Our breathwork theme today is Grounding in Uncertainty.

We'll be using our breath to create a sense of calm and stability amidst all of the changes going on in the world.

If you're joining me,

You're probably aware of the fact that we're in the midst of a very charged time in our country.

The upcoming presidential election has been stirring up a lot of energy,

Whether it's anxiety,

Uncertainty,

Or maybe even a sense of unease about the future.

It's natural to feel impacted by all of this,

Especially when so much of what's happening is beyond our control.

A gentle reminder that this practice is for all political views and schools of thought,

Because no matter what your stance is,

This election has stirred up lots of strong emotions for everyone.

I invite you to use this session as an opportunity to ground yourself,

To come back to the present moment,

And to find that centering point.

That inner stability we all have within us.

We can't change external events,

But what we can do is practice letting go of the need to control what's happening outside,

And instead,

Cultivate peace within ourselves.

Our focus will be on rooting ourselves in stability,

Finding peace in uncertainty,

And building resilience to navigate whatever may come.

Let's begin this journey together.

A little bit about our breath today.

Conscious connected breathing is a really powerful style of breathing in which we'll take deep inhales in through the mouth,

Followed by passive exhales out through the mouth.

To practice this breath,

You'll open your mouth wide as if you're taking a bite out of an apple or another piece of fruit.

Inhale deeply in through the mouth,

Into the lungs,

Into the belly,

And then immediately release that breath in an exhale out through your mouth.

We're breathing in a circular pattern,

Which means there are no pauses between your inhales and exhales,

And no pauses between your exhales and inhales.

One thing to be mindful of with this style of breathing is that we're not trying to force our exhale,

We're just letting it go softly.

If at any point this breath feels like it's a little bit too activating or too uncomfortable,

I would welcome you to simply close your mouth and return to breathing in and out through the nose.

You can also try varying the speed or the depth of the breath to whatever feels right for you.

When we're practicing this style of breathing,

It's not uncommon for your throat to become dry,

So you can just take a moment,

Close your mouth,

Allow it to re-lubricate before returning to your breath,

Or you can keep some water nearby.

Some of the other things that can happen are changes to body temperature,

So feeling a little bit warmer or cooler than normal,

Feelings of tingling or vibration,

Especially in your hands or feet,

And these are all feelings that can be very enjoyable,

But they can also be intense.

If they feel too intense for you,

Or you're just not into them,

Return to breathing in and out through the nose,

And that'll just regulate the body,

Help return you to your baseline state.

Conscious connected breath can bring up different emotions.

So you might feel laughter,

Anger,

Creativity,

Maybe even tears.

These are just a few of the things that you might experience,

And they are all totally normal.

Let your body express them,

Let your body release them,

Know that you can always return to that grounding breath in and out through the nose at any time.

Just remain open to whatever you're experiencing,

Even if it's not of these sensations.

There are a few conditions that are contraindicated to this practice.

Anyone that has a history of schizophrenia,

Bipolar,

Heart disease,

High or low blood pressure,

Stroke,

Epilepsy,

If you're in any stage of pregnancy,

If you're under the influence of drugs or alcohol,

Or if you've undergone surgery in the past 6-8 weeks,

I would advise against practicing this breath in and out through the mouth.

Instead,

You can follow this breathing through the nose instead of the mouth,

Or you can just follow along with the cues and breathe in any way that's comfortable for you.

Alright,

Taking a moment to get comfortable,

Creating a space for yourself,

Either seated or lying down,

Away from distractions.

If you're choosing to sit up now,

Please make sure that your body is well supported and that you won't topple over.

You can use headphones to help block out external noise,

And just use whatever would make you the most comfortable.

Pillows,

Bolsters,

Blankets.

I also like to keep some tissues nearby and a glass of water.

We'll take a 1 minute break to get settled in.

I'll be guiding you throughout this entire breath work,

So you don't need to worry about remembering anything.

And while I am here to guide you,

You know your body best and you are in control of your experience today.

If anything is too activating or too uncomfortable,

You are always welcome to return to breathing in and out through the nose or just returning to your normal in and out through the nose or just returning to your normal pattern of breathing.

If you need to pause the practice at any time,

Feel free to do so.

Taking a moment and settling into your body.

Noticing if there are any areas of tension or holding.

Noticing any areas of power.

Breathing in through the nose,

Beginning to greet the breath.

Taking the breath deeper into the lungs,

Into the belly,

Perhaps sighing it out through the mouth.

Breathing in calm,

Relaxation,

Breathing in calm,

Relaxation,

And perhaps your desired election outcome.

And sighing to release any stress,

Any tension.

Continuing this at your own pace,

Welcoming your inhales and using your exhales to release anything which no longer serves you.

And with your next inhale,

Taking a deep stretch in all directions,

Allowing the limbs to reach out as far as they can,

Tensing and holding for a moment,

Before releasing your body along with your exhale.

Doing this two more times,

Inhaling to stretch,

Tensing for a moment,

And releasing.

And one more time,

Inhaling to stretch,

Tensing for a moment,

And releasing.

Giving yourself a shake or a wiggle,

Fully settling into that space that you've created for yourself.

And with your next breath in,

I would invite you to inhale for a count of 4 and exhale for a count of 6.

I'll count along with you.

If this feels like it's too long or too short,

Feel free to modify.

We want the exhale to be just a second or two longer than the inhale,

To start building up those feelings of calm.

Ready?

Inhaling for 1,

2,

3,

4.

Exhale,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6.

Continuing this for several rounds,

Modifying as needed.

As you breathe like this,

Starting to locate a place within your body that feels calm.

This could be any body part,

Something that helps you to feel stable and centered.

If nothing's coming to mind,

I'd suggest using your heart space.

As you inhale,

Focusing on that body part and the feelings of grounding and calm that it brings.

You may wish to place your hands over this area.

We're going to breathe here for a few rounds,

Sending your inhale into that body part and gently releasing.

And then I'm going to guide you through some questions.

Remaining with this calm pattern of breathing.

And asking yourself,

What feelings of uncertainty are you holding on to?

Letting the feelings rise up,

Simply noticing them as you breathe here.

Using your exhale to dispose of these feelings of uncertainty.

Breathing out each doubt,

Each fear,

Each disbelief.

And removing it from your body and your mind along with that exhale.

Asking yourself,

Where do you feel most grounded in your life right now?

Allowing images or feelings of this to rise up.

Using your inhale to draw them in.

Strengthening that grounding and positive emotion with each breath in.

Asking yourself,

What does it feel like to trust the process even when things are uncertain?

This can be a scary one.

But breathing through any emotions or sensations that are coming up,

You may wish to bring to mind a time that you were simply able to trust and believe,

Even when things were difficult.

If you're having trouble with this,

Don't stress out.

Just continue with the breath and we'll come back to these feelings later.

Now we're going to start visualizing a grounding energy taking over all of the doubts and fears.

For this next portion,

I would welcome you to begin the conscious connected breath if you feel called to do so.

If not,

You may continue with the pattern you were already using or whatever pattern of breath feels most comfortable for you.

Allowing the mouth to gently fall open.

Inhaling deeply into your mouth and exhaling slowly out of your mouth.

Getting familiar with this new breath as we begin our visualization.

Feeling the points of contact where your body meet the ground and just noticing the support that is always there holding you in place without effort.

No matter what's going on in your mind,

The earth is always beneath you,

Holding you and supporting you.

Now,

Beginning to imagine yourself as a mountain.

Visualizing your body as a mountain.

Now,

Beginning to imagine yourself as a mountain.

Visualizing your body as the base of the mountain.

Strong,

Solid,

Immovable.

Your feet are firmly planted on this earth,

Heavy and stable.

The bedrock that anchors a mountain deep beneath the surface.

As you breathe in,

Feel the energy of the earth rise up through your feet and your legs,

Giving you strength.

With each exhale,

Imagine yourself becoming more solid,

More grounded,

More still.

Noticing which area of your body is feeling the most centered in this moment.

Is it the same area as before?

Notice how,

As a mountain,

You are completely steady.

The winds of change may blow across your surface,

But they don't move you.

The weather may shift,

Storms may come and go,

Clouds may gather,

And rain may fall.

But none of it touches your core.

At your center,

You remain unshakable.

Using the breath to tap into this sense of calm coming from this immovable stillness.

If you feel called to do so,

Intensifying the breath here,

Breathing more deeply or more quickly.

Imagine that breath moving like the winds that swirl around the mountain.

Sometimes gentle,

Sometimes strong.

But no matter the intensity,

The mountain stays rooted,

Unchanged.

You too are like this mountain,

Steady and enduring,

Even as life shifts around you.

Even as your breath comes and goes.

Even as your breath comes and goes.

As the mountain,

You visualize the seasons passing.

The warmth of summer,

The coolness of autumn,

The stillness of winter,

And the beautiful renewal that comes with spring.

All of these changes are part of the natural cycle,

Yet the mountain remains,

Witnessing them without resistance.

No matter what external events are happening,

What season of life you are in,

You are able to remain rooted and grounded.

Though the weather may seem rough at times,

Knowing that the seasons and the weather will always shift for the better.

That nothing is permanent.

Taking this time to deepen the breath once more if you wish to do so.

Now,

Bringing your awareness to your heart space or to whatever part of your body is feeling calm and centered in this moment,

Bringing to mind a warm,

Glowing light.

This light represents your inner strength and stability.

It's always there,

Unchanging,

Even when you can't see it.

With each inhale,

Feel this light grow warmer and brighter,

Filling your entire body with a sense of peace,

Calm,

And resilience.

Using each exhale to continue releasing any feelings of doubt,

Fear,

Or negativity surrounding the upcoming election.

As we stay in this space of stillness,

Know that just like the mountain,

You have the capacity to witness life's changes without being shaken by them.

You are grounded,

You are stable,

You are supported.

Let yourself rest in this knowing for a few more moments,

Trusting that this steadiness is always available to you.

Wherever you go,

And under whatever circumstances you may face.

Continuing to stay with your breath at whatever pace feels best for you.

Using that breath to anchor yourself at your center,

Using that breath to anchor yourself at your center.

Warm,

Comforting core of light that is never extinguished.

We're going to return to that idea,

That question of trusting the process.

Whether or not something came to mind before,

We're going to affirm that it is possible to trust and to have faith,

Using that internal calm,

That internal strength.

You may wish to use one of the following affirmations as you continue to breathe here.

I am rooted in my own stability.

I trust in the flow of life.

I find peace in the present moment.

Breathing in that affirmation.

Starting to lighten the breath.

Maybe taking one deep breath in,

Or possibly even holding the breath for a moment.

Whatever you feel called to do.

In the next few cycles of breath,

Beginning to invite some movement back into the body.

Breathing in as you stretch your limbs long.

Relishing in that sensation.

Noticing if any tension remains,

And how your body responds as you exhale and release.

Placing your hands over the area in your body that has acted as your center,

Your grounding point.

Taking a final breath into this space,

And soaking in that calm,

Grounded energy.

Knowing that you hold this energy within you,

That it's yours to return to whenever and wherever it's needed.

That it's yours to return to whenever and wherever it's needed.

Taking a moment to thank yourself for this practice.

To thank yourself for being so vulnerable,

So open,

And so trusting.

Starting to come back to the space that you're in,

By wiggling,

Stretching,

Shaking,

Or whatever feels right to reconnect with your body,

And your space.

Remaining with the eyes closed for as long as you need.

Remaining with the eyes closed for as long as you need.

Be gentle with yourself over the coming hours,

Days,

And weeks,

As you may notice a shifting of energy or emotions.

Just honor whatever it is that you're noticing,

Without passing judgment.

And just maybe taking an extra breath or an extra pause when you find yourself becoming a little bit worked up over what's going on in the news and in the world today.

Because it's those little pauses and moments that can lead up to bigger shifts.

Thank you so much for joining me in this practice,

And for allowing me to hold this space.

Thank you for joining me in this practice.