Welcome!
My name is Julia and I'll be guiding this practice.
This space is here for moments when everything feels like too much.
Too loud,
Too bright,
Too overwhelming.
You don't have to do anything special to be here.
You can keep your eyes open or closed,
Move or stay still,
Pause whenever you need to.
This is your time.
Let's begin by finding one feeling or sensation that feels okay right now.
Something that feels neutral or steady.
Maybe it's your feet on the ground,
The support of the seat beneath you,
Or the weight of your hands at rest.
Whatever feels reliable in this moment,
Something you know isn't going anywhere.
Let this be your anchor,
A reminder that you are here,
And that in this moment,
You are safe.
It is okay to be you and to feel what you are feeling,
And it's also okay to want to shift into a different headspace.
Now,
Take a slow breath in through your nose if that feels comfortable,
And let it out through your mouth.
You can add sound or movement if that feels helpful.
Let's do this a few times together,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Continuing to breathe like this with each exhale,
Releasing some of the pressure from your system,
Letting out a little bit of that static or that clutter that sometimes builds up inside.
Some days this might feel easy,
Other days harder,
Like there's too much to release.
That's okay.
Just going breath by breath,
Each one helps.
If this feels good,
Staying with this rhythm,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
If it doesn't feel so great,
Returning to any style of breathing that feels more natural for you.
As we stay with this breath,
Let's check in with our bodies.
Notice if there's any tension or discomfort.
Is there one small thing that you can do to soften it?
Maybe shifting the way that you're sitting,
Adjusting how you're holding yourself,
Or even getting up to change your clothing.
Trying to let your shoulders release,
Dropping them down with your next exhale.
Unclenching your jaw,
If it's tight.
Uncrossing your arms or your legs.
Allowing yourself a moment of relaxation,
Even if it's just one percent more than before.
And if it feels like nothing is shifting,
That's completely okay to do.
If it feels like there's a lot of tension in your body,
That's okay to let go of.
Now,
Imagine wrapping yourself in a blanket of calm.
When you think of the word calm,
What comes to mind?
A feeling or sensation?
An item or a place?
However this blanket of calm appears to you,
Letting it surround you,
Shielding you from the noise,
The brightness,
The intensity of the outside world.
Inside your blanket of calm,
You have space to simply be.
You might imagine your feelings and sensations flowing out into this blanket,
Knowing that it can hold them for you.
Staying here as long as you'd like,
Continuing to breathe,
Letting each exhale lighten the load that you've been holding on to.
With each moment that passes,
You feel your overwhelm starting to soften.
You feel yourself steadying and returning to baseline.
You are safe here,
Fully protected,
Fully supported.
Whenever you feel ready,
Starting to bring your awareness back to the space around you.
Wiggling your fingers,
Rolling your shoulders,
Or slowly blinking the eyes open if they were closed.
Remember your anchor,
That sensation of grounding,
And your blanket of calm are always with you,
Ready whenever you need them.
Take a moment to thank yourself for taking a step towards calm and relaxation,
For taking this time for yourself,
And thank you for being here with me.
Thank you.
