For this guided meditation,
Choose whatever position will be most comfortable for your body at this moment in time.
Whether that's lying down,
Sitting in a chair,
Or sitting upright without any back support.
Ensure that your whole body is at ease and comfortable.
And you're in a quiet,
Safe space.
A private space just for you.
Now become aware of your breath.
And as you're watching your breath move in and out of your body,
See if you can identify any places that feel tight or tense.
Just noticing how you are in this moment.
Because at the end of practice,
We'll return back to this sensing and feeling of the whole self so you can see if this was helpful for you.
Now changing nothing in the breath and just allowing yourself to be as you currently are.
Bring your hands up to your earlobes.
The outer upper ears.
And start to gently massage this space with your thumb and index finger.
Gentle circles tugging up and out.
Pressing in slightly.
Whatever feels comfortable to begin to massage the upper earlobes.
If you have any piercings,
Just work around them.
Moving your hands now toward the middle earlobes.
Making soft circles,
Soft pressure.
Massaging up and down the outer middle earlobes.
And now sliding the fingers down to the lower lobes.
Gentle tugs,
Pulling,
Or pressure.
Whatever feels most comfortable for you.
You might notice that the eyes want to close here so you can feel this more completely from within.
Or you can keep them open.
Just gazing at one thing.
Letting your concentration and focus be on the feeling of your fingers on the earlobes.
Now relax the arms down.
Let them hang or drape.
And notice any sensation that's left behind in the earlobes.
Breathe in more fully than before.
As if you could gather up some tension that's in the ears.
Exhale fully out the mouth,
Slowly releasing any residual tension in the earlobes.
Now bring the palms together in front of you and begin to rub them vigorously.
Creating a bit of heat.
Feeling that spark of warmth in the palms.
And then place both of the palms over top of each eye.
The base of the palms rests on the upper cheekbones.
Circling and cupping the eyes with the fingers resting on the forehead,
The tops of the fingers perhaps on the scalp and in the hair.
Allow the head to gently lean down into the support of your hands and feel your hands holding the weight of your head.
The eyes may naturally close behind this semi-darkness,
Holding the head in the hands.
Let the breath become a bit more spacious,
A bit more soft.
Continuing the inhale just beyond where you would naturally stop.
And continuing the exhale beyond that natural stopping point.
So both the inhale and the exhale become a little bit longer,
Smoother,
And softer.
With your next breath out,
Remove the hands from the head and travel them down to the heart space.
Placing the hands on the chest with a little overlap of the fingers toward the center of the chest.
The fingers will naturally face upward toward the face,
Elbows soft and heavy,
Feeling the full surface area of your chest.
Let your hands hold your heart and let your heart be held by your hands.
And continue that sense of longer,
Smoother,
And softer breathing here.
So that with every inhale,
You feel the chest lift and release on the exhale.
No need to exaggerate the breath here.
Just an easy,
Effortless pace.
Sensing,
If you can,
Your heartbeat.
And letting that gentle marker of your aliveness bring you into even more feelings of relaxation and rest.
Let the gentle warmth of your hands soothe the heart,
As if you were giving yourself a hug.
Continue the gentle sensations of breath flowing in and out of your body.
Continue the gentle sensations of breath flowing in and out of your body as you move your hands down to your abdomen.
Letting the hands hold the belly without judgment,
Soften the whole abdomen into your hands.
Let the warmth of your hands soothe your gut,
This second brain center that lives here in the abdomen.
Holding this space,
Let the breath become even more natural,
Smooth inhale followed by smooth exhale.
Let the breath become even more natural,
Smooth,
And smooth.
Without struggle or any great strain,
Feel each exhalation completely leave the body before that natural,
Spontaneous inhalation comes,
Allowing your exhales to be full and complete,
And a little bit longer than before.
Let the breath become even more natural,
Smooth,
And smooth.
Know that there's nothing you need to do to receive relaxation and rest,
That your body knows how to do this.
Relax into that inner knowing as you hold your hands on your abdomen and soften even more into the face,
Jaw,
Throat,
And shoulders.
Let the breath become even more natural,
Smooth,
And smooth.
Now remove the hands from the abdomen and let them rest heavy at your sides with maybe arms on the floor or hands on the knees or thighs.
And as you take a few simple breaths in and out,
See if anything has shifted here,
Whether that's on a mental level,
An emotional one,
Or physically.
Know that you can return to this practice anytime you feel the need to reset your nervous system,
To come into more balance,
Feel more at ease and at peace,
No matter what's happening in your life.
When you feel ready,
Make any movements in your body to stretch and awaken,
And eventually open your eyes.
