Welcome to the Daily Insight.
My name is Carolyn Ann Budgel and today's meditation will help you create more awareness around stress and maybe how you let stress build up in your physical body.
We will practice really gentle ways to soften some of the tensions that have built up within over time.
Stress is a leading contributor to disease and other chronic ailments,
But when we take time to become aware of it,
We realize that we can control how we deal with it.
We can create more positive soothing responses for our nervous system rather than some of the same debilitating patterns that keep us on high alert.
Make sure you're sitting comfortably or lying down comfortably,
Fully alert and awake.
Observe how you feel today.
Notice if your level of stress feels high right now or more manageable in this moment.
Observe the sensations that are forming in your body.
Observe the sensations of your breath.
Take some longer exhales out your nose.
And allow yourself to become more present with each passing exhale.
Feel the points of your body in contact with the floor or the cushion.
And notice if any parts of your body are holding on to stress right now.
Stress is often initially felt as physical tightness or achiness or dull pain and discomfort.
With your inner focus,
Comb through your body several times for sensations of tension or tightness.
The mind might be labeling stress as feeling bad or overwhelming.
And this will only perpetuate the cycle of stress and how it lives in your body and affects your nervous system.
But the good thing is that we can always create change.
Whatever harmful thoughts have been affecting our physical bodies,
We can change it.
Stay really curious and stay unattached to some perfect kind of outcome or perfect goal as we continue.
So the practice from here on out is to simply stay with these tense spots in your body and imagine that they are releasing every time you take a slow exhale through your nose.
It's a really basic practice for your physical body.
Continue letting go into another point of tension with the next exhale.
And into another little spot of tightness or achiness,
A long exhale to release.
And in this little spot of tightness,
A long exhale to release.
And in this little spot of tightness,
A long exhale to release.
When we visualize this kind of softening into tight body parts,
The muscles we are thinking about literally get stimulated and they're sent a new positive kind of feedback from the brain.
And when we combine this with long out-breaths,
The parasympathetic system is activated which activates the side of us that is clear and at ease.
And the more you practice,
The more quickly you'll neutralize or maybe even unlock the stress that's been in the body for years or decades.
To deepen this practice of relaxation further,
Place a hand somewhere on your body that grips really tightly when you're in a state of high stress.
Or place a hand on a spot that is speaking to you right now.
Let your body receive the warmth of your hand and give this space some kindness and kind attention.
Finish up with a couple long slow breaths out.
Getting into any little stubborn spots,
Letting them go with another long breath.
I'll leave you with a gentle reminder that you have the power within you to cope with stress and anxiety before it even becomes a part of your physical makeup and before it affects your health and other important relationships around you.
Be patient with yourself and keep practicing.
Please thank yourself for any wisdom that you tapped into during your meditation today.
Namaste.
