Welcome,
My name is Sue and this is a meditation to help with anxiety.
When anxiety rises,
The body comes into a state of alert.
Your heart might beat faster.
Thoughts may speed up.
Muscles tighten.
This meditation uses one simple anchor,
The breath,
To guide your body and mind back to calm.
The focus on your breath gives your nervous system the signal that you are safe,
Safe to slow down.
We'll begin in a comfortable position,
Sitting or lying down.
Rest your hands wherever they fall naturally.
Close the eyes or soften the gaze.
Take one easy breath in and a long,
Gentle breath out.
Allow your body to begin to settle.
Notice the natural rhythm of your breathing.
No need to change or deepen it.
Just watch.
Almost like observing someone else's breath.
Notice that each breath is a complete cycle.
A beginning,
A middle,
And an end.
Follow each one with simple curiosity.
Notice where the breath lands first in your body.
Maybe your nose,
Your throat,
Your chest,
Or your belly.
Each inhale arrives on its own.
Each exhale leaves on its own.
When your thoughts wander,
Gently guide your focus back to the next breath,
A safe anchor.
Place a hand over your belly or heart space,
Whichever moves more naturally with your breath.
Feel the rise of your inhale,
A gentle lifting behind your hand.
Feel the fall of the exhale,
The release as the air flows out.
Gently release the hand.
Now,
Notice the temperature of the breath.
Cooler as it enters the nose or mouth,
Warmer as it leaves.
Notice the feeling of the air against your skin,
Light,
Steady.
Inhale,
Ease.
Exhale,
Tension.
Shift your attention to the sound of your breathing.
Maybe you can hear the breath in the nose or a movement in the back of the throat.
Begin to bring awareness into the space around you again.
Feel the earth supporting your body.
Notice the temperature in the room.
Take a deep inhale through the nose.
Pause the breath at the top.
Open the mouth.
Exhale audibly,
Releasing any last little bit of tension you may be holding in your body.
As you move into the rest of your day,
Carry the sound and feel of your breath with you.
A quiet tool you can return to anytime you need it.
Thank you for watching.
