Let's begin by finding a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
Most people feel more relaxed by closing the eyes,
But feel free to keep the eyes open if that feels more relaxing to you.
For some of us,
Particularly those who suffer from anxiety,
Our mind can sometimes get busier when we close the eyes,
So feel free to crack open the eyes slightly to let some light in if thoughts or emotions become too uncomfortable.
I invite you now to bring awareness to the breath,
Noticing your inhale and noticing your exhale.
Without trying to change anything about the breath,
We're simply noticing how the body is naturally breathing.
We're not so much watching the breath,
We're experiencing the breath,
We're feeling the breath.
So what does it feel like to breathe?
Perhaps we can feel the cool air coming in through the nostrils as we breathe in,
As the lungs,
The chest,
The stomach expands.
And then we might notice a short pause as the breath changes direction,
As the body softens and relaxes and sinks deeper into the chair.
A common tendency for many of us is for the inhalation to be longer than the exhalation,
But when we slow down our out-breath,
We allow the body's natural relaxation response to kick in.
So now,
For the next minute or so,
I invite you to lengthen your exhalation,
Making sure that your exhalation is longer than your inhalation.
Now a good way of doing this is to do a little count inside your mind and make sure that your exhale count is longer than your inhale count.
So let's breathe in for four and breathe out for six.
Now you can follow my count for a few breaths and then you can do some at your own pace.
Let's breathe in two,
Three,
Four.
Breathing out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Breathing in two,
Three,
Four.
Breathing out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Breathing in two,
Three,
Four.
Breathing out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Now do a few more breaths in your own time and if you like you can drop the count if counting feels distracting or unnatural and just make sure that the out-breath is longer than the in-breath.
So let me be quiet for a few moments so we can do this by ourselves.
Making sure that we're keeping the body relaxed as we breathe.
Sometimes when we take deep breaths we can cause tension and stress in the body,
Especially when breathing in and we can't be stressed and relaxed at the same time.
So if we find tension in the body on the in-breath then perhaps not breathing so deeply,
Maybe pulling back the breath by 10 or 20 percent.
Checking maybe to see if the forehead is relaxed,
The jaw,
The neck,
The shoulders,
Are they relaxed?
Is the stomach relaxed?
And already we might be beginning to notice changes as we settle into this relaxing practice of lengthening the out-breath.
As we continue to breathe deeply and steadily you might start to feel a sense of warmth or tingling sensation spreading through the body or perhaps a gentle release of tension.
These are all signs that your body is beginning to relax and let go of stress and anxiety.
And now whenever we're ready we can allow our breathing to return to its natural rhythm.
And notice how the body's breathing now.
Is the breath a little softer?
A little slower maybe?
Just noticing.
Now that we're relaxed and centered I invite you to imagine yourself sitting beside a calm flowing river.
You're seated comfortably on the soft cool grass with the gentle warmth of the sun on your skin.
The air around you is fresh and peaceful and you can hear the soothing sound of the water as it flows steadily past.
And as you sit by the river imagine that your thoughts are like leaves floating on the surface of the water.
Each time a thought comes to mind,
Whether it's a worry,
A memory or just a random thought,
Place it gently on a leaf and watch it float by.
We don't need to interact or engage with the thoughts.
We don't need to stop the thoughts or push them away.
We simply notice the thought,
Place it on the leaf and allow the river to carry it away.
Continue watching as the leaf drifts down the river,
Out of sight and allow yourself to come back to the breath.
Noticing how the breath flows just like the river.
Steady,
Calm and natural and each exhale releases tension and brings peace.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Now if a thought arises that's okay.
It's perfectly normal.
It's what the mind is designed to do.
We simply place that thought gently on a leaf again without judgment,
Allowing it to float down the river and then returning our attention to the flow of the breath.
And now let's move below the surface.
There's a deep sense of stillness beneath the flowing water and just as the river has a calm depth beneath the surface,
We too have a deep stillness within us.
Let's sink into that inner stillness,
Knowing that no matter how our thoughts and feelings move on the surface,
This peaceful core always remains.
Taking a few more breaths here.
Allowing ourselves to fully relax into this quiet,
Still place within.
As thoughts continue to come and go,
We're simply watching them drift on down the river,
Knowing that we can let go and return to this calm whenever we need to.
And as this meditation comes to an end,
Keeping the eyes closed,
I invite you to notice how the body is feeling and notice how the mind is feeling.
We can bring awareness to sounds,
Sounds inside the room,
Sounds outside the room.
We can gently wiggle our fingers and toes.
And whenever we're ready,
We can gently crack open the eyes and come back to the room.
Remember,
We can always come back to this place of rest and relaxation.
Whenever we notice anxious feelings arising,
We can gently return our attention to the breath.
And whenever we notice anxious thoughts arising,
We can place them on a leaf once again,
Allowing the river to carry them away.
Congratulate yourself on taking this time to care for your mind and body,
Nurturing your well-being and creating space for peace in your life.
Even in the midst of anxiety or stress,
You've chosen to pause and allow your body and mind to rest,
Which is a powerful act of self-care.
Carry this calm with you,
Knowing that you can return to it whenever you need.
Have a wonderful day.
