Welcome to today's meditation.
Today we're going to take a powerful step towards calming anxiety and bringing a sense of ease into your mind and body.
The following meditation will help you to lower stress,
Soothe your nervous system,
Regulate your heart and release the physical tension that anxiety often brings.
It's also going to cultivate feelings of safety,
Relaxation and inner peace.
I'll begin today by explaining a little bit about how anxiety affects the mind and body.
We'll then use a gentle breathing technique and then move into a relaxing body scan where we'll gently guide our attention to different parts of the body,
Releasing tension as we go.
As we progress through the meditation you're going to start to notice the mind shifting from anxious thoughts to a calmer,
More peaceful state of mind and the body will feel more at ease.
By the end you're going to feel more grounded,
Relaxed and ready to face whatever challenges come your way.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable position and if possible we can have our back supported.
Most people feel more relaxed by closing the eyes but feel free to open the eyes if that feels more relaxing to you.
For some of us,
Particularly those who have suffered from anxiety for much of our lives,
The nervous system can sometimes get triggered when we close our eyes so feel free to crack open the eyes slightly to let some light in if thoughts or emotions become too uncomfortable.
If we are keeping the eyes open just make sure that we have a soft gaze,
A soft focus.
We're also welcome to lie down if we want to and if we're feeling sleepy or tired and we have something to do later we might want to set an alarm just in case this meditation turns into a nap.
Otherwise just lay back and enjoy.
Feel free to shift positions at any time during this meditation.
It's lovely to be still during the meditation but it's even better to be comfortable so you're more than welcome to make any last-minute adjustments.
Even if you can get 1% more comfortable I invite you to go ahead and do so now.
Anxiety is a natural response to stress but when it becomes overwhelming it can leave us feeling tense,
Restless and on edge.
And if we stay in a state of anxiety for too long it can sometimes take a toll on our physical and mental health.
This meditation is going to engage the parasympathetic nervous system also known as the rest and digest system.
It's going to slow down our heart rate,
Relax our muscles and bring our bodies back to a state of equilibrium.
It will also help train your body and mind to stay calm and feel safe even in the face of anxiety.
Okay let's begin.
I invite you now to bring awareness to the breath,
Noticing your inhale and noticing your exhale.
Now without trying to change anything about the breath we're simply noticing how the body's naturally breathing.
Now we might find that there's an urge to direct the breath or to slow down or deepen the breath in some way but without trying to change anything how is the body breathing right now?
Is it a slow breath?
A rapid breath?
Is it a deep breath or a shallow breath?
Are we breathing into the chest?
Maybe we're breathing into the stomach?
Is our inhale longer than our exhale or is the exhale longer than the inhale?
We're just noticing.
Now 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 and the stomach expand.
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 or into the bed.
We breathe in and the body expands and we breathe out as the body softens and relaxes and sinks deeper.
Now 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 our exhalation is longer than our inhalation.
Now a good way of doing this is to do a little count inside our minds and make sure that our exhale count is about twice as long as our inhale count.
For instance if I were to do it I would be breathing in two three breathing out two three four five six breathing in two three breathing out two three four five six.
Now it's up to you what you count to,
Whatever is comfortable for you.
Some of us like to shorten the count maybe breathe in for two and out for four or maybe you want a longer breath breathing in for four and out for eight and there's no need to be precise if you like you can drop the counting completely and just make sure that the out-breath is about twice as long as the in-breath.
So let me be quiet for a few moments so that we can do this by ourselves.
We're making sure that we keep the body relaxed as we breathe.
Sometimes when we take deep breaths we can cause tension and stress in the body especially on the in-breath.
Now we can't be stressed and relaxed at the same time so if we find tension in the body on the inhale then perhaps don't breathe in so deeply and pull back that breath by 10 or 20 percent.
We're keeping the body relaxed so we continue to breathe.
Checking to see if the forehead is relaxed,
The jaw,
The neck,
The shoulders are they relaxed?
Is the stomach relaxed?
By controlling the breath in this way 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 you'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.
We might be feeling the cool air coming in through the nostrils as we breathe in as the lungs,
Chest and stomach expand and we might be feeling the warm air leaving the nostrils as the body softens and relaxes and sinks deeper.
And if we notice the mind is elsewhere,
Thinking about the past,
Worrying about the future,
Fixing,
Planning,
Going over to-do lists,
That's perfectly normal.
The mind naturally gravitates towards these kind of thoughts,
Especially when we're feeling anxious.
By doing this our mind is trying to protect us by anticipating and solving problems but this type of thinking can lead to more stress and anxiety.
So as soon as we realize that we're caught up in thought,
Caught up in distraction,
Without giving ourselves a time,
Without beating ourselves up,
We gently and patiently and kindly bring our awareness back to the breath and we simply pick up where we left off.
Back to that next inhale.
Back to that next exhale.
Okay,
Good.
And now we're going to shift into a second way of relaxing and move into the progressive relaxation section of the meditation.
We'll be slowly moving our awareness through the body,
Relaxing each part as we go and releasing tension wherever we find it.
I invite you now to follow my instructions.
Let's begin by relaxing the left foot.
Now remember my instructions are a gentle guide and if your intuition leads you somewhere else then feel free to change my words or even ignore them completely.
So you might change my instructions to something like locate a space in your left foot or let go in the left foot or left foot letting go.
Whatever works best for you.
Relaxing the left lower leg,
The calf,
The shin.
Relaxing the left knee.
Relaxing the left upper leg,
The thigh,
The hamstring.
Perhaps we might be noticing nice feelings of warmth or tingles or pulses moving into the area that we're relaxing.
Relaxing the left hip.
Now moving our awareness down through the right hip,
Down the right leg,
All the way down to the right foot.
Relaxing the right foot,
The sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
The heel,
The toes.
Relaxing the right lower leg.
Relaxing the right knee.
Relaxing the right upper leg,
The thigh,
The hamstring.
Relaxing the right hip.
Relaxing both hips and the pelvis.
And we're keeping the breathing relaxed as we go through this body's skin.
Keeping the breath soft.
Relaxing the lower back.
Relaxing the middle of the back.
Relaxing the upper back,
The shoulder blades.
Relaxing the entire back and the full length of the spine.
Perhaps we're noticing feelings of relaxation spreading through the body.
Maybe feelings of warmth or vibrations or tingles.
Moving our awareness now to the front of the body,
To the stomach.
Relaxing the stomach.
If there's any tension or tightness in the stomach,
See if we can release some of that tension as we breathe out,
As we exhale.
Relaxing the stomach.
The belly rises as we breathe in.
And softens as we breathe out.
Relaxing the chest.
The ribcage.
Maybe even relaxing all the organs inside the ribcage.
Relaxing the heart.
Releasing any tension or tightness in the chest.
The chest expands as we breathe in.
Softens as we breathe out.
Moving our awareness to the left shoulder.
Relaxing the left shoulder.
Relaxing the left arm.
The upper arm.
The elbow.
The forearm.
The wrist.
Relaxing the entire left arm.
Relaxing the left hand.
Palm of the hand,
The back of the hand,
The fingers,
The thumb.
Moving our awareness across to the right shoulder.
Relaxing the right shoulder.
Relaxing the right arm.
The upper arm.
The elbow.
The forearm.
The wrist.
And relaxing the right hand.
We're keeping the breath relaxed as we move through the body.
Moving our awareness to the neck.
Relaxing the neck.
Relaxing the throat.
Relaxing the back of the head.
And relaxing the face.
The jaw.
Relaxing the tummy.
The tongue inside the mouth.
The lips.
The cheeks.
The eyes.
The temples.
The forehead.
Relaxing the entire face.
And relaxing the top of the head.
Now,
I invite you to expand your awareness to include the whole body.
From the top of the head to the tips of the fingers and tips of the toes.
Noticing all those feelings of relaxation that have spread across the body.
The tingles,
The warmth,
The pulses,
The vibrations.
The stiller we become,
The more we can feel this alive body.
There's lots going on inside the body.
When we're feeling anxious,
We're so often in our heads,
We just don't notice what this body feels like.
So right now we're letting go,
We're allowing our body to find its equilibrium while remaining alert,
Awake,
Present.
As our body and our mind become increasingly relaxed and peaceful.
We're enjoying this experience of relaxation and really letting it sink in.
And as we're keeping our awareness in the body,
In the sensations of relaxation,
I invite you to expand your awareness even more to include the sensations of breathing.
The breath is a sensation just like body sensations.
So we're simply noticing how the body is naturally breathing.
So without trying to change anything about the breath,
Without trying to direct the breath in any way,
Simply noticing how the body is breathing.
Perhaps the breath has slowed.
Maybe the breath is more relaxed.
And once again,
We're not so much watching the breath,
But we're experiencing the breath.
We're feeling what it's like to breathe.
So perhaps we can feel the cool air coming in through the nostrils as we breathe in.
As the lungs,
The chest,
The stomach expand.
And the warm air leaves the nostrils as the body softens and relaxes.
We breathe in,
The body expands.
We breathe out,
The body softens and relaxes and sinks deeper into the chair or into the bed.
Noticing the body becoming increasingly peaceful and tranquil.
The breath slowing down,
The body relaxing,
The mind calming.
And as this practice comes to an end,
Knowing that you can come back here again,
This place of relaxation and peace and safety.
And hopefully we're feeling a little less anxious and a little calmer.
But even if we're not feeling more relaxed,
It could be one of those really difficult days and we might notice that we have even more anxiety in the mind and body.
But that's okay too.
By bringing awareness to how we're feeling,
We can now give ourselves some extra care and compassion.
So if we are feeling a little stressed,
Sad or anxious or overwhelmed,
Then if possible,
Take it easy today.
Do something relaxing.
We can always leave the hard work until tomorrow.
And it's important to remind ourselves that our emotions and thoughts are all part of being human.
Some days they're calm and easy to handle.
Other days they might feel like a bit too much.
But whatever we're feeling,
Remember,
It's just a visitor passing through.
Before we end,
I'd love to share a poem that really speaks to this.
It's a great reminder that every feeling we experience,
Even the tough ones,
Has a place in our lives.
Let's welcome these feelings with kindness,
Knowing that they're part of our journey too.
This poem is called The Guesthouse by Rumi.
Being human is a guesthouse.
Every morning,
A new arrival.
A joy,
A depression,
A meanness,
Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all.
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture,
Still,
Treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought,
The shame,
The malice.
Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
Because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
In keeping our eyes closed,
I invite you to notice what feels different in the body and the mind.
Perhaps we're feeling more relaxed.
Perhaps we can feel an opening or lightness in the chest.
Maybe more spaciousness in the mind.
And perhaps a feeling of safety in the body.
And noticing as well if we feel more energized from this practice or whether we're feeling more relaxed.
Some of us will find that this practice energizes us and for those people,
It might be a good job to do it in the morning to start your day off with more energy.
But if we find it more relaxing,
It might help us sleep at night so we can try this practice at bedtime.
I invite you now to bring awareness to sounds.
Sounds inside the room.
Sounds outside the room.
You can gently wiggle your fingers and toes.
Now remember,
We can always come back to this place of rest and relaxation.
The breath is always there for us.
Whenever we notice anxious thoughts or feelings arising,
We can gently return our attention to the breath.
Allowing ourselves to find calm and safety in the present moment.
Congratulate yourself on taking some time out to care for your mind and body.
Nurturing your well-being and creating space for peace in your life.
Have a wonderful day,
Or if you're listening to this before bed,
Sweet dreams.
