Welcome to a five minute guided meditation on performing at your best.
Whether you have a test or exam coming up,
A presentation,
A game,
Or a theatrical performance,
This is designed to help you release tension and visualize your success so that you can make the greatest impact and perform at your highest potential.
Start by finding an upright,
Comfortable posture,
Nice and tall spine,
Shoulders relaxed down the back.
Ears stacked over the shoulders,
Chin parallel with the floor.
Soften your eyes,
Close them if it's comfortable.
Really allow the eyelids to be light against each other,
The corners of your eyes to relax.
Notice the feeling of contact between your body and whatever you're sitting on,
Your feet on the floor.
Notice the feeling of clothing on your skin.
Temperature of the room.
Notice your breath moving in and out through the nose.
Invite your breath to go a little more slowly and more deeply into the body.
We'll begin with a body scan.
Imagine a gentle spotlight shining down.
And as I say a part of your body,
Just notice any sensations that you feel there.
Start at the top of the head.
The back of the head.
Your face,
Your temples,
Your ears,
And your jaw.
Notice your neck and your throat.
And whatever you find,
See if you can just let it be.
No need to judge it or change it.
Notice your shoulders and your upper arms.
Your forearms and your hands and wrists.
The front of your torso,
Your chest,
And your abdomen.
The back,
Upper,
Middle,
And lower.
Armpits,
The sides of the torso,
The hips,
Thighs.
Knees,
Calves and shins.
Ankles,
Feet.
Bring your awareness now into your arms,
Both arms,
And as you take a full,
Easy breath in,
Send the breath and your imagination into your arms like you could breathe into them.
And as you exhale,
Relax the arms.
And then do the same thing with your legs.
Send the breath down into the legs.
Like shooting an arrow.
And as you exhale,
Relax the thighs,
The calves,
The shins,
The feet.
Once again,
An easy,
Slow breath into the torso,
The front and back of the torso.
As you exhale,
Let something go.
If there's any sensation or tension,
Relax around it.
One more final breath from the toes,
Up the legs,
Into the torso,
The arms,
And then the head as well,
Filling the whole body with air.
Breathe out,
Let something go.
Observe any sensations.
Know that stress is an essential ingredient to performing at your best.
Your body is literally preparing you to do great things.
Connect now to a sense of gratitude for your body,
Everything it's capable of.
For your breath.
Endlessly continuing to keep you alive,
To keep every cell in your body nourished.
And your brain,
Making connections,
Thinking.
Imagining.
Find gratitude for the opportunity that lies ahead of you and the people who have supported you along the way.
And if there's a specific performance coming up.
Imagine yourself at the beginning.
And stay connected to that gratitude.
Choose to believe in yourself.
Think about where you'll be,
What will be in front of you,
What the environment will be like.
And then imagine yourself at the end.
And imagine that it's the best case scenario.
You performed at your highest potential.
Breathe it in.
See it as clearly as possible.
Feel like you truly did your best.
And as you breathe,
Relax into that feeling.
As you let that image go.
And we end the practice.
Remember that regardless of the outcome,
You are worthy of love and appreciation.
As you slowly open your eyes,
Stay grateful to stay grounded.
You got this.
I'll see you next time.
