Hi and welcome to this guided meditation practice.
Before we begin I invite you just to set your space for a moment.
Take any movements that you need to fully sink in and arrive here.
Finding your place of comfort and just checking in with yourself for a moment.
Just seeing what feels present within you as you arrive here.
Perhaps noticing if those sensations that are arising are a little uncomfortable to sit with.
When we feel anxiety present within the body it's really calling for our attention.
It can feel incredibly consuming,
Charged and activated and it can feel like it has this pull on us to make everything else fall away.
For us to really notice whatever fear is driving it.
And so as we allow this sensation into this space with full safety to be here,
We're not trying to push it away,
Eliminate it,
Fix it.
Instead we're softening in and we're saying okay.
And so as you hear those words perhaps noticing where this anxiety feels present within your body.
Where is its charge the strongest right now?
And then bringing a hand to that place.
Just acknowledging its existence.
Perhaps saying okay I see you.
And just breathing into that space for a moment.
Allowing that to be a very uncomfortable practice to do.
And just seeing if you can sit with it a little while longer.
Breathing into the sensation.
It's okay if your breath feels difficult.
Perhaps seeing if you can exhale for slightly longer this time.
Then notice the subtle ease in your inhale.
And each time seeing if you can exhale a little longer.
Our exhale being that calming balm to the nervous system.
Just staying with this a few moments longer.
Now drawing your awareness to the part of your body where you can locate ease.
And defining what ease means for you.
For some of us it's a place of calm.
Others it's a sense of grounding.
Maybe it's a place of love.
Just finding the part of your body that feels like a safer space to be in.
And if you can't find one that's okay.
There's no force here.
And if you have managed to find that location just coming to bring your other hand to that place.
If you haven't found a place maybe bringing your hand to your lower belly.
So you can feel the breath moving in and out.
Allowing that to be your anchor point.
Creating your point of safety.
And then without trying to fix or change anything.
I just want you to see if you can breathe into both of these places.
Giving this anxiety space.
And knowing it's met with safety.
And seeing what that feels like to breathe into.
Knowing that if that place of safety doesn't feel too strong right now that it's okay.
This is a practice that can build over time.
And each time you can feel it get stronger and stronger.
Allowing this place of safety within us to be this balm to the anxiety.
From this place of I hear you,
I see you.
Balanced with this space of you're safe.
So often we try to fix the anxiety or mask it or cover it or avoid it.
And really the reality is is that it's just trying to keep us safe.
It's trying to protect us.
And if we can come towards it with this softness of I see you,
Thank you and I'm safe.
We can start to meet it with this loving kindness that allows it to soften.
Knowing that both of these parts can coexist within us at any single time.
Breathing into the sensations.
Softening deeper with every exhale.
Perhaps becoming aware of any noticeable differences.
Any subtle shifts that are moving through you.
And then coming to place the hands back down on the lap.
Relaxing the space in between your eyebrows.
Softening your jaw.
Perhaps rolling the shoulders away from the ears.
Just signaling to the body that it is safe and reminding yourself that this safety always exists within you.
You can stay here for as long as you like and return here as often as you need to.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today.
