The Wandering River, A Vagus Nerve Meditation.

The vagus nerve is the body’s river of ease, an inner pathway where calm flows from the mind into the heartbeat, the breath, and the deep wise, intuitive, intelligence of the belly.
 When we soothe this river with breath, humming, gentle touch, or slow movement, the entire body exhales. 
It is the thread that weaves together safety, softness, and connection.

Xoxo, Deborah

Transcript

A welcome invitation to find a place where your body can begin to settle and let go. This can be seated or lying down, Whichever calls to you in this present moment. And begin to invite a gentle breath in and let the exhale fall out naturally like a gentle surrender. There is a quiet river inside you, A long wandering pathway that begins at the base of your skull, Travels down through the throat, The heart, The lungs, The belly. This is your vagus nerve, Your body's inner messenger of calm. We're going to converse to this river in the language that it knows best, Breath, Sound, Softness and presence. Invitation to place one hand over your heart and one hand on the belly. And can you begin to notice and feel the warmth of your palms? And can you begin to notice and feel how your body responds to being held? Invite a slow breath in through the nose and exhale a little longer, A slow, Unhurried release. Allow the body to hear the message, I am safe to soften. I am safe to soften. And now invite all your awareness to the back of your throat as if you could listen from inside your neck. On your next exhale, Let a soft hum rise here, Barely audible, Like a bee resting inside a flower, A felt sense of the vibration traveling down the throat, Brushing the pathways of the vagus nerve, Telling the body, It's okay, You can loosen your grip now. Inviting again a gentle hum, Nothing forced, Hum, Allow the vibration to melt through the chest, Rippling into the heart space, Unwinding the breath, And now releasing the sound, Feel the echo inside you, A soft afterglow of ease. And can you allow your breath to become slow, Fluid, Like a tide washing over smooth stones. And as you breathe, Can you imagine the vagus nerve as a shimmering river of light, Running from your skull down to your belly, A ribbon of calm connecting all the places within you that long to exhale. Each breath in lights the river, Each breath out softens the whole shoreline of your body. And if you feel called, You can whisper gently to yourself, I am safe to soften, I am safe to rest, I am safe to come home. Allow those words to ripple down through the heart and belly, Allow them to anchor you. And now we begin to invite a simple pattern with the breath, Inhaling for the count of four, And exhaling for the count of six. Inhale, One, Two, Three, Four. Exhale, One, Two, Three, Four, Five. Continue for two more rounds on your own, A felt sense of the body receiving the longer exhale. This is the vagus nerve's favorite language. And when you're ready, Release the count, Returning to the natural cadence of your breath. And maybe you notice here if the breath feels thicker, Heavier, More spacious, Like your whole body is being breathed for you. Whole body being breathed, From the crown of your head to the tips of your toes, A wandering river of breath, Whole body breathing. And as we now close our practice together, Invitation to bring one hand back to your heart, As you offer yourself a silent thank you, An offering of gratitude for tending to the quiet river within, The inner pathway that connects calm and deep safety, That sense of connection. Invite a final, Soft breath to move through you, And a long, Slow exhale carry you into ease. You may stay here as long as you like. Your river knows the way. Be well and take care.