Anxiety and stress feel uncomfortable and disturbing but they can be diffused and a natural state of calm restored.
Stay as focused as you can on the following guidance so that it can work for you.
Settle into a position either sitting,
Semi reclining,
Lying on a bed or comfortable surface like a settee.
Whatever will allow your body to feel immediate support.
If you are lying down you might want to put cushions under your knees or bend them to take the pressure off your lower back.
Have a blanket handy for extra warmth in case you need it.
If it feels comfortable close your eyes now.
Place both hands on your stomach at the solar plexus just above your navel.
Notice the sensations here and accept whatever you are feeling.
Breathe in towards your hands and on the out breath let your body relax completely into the surface beneath you.
Do this for a few breaths.
Breathe in towards your hands.
Relax into the surface beneath you.
As you breathe in and out notice your stomach and chest rise on the in breath and sink a little on the out breath.
Notice whether your stomach is clenched or relaxed.
If your stomach is clenched try to relax it a little.
Let your shoulders sink a little and relax.
Let the base of your back relax.
Let gravity bring a feeling of heaviness throughout your body.
Feel your arms heavy and warm.
Feel your legs heavy and warm.
If you need to move even a little at this point to make yourself more comfortable do that now.
Now become aware of your right hand.
Gently and slowly curl the fingers of the right hand as if you were holding the handlebar of a bike.
Stop just before making a fist.
Un-curl with control feeling every part of the movement.
Completely relax the right hand and feel into the after echo of the movement.
Breathe freely through all these movements letting the body take as much breath as it needs.
Now bring your attention to your left hand.
Gently and slowly curl the fingers of the left hand.
With control and feeling every part of the movement,
Uncurl the left hand.
Completely relax the left hand and feel into the after echo of this movement.
Now gently and slowly curl the fingers of both hands.
At the end of the curl give both hands a little squeeze.
With control slowly uncurl them.
Repeat this two more times.
Curling slowly and uncurling with control.
Completely relax both hands and take a few moments to feel the after effects of the movement.
Come back to resting your hands over your solar plexus or in your lap and bring awareness to your face.
Gently and slowly raise both eyebrows as far as feels comfortable.
With as much control as possible lower the eyebrows.
Do this once more as a continuous movement.
Rest and feel the after echo across your forehead and brow.
Gently and slowly now open your mouth as far as feels comfortable like a yawn.
Slowly and with control move the mouth back into its normal position.
Do this again opening and closing your mouth as one continuous movement.
Feel the after echo around your mouth.
Let your jaw soften and release.
Let the front of your throat be soft and the hollow at the base of the throat be calm and still.
Now listen for any sounds in your environment.
Feel the energy of your inner ears become activated as you listen.
Be disinterested in what the sounds are just listen to their quality and texture.
Bring the focus of your attention to your breathing.
Feel exactly where your breath is coming into your nostrils.
Follow this feeling into the back of your throat and down into your lungs.
Inhale a long slow deep breath through the nostrils and sigh it out through your mouth.
Now count the length of your in-breath for a count of three.
Pause slightly and release it for a count of three.
Do this for a few more times.
See if you can make your out-breath last a little longer perhaps for a count of four.
Repeat this a few more times.
If a different count suits you better do this but aim to make the out-breath at least one count longer.
Now let go of the breath and breathe normally again for a while.
Check in with yourself to see if anything has changed with your anxiety levels.
Expand your awareness now to include your heart center in the middle of your chest.
Breathe in towards your heart center and out from it.
Notice your breathing may have slowed and deepened.
Feel compassion for yourself and what you are experiencing in your heart.
Let a warm glow of kindness that begins in your heart center envelop your body in a tender embrace.
Remind yourself that anxiety is universal.
It is felt by all humans and mammals when the fight-flight-freeze response has been triggered.
Millions of others all over the world in this moment are feeling exactly the same as you.
It is not personal and it is not your fault.
Move even deeper inside your heart center.
Connect to your deepest self here,
Your sense of beingness which is always peaceful and calm.
Feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper into this sense of I am.
Feel there is no limit to how far you can sink into the beingness of your own heart.
The source of love itself,
Vast and timeless.
Gently become aware of your physical body again now.
Move your fingers and toes and stretch in whatever way you need to.
With a soft focus open your eyes and become aware of the room.
Remain on your back or in your seat or roll onto your side for a few minutes.
Anxiety can be tiring so allow yourself to rest for as long as you need to.
Perhaps take a little while to plan what you will do next to help yourself continue to feel better.
Maybe something simple that will help you stay grounded and connected to your body.
Whatever you have in your own toolkit of wisdom and balance that you intuitively feel will most benefit you.
