Welcome.
This is your time.
If you are feeling or holding on to any anxiety,
You're in the right place.
In here,
You don't need to fix anything or even make the anxiety go away.
You're just invited to be with yourself in a way that is kind and slow and safe.
And so let's begin by finding a comfortable position,
Perhaps sitting or lying down,
Where you can comfortably close your eyes or soften your gaze and allow your body to settle here.
You can begin to notice your breath here,
With no need to change it,
Just simply feeling the way it moves.
You can notice your in-breath and your out-breath,
Like waves on a quiet shore.
And as you notice your breath here,
You can allow your attention to drop down into the body,
Into the places that are held by the ground beneath you,
By whatever it is that supports you.
Feeling the support of the chair,
The bed,
The floor,
Whatever it may be.
And also the earth itself that supports us all.
Just noticing where your body connects with that support.
And you might say to yourself,
I am safe enough to slow down right now.
And if that doesn't feel true,
You can say instead,
I'm just exploring without judgment.
And as you continue breathing,
You can allow your shoulders to soften.
On your next out-breath,
You can allow your jaw to loosen.
And give yourself permission to rest,
Just a little.
And now,
As much as feels safe,
You can gently bring your awareness to the places in your body that you can feel that anxiety.
Not to judge it,
Not to push it away,
But to meet it with compassion.
Where in your body do you feel it?
What does it feel like?
Is it tight?
Fluttery?
Tense?
Warm?
Can you name it gently,
Without needing to change it?
Perhaps even saying to yourself,
Ah,
Here is some anxiety.
It makes sense that I'm feeling there.
Anxiety often arises when we care deeply or when something feels uncertain.
Whatever the cause may be,
Remember that it's not your fault and you are not your anxiety.
It is something you're experiencing,
Not something you are.
And if it feels helpful,
You could gently place a hand on your chest for your belly.
A simple signal to your system,
I'm here.
I'm listening.
It's okay.
Let your breath become just a little deeper.
Still gentle,
But deeper.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
At a rate that feels good to you.
And you might imagine the breath meeting the anxiety.
Like a warm wave lapping over your feet on the shoreline.
Or a soft light wrapping around the edges of discomfort.
And even if the feeling doesn't shift or change in any respect,
Know that you are building your capacity to be with it.
To ride the wave.
And you might like to imagine a place that feels calm to you.
Whether real or imagined.
It might be a beach,
A forest,
A room with soft evening light.
Allow yourself to settle into that image.
And notice how your body responds as you rest there.
Maybe there's already a quiet part of you beneath the surface.
That knows how to hold what is hard.
And you don't have to do it all at once.
You just need to do it one breath at a time.
And now beginning to return.
Bringing with you whatever felt helpful here.
A little more steadiness.
A little more space.
And you might even say to yourself,
I'm doing the best I can.
And I can come back to this.
At any time.
And so when you're ready,
You can gently begin to move your body.
Perhaps wiggling your fingers or your toes.
Stretching if that feels good.
And when it feels right,
You can open your eyes.
You are here and that's enough.
