5-Minute SOS For Anxiety

A quick 5-minute SOS meditation for those experiencing anxiety or stress. Take a few minutes to step out of the storm. As long as you're alive, you're breathing. Start by finding the breath and deepening into that. It doesn't have to be perfect - anything is better than nothing. Then check in with the feelings behind the storm. Setting aside the content, the details. What does the mind feel like right now? Make space for whatever's there, softening and breathing ease into the mind's contracted state. This helps to restore balance and perspective, offering some temporary shelter from the storm.

Transcript

Okay,

Take a moment to find the breath.

The breath is always there.

Whatever else is going on,

No matter how stressed or anxious or distracted you feel,

As long as you're alive,

You're breathing.

Okay,

So just feel the breath as much as you can.

It may not be totally clear.

That's fine.

Just making that effort to be with the breath as much as you can in this moment.

And let's take three full breaths together.

Don't worry if the mind is distracted.

Just take the full breaths.

And now take three more full breaths.

And this time,

Really be aware of the out-breath.

See if you can sense a quality of release on the out-breath.

And now do three more,

This time aware of the in-breath and the out-breath as much as you can.

Inhaling,

Exhaling.

Okay,

Now take a moment to tell yourself you've got about two,

Two and a half minutes to just sit or lie or stand,

Whatever you're doing,

And find some perspective,

Find some balance.

Okay,

You have this time.

You've already carved it out.

There's nothing else to do right now.

Whatever else is going on,

Whatever you need to tend to,

You can do that in time.

Okay,

But right now,

We're just here,

Breathing,

Getting in touch with our inner resources.

Now take a moment to just feel what's present in the mind.

What made you click this meditation,

Five-minute SOS meditation?

What's going on in the mind?

Not getting swept up in the content,

The details,

But the feeling of it.

What does it feel like?

Is there spinning?

Is it tight?

Is it cramped?

And the more you can,

Be aware of what's there,

The more you can relax around it and let it be without being dominated by it.

So continuing to stay with the breath,

Just see if you can breathe any bit,

Even the smallest amount of ease or relaxation around what's there for you right now.

Breathing in,

Breathing out,

Giving yourself this gift.

It doesn't have to be perfect.

Anything is better than nothing.

Anything is better than being in the storm.

Okay,

Let's take three more deep breaths before wrapping it up.

And as you open your eyes to go back into your day,

Just remembering the breath is always there.

You can always return to it,

Whatever it is.

What else is going on?

Reviews

Thank you for that. You have no idea how much that was needed. 🙏🏼