This meditation is designed for those experiencing fear or anxiety.
It may be overwhelming for you,
It's okay.
It's natural that you'd be feeling this way under the circumstances that you're in.
Situations that trigger your fight or flight mechanism are signs that your body is working to keep you safe.
I'm going to help bring back a sense of stability during this difficult time and guide you through harnessing the power of the breath and using the mind to your advantage.
Please find a quiet place to sit,
Do what you can to prevent any distractions.
Be seated in any meditative posture or allow yourself to sit in a chair or lie down.
Ultimately,
You want to be comfortable for this meditation.
If you're sitting in a meditative posture,
Activate your abdominal region to maintain an upright spine with its natural curves.
Place your hands on your knees or in a mudra of your choosing.
Slightly draw in your chin and rest your gaze on the space just ahead of you.
If you prefer,
Now is the time to gently close your eyes and mouth.
We'll begin by taking a deep breath in through the nose and out through the nose.
Rest your attention on the breath.
It will be your anchor throughout this meditation.
If thoughts arise,
Acknowledge them and let them go.
Simply return to the breath.
Allow each inhalation and exhalation to bring you clear presence.
To bring you clear presence and awareness of the basic goodness of life.
Give yourself permission to relax,
Unwind and allow the natural state of being to fill the space.
Breathe in relaxation.
Breathe out tension.
Breathe in love.
Breathe out courage.
First of all,
Allow yourself to experience whatever you're feeling right now in this very moment.
If fear or anxiety are present,
Notice how they feel to you.
Notice where you feel them in your body.
Notice how they feel when you place your soft awareness upon them.
Thoughts may be racing through your mind.
That's okay.
When you realize your thoughts are present,
Just let them go and allow your mind to come back to the present moment.
Bring your focus back to my voice and the breathing cycle.
Now we'll take some relaxing deep breaths,
Filling the lungs with oxygen rich air and relaxing with the exhalation.
Notice that it feels good to breathe.
It is a natural function of the body which sustains life.
It's something you do all the time and you're good at it.
This is something to be happy about.
This is something to be grateful for.
Breathe in and notice how comforting it feels to exhale.
Allow yourself to feel connected with the breathing cycle.
It's happening all the time and yet for many of us,
We've totally forgotten what it feels like to be connected with the breath.
Breathe in and allow tension to be released as you breathe out.
Breathe in two,
Three,
Four.
Breathe out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Breathe in two,
Three,
Four.
Breathe out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Breathe in two,
Three,
Four.
Breathe out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Breathe in two,
Three,
Four.
Breathe out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Now take one more nice deep breath in and then when you exhale,
Blow it out your mouth as if you were blowing out a candle.
Simply push it out and feel free to make some noise of release or sigh.
This is a space where you don't have to be self-conscious.
Use your abdominal muscles to contract and push out every last bit of air.
Afterwards let the breath return to normal.
Notice the in and out of the breath,
The rise and fall of the breath.
Notice how your body moves as you breathe.
Can you feel your belly and rib cage expand and contract?
How does your body feel as it breathes?
Naturally allow the breath to move into the belly as it pulls in oxygen rich air.
If thoughts take your attention,
That's okay.
Just acknowledge that your attention has wandered and return to the breath.
Simply choose your breath.
If anxiety is present,
Just allow it to be there.
There's no need to resist it or try to push it out.
You only need to choose the breath right now.
It is acting as your anchor to this present moment.
There's no need to fix or change anything.
Just notice the breath.
Be a witness to the breath.
And when you sense fear or anxiety,
Simply allow it to be there and redirect your attention to the breathing.
To strengthen your focus,
You can bring in mental cues such as rising,
Falling,
Expanding,
Contracting in,
Out.
Whenever you notice that the mind has gotten caught in a web of thoughts,
Choose the breath and feel the goodness coming from the breathing cycle.
Your breath is serving as an anchor to this present moment.
Let the thoughts be a meaningless activity in your mind right now.
When you find that your mind has wandered,
Just come back to the breath.
You may find thoughts are constantly grabbing for your attention.
That's okay.
Gently place your attention back on the breath and let it all go.
Use the breath.
Gently place your attention back on the breath and let it all go.
If fear is present,
Allow it to be there.
Watch it exists and simply notice how it feels in your body.
Notice what fear feels like in this present moment.
Does it have any sensorial qualities?
Does it have a color?
Is it textured?
Does it hold a particular shape?
Is it hot or cold?
Fear may be present,
But you're choosing the breath instead.
Notice the soothing nature of the breath.
Feel the simple,
Open,
Comforting awareness of breathing.
Repeat this mantra with me.
I am not my thoughts.
I am not my emotions.
I am not the situation I am being presented with.
I am the present moment.
I am breathing.
I am open and positive energy.
I am not my thoughts.
I am not my emotions.
I am not the situation I am being presented with.
I am the present moment.
I am breathing.
I am open and positive energy.
I am not my thoughts.
I am not my emotions.
I am not the situation I am being presented with.
I am the present moment.
I am breathing.
I am open and positive energy.
Any time you find your mind is caught up in thoughts,
Acknowledge the presence and let them go.
Allow the mind to come back to the breath.
The rising and falling.
The expanding and contracting.
The in and out of the breath.
If anxiety is still present,
It doesn't matter.
It could even become more intense sometimes.
That's alright.
The body needs time to allow the mind to settle and find some peace.
The fear and anxiety may come and go.
There's no need to resist it or try to push it out.
You only need to choose the breath right now.
There's no need to fix or change anything.
Simply notice the breath.
Be a witness to the breath.
And when you feel fear or anxiety,
Simply allow it to be there and redirect your attention to the breathing.
Choose the experience of breathing.
Noticing how it feels in your body as the breathing occurs naturally over time.
I will leave some space for you to continue on your own if you'd like.
Go for as long as you'd like and whenever you're ready,
You can end this meditation.
Take time to come out slowly.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Namaste.
