Welcome,
My name is Erin of eMindMove.
Today I want to lead you through a pretty simple pranayama practice or breath work.
So as the title of this suggests,
This is a great tool for when you have anxiety.
So you've probably found this meditation based on the fact that maybe you're experiencing a little anxiety right now.
So before we get started I just want to take a moment and let you fully acknowledge that.
Maybe even say out loud,
Right now I am feeling anxious.
There's a real sense of lessening the power that anxiety can have over us by simply acknowledging that,
Hey yeah I am feeling anxious right now.
So if you feel called to do so maybe take a moment,
Say something out loud,
Write it down,
Or simply notice a thought to yourself.
So today we're going to be doing the four,
Seven,
Eight breath.
So it's pretty simple,
Like I said I'll count you through a few rounds.
We'll inhale for a count of four,
We'll hold at the top for a count of seven,
And we'll exhale for a count of eight.
And what this does is allows that longer exhale just allows the nervous system to kind of receive that signal that hey it's time to settle or it's time to calm.
Holding or even inhaling for four feels a little too long or holding for seven feels too long,
Then just shorten as you need to after I count the first few.
The idea is just that your exhale is longer than your inhale.
So if you need to resettle in your physical space you can be seated.
My favorite way to practice this is lying down,
Especially if you can get really comfy in bed or anywhere else that feels relaxing to you.
Maybe keep the feet planted on the earth,
Knees bent,
Just to help support the physical body,
The low back,
And also to notice that sense of grounding through your feet.
We'll start with just a few cleansing breaths first.
So when you're ready you take a gentle inhale through the nose,
Expanding the belly.
Open mouth,
Big sigh out,
Let it go.
Soften the shoulders,
The jaw.
Again inhale through the nose,
Expanding the belly.
Sigh it out,
Let it go.
Good,
Releasing any tension.
One more time,
Big breath in,
Easy breath out.
If you need a few more cleansing breaths like that please feel free to pause the recording and take them.
If you're ready we'll start our 4-7-8 breath.
So as you're ready take an inhale through the nose for 4-3-2-1.
Pausing at the top,
Holding the breath,
5-4-3-2-1.
Gentle exhale out the nose or the mouth,
8-7-6-5-4-1.
And then we'll repeat that a few more times.
So inhaling for 4-3-2-1.
Pause,
6-5-4-3-2-1.
Exhale for 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Again inhale,
Pause for 7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Exhale,
8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
I'll count you through one more.
Inhale,
4-3-2-1.
Pausing at the top.
Good,
Exhale 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
And I'll spend a little time with you in silence allowing you to go through a few more rounds at your own breath,
Your pace.
And again if 4-7-8 feels a little too long maybe you do 3-5-6.
And just accommodating to your body and where you're at today.
But whenever you're ready starting your next round,
Counting at your pace,
Maybe going through 3 or 5 rounds.
Again it'll be quiet for a little moment here.
I'll let you know when we're ready to come back.
Good,
You can finish the round that you're on.
You can always pause and take a few more rounds of breath.
Inhaling through the nose for 4,
Pausing at the top holding that breath for 7.
And slow exhale out of the nose or the mouth for 8.
And I hope you enjoyed this simple practice and it's just another tool to keep in the back of your toolkit for when when you are feeling anxious.
Coming back to the breath,
Starting to slow some of those anxious thoughts in the mind.
As you breathe maybe noticing some of that tension in the shoulders,
The jaw,
Or wherever you may hold your attention starting to simply melt away.
And remember just to give yourself a little compassion.
Anxiety can take so much of a toll on us so maybe today you're extra kind to yourself.
You take a moment to rest a little longer.
Maybe just ask,
Hey what is it that I really need to do today to help support myself?
Thank you for joining.
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.
