SOS Stress Relief This meditation is designed to provide relaxation in stressful times.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed and out of balance you can return to this meditation to release stress and centre yourself anytime.
Find a position for yourself that is comfortable that you can remain in over the next minutes.
You can either sit down on a chair or lie down if you prefer.
Simply find a quiet place that you can be undisturbed in.
When you accommodate yourself you can close your eyes or leave them open if you prefer.
Start by paying attention to your breath.
Are you breathing slowly or fast?
Is your breath shallow or rather deep?
I encourage you to follow your breath from where it enters your nostrils down into your lungs and ribcage and back up again to your mouth or nose where you exhaled it.
If your breath happens to be fast or rather shallow try to inhale on the count of 3 and exhale on the count of 5.
By doing this you support your nervous system to calm down and create the opportunity for your body to relax.
Let's repeat this breath for 5 more times together.
Breathing in on the count of 3 and exhaling on the count of 5.
Try to inhale as deep as you can and really exhale all the air out of your body and through your mouth.
If you like you can sigh out the air,
Slowly releasing tension from the day.
When you have done this your fifth time,
Let your breath go back to its natural state of being.
You might notice that by taking a few conscious breaths your breath is already slung down in preparing your body and mind for tranquility and calm.
Now I would like you to start paying attention to your sensations in your body.
When we are stressed and overwhelmed we often ignore our bodily signs for fatigue or discomfort.
When we start to pay attention instead we can take care of our bodily needs and help our body to rejuvenate.
Really feel what's going on inside of your body.
Start by noticing if you have any pain somewhere in your body.
If you can locate any area that's in pain,
Go deeper and ask yourself how does this pain manifest?
Does it feel sharp?
Is the pain coming and going?
How intense would you rate the pain you're experiencing on a scale of 1 to 5?
If you don't feel any pain within your body,
That's great.
Simply look for other sensations that you can notice within your body.
It could be an itching,
A tickling or maybe a throbbing.
Really give yourself time to investigate your body from the head to your toes and see which sensations you can find.
If there is a lot going on in your body,
Pick the sensation that is most obvious for you and stay with it for a while.
If there is little going on in your body,
Do the same.
Choose the sensation that is most present for you.
Let your attention linger with this sensation and guide your breath gently into that area of your body.
With every breath you take,
You send vital energy to your body and with every exhalation,
Allow yourself to release stuck energy,
Pain or tension.
Notice the small changes within your body.
Maybe your shoulders sink down a little.
Maybe your head feels heavier.
Or maybe your body starts to feel over or lighter.
See if you can feel the muscles in your face loosening up a bit.
Or your feet standing firmer on the ground.
If you are lying down,
Maybe you notice your body immersing more into the bolster.
Whatever it is that you are experiencing,
Notice it and acknowledge it.
Then let it go with your exhalation and welcome more fresh energy into your body with each and every inhalation of yours.
Now slowly direct your attention to your chest area.
Become aware of how your chest is moving up and down with the rhythm of your breath.
Feel how your heart within your chest is throbbing to the sound of your breath.
There is just you,
Your body,
Heart and your breath.
Whatever was bothering you or making you feel stressed,
Allow yourself to let it go now.
Just like the sensations in your body,
They are not attached to you.
Immerse yourself into this present moment without any attachments,
Worries or stresses.
Just you,
Your breath,
Heart and body.
Being else is external outside of you and doesn't belong to you.
The external state of being doesn't have to become your internal state of being.
You can see it and acknowledge it,
But then let it go with your exhalation.
Take another deep breath in and exhale slowly.
For a moment I'd like you to think of yourself as a ship on a journey through the sea.
Some days the sea will be calm and tranquil,
Allowing you to move forward easily,
Feeling safe and steady.
You might not need any anchor when you want to pause for a bit.
Other times the sea will be stormy and restless.
You might feel shaky and overwhelmed with all the tasks that you have to do in order to keep the ship steady.
If you pause,
You need a double anchor to not get carried away by the waves of the ocean.
Think of your body and breath as your anchor.
Whenever life gets stormy and overwhelming,
Your body is your connection to the ground,
Your anchor.
Your breath becomes your connection with the surrounding and your internal state.
With your inhalation you take in what's happening around you,
But with your exhalation you can release it again.
You don't need to hold on to it.
Your breath anchors you within the flow of life.
Feel how your body and breath can provide yourself safety,
Calm and tranquility.
Just you,
Your body and your breath.
Anything else is needed.
Take one more deep breath in and exhale slowly.
As this meditation draws to an end,
Become aware that whatever challenges,
Stressful times or worries you might go through,
Your breath and your body are your anchors that ground you.
Now with your next inhale,
Slowly start moving your head and toes.
Whenever you're ready,
Find yourself back to the here and now and slowly open your eyes.
Let's take a deep breath in and exhale slowly.
