Welcome to this guided meditation practice.
Place yourself in a nice,
Comfortable position,
Sitting or lying down with your arms hanging loosely by your sides or in your lap.
When you are ready,
Gently close your eyes.
Lift your shoulders to your ears,
Squeeze them as far as they go for 5 seconds,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1 and release.
Feel ease flow into your shoulders.
Instead of squeezing,
Lift your shoulders and allow them to rotate back to make a nice,
Full circle.
Do that a few more times.
Notice the slight shifts in your posture and alignment.
Your neck lengthens,
Your head rises a little,
Your chin tucks slightly into your chest.
When you are done,
Give your upper body a nice wiggle.
Begin by simply breathing.
Inhale through your nose,
Noticing the air entering your body and filling your lungs.
Exhale through your mouth,
Softly,
Gently.
We want to approach everything we do with a gentle awareness,
So as you breathe,
Place your awareness on your body.
Maybe you find yourself feeling tight and unable to breathe deeply,
That's ok.
As you go through these exercises,
You will learn how to unwind without needing to force yourself.
Simply being aware is the battle half won already.
On your next inhale,
Count to 5 as you slow down and deepen your breath.
If you struggle to do so,
Do not worry,
Breathe in a way that is comfortable for you.
Inhale for 5,
4,
3,
2,
1 And slowly exhale through your mouth for 5,
4,
3,
2,
1 Again breathe in through your nose for 5,
4,
3,
2,
1 And slowly exhale through your mouth for 5,
4,
3,
2,
1 Continue on your own for a few more moments.
Feel the tension and stresses of the day melt away.
In everyday life,
You may come across situations that bring out the stress response,
The tight chest,
Quick and shallow breaths,
Your posture caving in as if you are shielding yourself.
While that can reflect what goes on inside,
Our thoughts,
Emotions,
And responses,
You will learn how you can work on calming this reaction from the outside in.
It starts with the breath.
Next time you notice yourself reacting negatively to a stressful situation,
Try this breathing technique and see the improvements for yourself.
On your next exhale,
Gently drop your attention away from the breath.
Allow your body to breathe how it needs to.
After a moment,
Pull the attention up to the top of your head and scan down your body.
Remind any areas of tension you find to release softly without spending too long on any one area.
Travel down your face.
Feel those facial muscles drop and melt.
Sense your jaw,
Neck,
And trapezius muscles.
Let go of any tension you find.
Relax.
Sense your shoulders and arms.
Travel all the way down into your fingertips,
Letting go of any hold you may have.
Sense your chest and torso and work your way down and around.
Remember not to get caught up in one area for too long.
Softly remind your muscles to release without pushing much.
When you are ready,
Travel into your pelvis,
Glutes,
And legs.
Without forgetting the hamstrings,
Slowly move into your knees,
To your calves,
Shins,
And ankles.
Finally,
Into your feet.
Gently let go of that awareness and give yourself permission to just sit in this newfound stillness Imagine every breath you take to be like small waves on a serene lake.
Breathe in gently and breathe out slowly.
In and out.
Allow the waves to ebb and flow.
Visualize the water breathing in and out.
The waves crawl up the rocky shore and wash the stones and pebble.
Breathe in and out.
As the huge lake takes shape in front of you,
Slowly walk into the water.
Notice with every step the rocks and pebbles below you.
The complex nerves in your feet feel every bump,
Every surface,
Every gap.
Some areas are smooth,
Others hard.
As you move closer,
You can feel the soft fur-like moss that has dried on the rocks.
With each stride you approach the waves,
The stones below you become wet,
Cool to the touch.
As you enter the water,
You feel its cool warmth embrace your feet,
Brushing past and above your ankles.
Breathing in and out.
Take a few steps further.
The rocks become slippery beneath you,
But your balance is okay,
Nothing you cannot handle.
With each breath,
The water rises higher and higher.
The surface of the lake kisses your calves when the wave comes in.
The water is up to your knees now.
As you allow the waves to gently sway you,
You can see the mountains far on the other side.
A large blinding sun approaches their tips as the day comes to its gradual end.
Go in as far as you feel comfortable.
You may want to walk in further,
Not caring about wet clothes.
Allow yourself to enjoy the water as it breathes in and out,
Swaying your body gently with each push and pull.
The moss leaves a slight smell in the air around you.
Seaweed floats in the water.
Some grow from the lake floor to the surface.
Trees and fields line the land behind you.
The water breathes in and out.
Take a few moments to enjoy this.
As the sun changes to an ember glow above the mountains,
And as the sky becomes a pink and orange blend of light and clouds,
You breathe with the waves.
Allow your breath and serenity to melt the tensions in your body,
Mind and heart.
Softened by the touch of the water,
You gently let go of the visualization.
The mountains in front disappear.
The lake fades.
The only thing left is you.
Simply breathe.
Come back to the world around you.
Notice your physical weight and the outline of your posture.
Feel the tug of gravity pull you gently.
Allow the sounds around you to sink back into your awareness.
Notice the air around you.
Maybe it's warm where you are,
Or maybe it's cool.
Wiggle your toes.
Sway your head from side to side.
When you are ready,
Open your eyes.
Well done on taking the time to look after yourself.
