Welcome to our 10 minute ease anxiety meditation.
We'll start this practice seated or laying down,
Any place that feels restful to you.
Know that you can move at any time.
Once you arrive,
You might invite the eyes to close or let the eyes rest on one point.
We'll start by taking a full breath in and a slow sigh out the mouth.
And a slow sigh out the mouth.
Two more just like that,
Your own inhale and a sigh to let it go.
Last one,
Maybe a little fuller this time.
Steady sigh out the mouth.
And let your breath return to its natural pace and let it go.
Invite the shoulders to soften,
The jaw and forehead to release.
Maybe finding some softness in the chest or in the spine.
Let's notice the breath now.
It might be a little different than usual,
But it's okay to relax.
Let's notice the breath now.
It might be a little different than usual.
Sometimes when we're experiencing feelings of anxiety,
The breath can feel a little shaky or a little shallow.
That's okay.
Let your breath move at its own pace.
And sometimes in noticing the breath,
It can soften out a little on its own.
Keeping an eye on the inhales and the exhales.
You might bring your awareness inside your body,
Noticing any areas in the physical body where you can feel anxiety.
It might be in the shoulders,
The chest,
Maybe somewhere else.
Notice where you feel anxiety in your body and breathe into it.
And in doing this,
We're noticing the anxiety.
Instead of being the anxiety,
You are the one observing the sensation.
And you can handle feeling that sensation without becoming overpowered by it.
Anxiety is a part of being alive.
Maybe by noticing this,
It loses a bit of its sting.
Maybe we're not anxious people.
We just experience feelings of anxiety.
It's just an experience.
Something that will pass.
You might imagine your inhale expanding that area and your exhale softens it.
See if you can trace the breath now as it moves through your whole body.
Your inhale moving in through the nose,
Down the throat,
Expanding lungs,
Ribs and belly.
Breathing out,
Softening the body.
Keep watching the breath.
When the mind wanders,
Just bring it back to the breath.
One more minute here.
How many breaths are in that minute?
How many breaths are in that minute?
Soften your awareness.
Bring one or both hands over your heart.
See if you can feel your heartbeat or your breath in your hands.
Once you've found your heartbeat or breath,
Send gratitude to yourself for carving out this time to practice,
Especially when we need it.
Send gratitude to your lungs for breathing,
To your heart for beating.
And to our bodies and our feelings that do so much for us day in and day out.
Thank you for joining me.
I hope you feel rested soon.
