Hi,
This is Julia.
If you've found yourself listening to this meditation today,
It's likely because you're feeling pretty anxious.
I know all too well what it's like to struggle with anxiety.
In fact,
It was my anxiety that led me to meditation years ago.
While meditation isn't a magic pill,
It can definitely help us in times when we are feeling unsettled.
I hope that by listening to today's meditation,
You feel as if you're sitting with a dear friend,
With someone who accepts you exactly as you are,
Anxiety and all.
There's no right or wrong way to be in this practice today.
All we can do is our best.
So honor where you're at.
And with that said,
Let's just start to tune in.
Just let the first thing that you do be to check in with yourself.
Notice what's going on within your physical body.
Sometimes when we're experiencing anxiety,
We can have all sorts of sensations.
Maybe we feel a little sweaty.
Our heart rate might even be elevated.
And sometimes the tricky nature of anxiety can make us believe that what we need to do is distract from those uncomfortable feelings,
To run away from them,
To check out from them.
Which is understandable because a lot of the time they are uncomfortable.
But let's just see what it's like to really pay attention and to just practice for right now staying with them,
Whatever the feelings are.
Because sometimes when we can be present with whatever it is we're feeling and experiencing physically,
Sometimes those heightened sensations start to subside.
It's okay if that doesn't happen,
But see if you can just be open to it.
Just exploring the experiences in your body right now.
And then just begin to give yourself permission to settle into your body,
However you're positioned,
To simply soften,
Almost as if someone turned an imaginary dial up on the gravity,
Helping you to become comfortably heavy.
And it's okay if you stiffen up again.
Perhaps just play with the intention of settling.
And if it feels like a good idea,
Start to smooth out your breaths,
Taking slow and deep inhales and then steady,
Slow exhales.
Know again there's no right or wrong way to do that,
Just simply try.
It may feel helpful to continue to breathe in that way on your own,
Smoothing out your breaths.
This is something you can always do.
The gift of your breath is always right here for you.
Please feel free to continue this throughout the rest of your day,
Any moment when the anxiety creeps back in,
Even if it doesn't completely turn it around.
I hope that you know you are safe,
You are strong,
And you're not broken or weird or crazy for feeling this way.
Living a human life can be challenging.
Remember the gift of your breath,
And even if it's challenging,
Give yourself that permission again and again to settle.
I hope you know that you've got this,
And I hope that this was helpful.
