Hello,
My name is Hilary LaFont,
And I'm so grateful that you've joined me for this meditation on how to ease anxiety.
So wherever this meditation finds you,
Sitting,
Standing,
Walking,
Lying,
Just allow yourself to become comfortable.
And if you can,
Close your eyes.
But if you have too many thoughts in your mind,
Keep your eyes open and just have a soft gaze looking down.
Allow your body to soften with each breath,
Exhaling all the breath out.
And together,
Let's inhale deeply for the count of 5.
Inhaling 2,
3,
4,
5.
And exhaling for 6.
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Two more times,
Inhale deeply,
Feeling your stomach expand and your chest rise.
And as you exhale,
Let it go.
Allow your shoulders to soften.
One more time together,
Inhale deeply.
And exhale completely.
Breathe naturally and normally for yourself.
Now let's shift our thoughts to our senses.
And in your mind,
Visualize a time that brought you great joy.
Start off noticing what you see.
What do you smell?
What do you taste?
What do you hear?
And what do you feel?
Maybe you're remembering a time at the beach where you were able to see your family play and hear the sound of the waves and feel the sun on your face and smell the fresh salty air.
Maybe you were eating watermelon or fruit and tasting the delicious freshness in your mouth.
Or maybe you brought to mind a time with a furry pet,
Playing in a park,
Feeling the soft fur.
The sun and the breeze on your face,
The grass under your feet,
Smelling earth.
Whatever it is,
Bring to mind something that brings you pleasure and relaxation.
When we're having anxious thoughts,
If we can focus our mind's attention,
A sensory experience that brought us joy,
It can switch us to a different part of the brain and then we don't feel so anxious.
So allow your senses to help you feel the way you want to feel and reduce the anxiety.
Breathing and settling,
Allowing your body to soften.
If it's hard for you to think of a past memory,
Then allow yourself to be in your present space.
If you are listening to this meditation,
You are safe.
So notice the environment around you.
What do you see?
Notice the colors,
The textures.
What do you feel on your skin?
Maybe the seat or your clothes.
What do you smell?
Maybe the coffee or the tea.
What can you taste?
And what are you hearing?
Use your senses to pull yourself away from the thinking and to bring yourself back to the present moment.
Be here now.
Just know that you can do this quick sensory exercise at any time during the day by either thinking of a past experience or by being fully present with your senses in the here and the now.
Notice how you feel now compared to when we started just a few minutes ago.
Allow yourself to breathe deep.
Feel yourself soften,
Unwind.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Look around.
Say something kind to yourself.
And allow yourself to use your breath and your senses to help you stay calm and focused.
Thank you so much for allowing me the precious gift of your time.
Be well.
