Welcome to this guided meditation with a focus on bringing calmness and regulation to your nervous system in the morning.
Get yourself into a comfortable position sitting supported or lying down.
If you think you may drift back to sleep sit supported or remove your pillow or let some light into your room.
However drifting back to sleep in this case will mean that you have settled your nervous system and there is no surge of cortisol.
So if this is your objective and you have time to sleep or nap again you may wish to allow yourself to lie down comfortably to do this.
Gently close your eyes and notice how your body feels.
You may feel the vibration of high cortisol in your body and if so just allow it to be it will settle.
Starting with your legs gently point and flex your feet and stretch your legs.
Moving to your arms gently clench and open your hands then stretch your arms.
Press your upper back into the bed or the support of the chair then gently squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Gently move your head side to side and front to back.
Release the body into relaxation.
Bring awareness to your body.
Feel the sensation of pressure on different parts of the body.
Notice the sensation of air on your face.
Notice the temperature of the air moving through your nostrils.
Notice if there is any scent you can smell.
Notice if there is a taste in your mouth.
Now notice what you can see behind your closed eyelids.
And begin to visualize yourself in the room in relation to the walls,
Ceiling or furniture.
Now becoming aware of sounds.
Notice the sounds you can hear outside the room.
Move your attention from sound to sound.
And now notice the sounds within the room.
Perhaps you may hear your own breathing.
If thoughts come to disturb you from time to time just notice them and then allow them to pass by.
This is the time to mentally state your resolve for this meditation.
The affirmation for this meditation is my body is calm,
My mind is calm.
Or feel free to create a statement as your own affirmation.
With the knowing that you will achieve this,
Repeat three times in your mind My body is calm,
My mind is calm.
Or your own affirmation if you prefer.
Now you will move your awareness through different parts of your body.
As quickly as possible this awareness will jump from part to part.
Please repeat mentally the name of each part and simultaneously become aware of that part of the body.
This practice begins with the right hand.
Right hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
The wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
The shoulder.
The under arm.
The right ribs.
Right waist.
Right hip.
Upper leg.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
Heel.
The sole of the right foot.
The top of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Move your awareness now to your left hand and left hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
The wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Under arm.
The left ribs.
The left waist.
Left hip.
Upper leg.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
Heel.
The sole of the left foot.
The top of the left foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Move your awareness now to the back of your shoulders.
Right shoulder.
Left shoulder.
Right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Right side of the back.
Left side of the back.
Right buttock.
Left buttock.
The spine.
The whole of the back together.
Moving now to the top of the head.
Focus on the top of the head.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
Eyebrow.
Eyebrow centre.
Right eyelid.
Left eyelid.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
Nose.
Right nostril.
Left nostril.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
Upper row of teeth.
Lower row of teeth.
Chin.
The jaw.
The throat.
The right collarbone.
The left collarbone.
Right side of the chest.
Left side of the chest.
Middle of the chest.
Upper abdomen.
Lower abdomen.
Whole of the right leg.
Whole of the left leg.
Both legs together.
Whole of the right arm.
Whole of the left arm.
Both arms together.
Whole of the back.
Whole of the front.
Whole of the head together.
Legs.
Arms.
Back.
Front.
Head.
Together.
The whole of the body together.
The whole of the body together.
The whole of the body together.
The whole of the body together.
Now become aware of your natural breath.
Effortless breath.
Become aware of the exhalation.
As you exhale,
Feel as if any worries,
Any nervousness,
Shakiness is moving down and out.
Follow the exhalation as a move down through the body and out.
Do this down and out however feels best for you.
Feel that with every exhalation more of the worry,
The nervousness,
The unsteadiness is moving down and out.
Exhale worry,
Nervousness,
Ungroundedness down and out.
Feel that with each exhale you begin to feel more grounded,
More settled,
More calm.
Each exhale more grounded and settled and calm.
Exhaling down and out.
Keep following this breathing for the next minute.
Gently move your attention now to the natural ingoing and outgoing breath.
Just allow the effortless breathing.
Now focus your awareness on the movement of your chest area.
Your chest is expanding and contracting with each breath.
Concentrate on this movement in synchronisation with your breath.
Now start counting your breaths backwards from 27 to 1 like this.
27 chest rising.
27 chest falling.
26 chest rising.
26 chest falling.
25 chest rising.
25 chest falling.
And so on.
Say the words and numbers mentally to yourself as you count your breaths down to 1.
If you make a mistake,
Don't worry,
Just go back to 27 and start again.
Cease your counting of the chest breaths now and move your awareness to the nostrils.
Become aware of the breath moving in and out of the nostrils.
Concentrate on the movement of the breath in and out of the nostrils.
And start counting as before from 27 down to 1.
27 breathing in through the nostrils.
27 breathing out through the nostrils.
26 breathing in through the nose.
26 breathing out through the nose.
And so on down to 1.
Moving your attention from the nose breathing.
And now begin to develop the feeling of heaviness all throughout your body.
Each part of your body is becoming heavier and heavier.
Feel the right leg heavy like stone sinking into the surface beneath you.
Feel the left leg becoming heavier and heavier sinking into the surface beneath you.
And now feel the heaviness in your hips,
Back,
Your chest,
The whole of the torso feeling heavy and sinking down.
The shoulders,
Arms,
Hands heavy.
The head is heavy.
The sensation of heaviness in the whole body.
The entire body is heavy like stone.
Now completely let that go.
Release the sensation of heaviness from every part of the body.
And now awaken the sensation of lightness in the body.
Bring the feeling of lightness to the entire body.
Feel every part of the body filling up with lightness like a helium balloon.
Body becoming lighter and lighter.
The right leg becoming light and lifting up.
The left leg filling up with lightness and floating up.
The right arm is light,
The left arm is light.
The hips,
Whole of the torso and head are as light as air.
Lightness throughout the entire body.
Now let go of the sensation of lightness and allow your body to gently release that feeling of lightness.
Notice that you can create or let go of sensations such as heaviness and lightness any time you need.
Moving now to a visualization.
Imagine yourself in a park in the early morning.
The sun is rising and the park is deserted.
It is a beautiful park,
Calm and peaceful.
You walk across the soft grass,
Listen to the birds sing as they welcome the new day.
There is a garden bed of flowers.
You can see roses,
Yellow,
Pink,
Red,
Purple.
You may smell their fragrance.
You may see the early morning dew drops on their petals.
Nearby there is a large calm pond.
You see golden fish swim in and out among the water lilies.
You watch their graceful movements.
You begin to walk between trees,
Beautiful trees,
Wide spreading trees and tall trees.
You come to a large circular clearing,
Surrounded by large beautiful trees.
In the middle of this clearing is a blanket and cushions just for you.
This space appears to have light surrounding it.
It feels as though it is here just for you.
You walk over to the blanket and make yourself comfortable as you sit down.
You look at the trees surrounding you and you feel safe and protected here.
You close your eyes and become still.
Deep peace and calm envelops you as the sounds fade into the distance.
Feeling the deep calm.
Feeling completely at ease.
Continue your awareness of this calm and ease throughout your mind and your body.
Now is the time to recall your resolve,
Your affirmation that you made at the beginning.
My body is calm,
My mind is calm,
Or your own resolve if you made one.
Repeat this now three times clearly in your mind.
With full awareness and feeling of living your day in this way.
My body is calm,
My mind is calm.
Notice how your body feels now.
And now become aware of your breathing.
Invite your presence to return to your physical body.
And begin to feel your body,
Your arms and legs and fingers and toes.
Begin to slowly wake your body by deepening your breath,
Slowly breathing deep into your body.
Remembering where you are and develop that awareness of the room,
The walls and the ceiling.
Become aware of the sounds within the room,
Sounds outside the room.
When you are ready,
Start moving or gently stretching your body.
And when you are sure that you are awake,
Open your eyes.
This guided morning meditation practice is now complete.
