Hello.
Just asking you now to settle in.
Settle into a space that feels delicious and comfy for you.
Settle in for some rest and receive for the next 10 minutes.
Make sure you're cozy,
Your body is supported and you can really relax into the surface in which you sit.
Or lie.
Recording this as the sound of the rain falls upon the roof and the fire crackles.
Incorporating these sounds in your rest time.
So if while you're listening to this you settle in and it's quite warm then perhaps the sound of the rain cools you.
If you're feeling quite cold perhaps the sound of the fire warms you.
What's most important is that you find comfort.
So that your body can relax,
Rest and receive.
And in a moment,
But not yet,
I'm going to guide you into a simple and expansive but also resting breath practice.
I'm going to ask you to follow and count and guide your breath in a smooth and easy way so the mind has a simple focus.
When the mind has a simple focus like breath,
A lot of the other clutter and frazzle,
Perhaps overwhelm and overthinking,
Can fall away even if just for the next time here.
So I invite you to,
If you haven't already,
Close your eyes and allow your body to relax even more.
Allow yourself to soften here.
And as you close your eyes notice the feeling of your eyelids on your eyes resting here.
Bring awareness to the face.
Can you soften especially the jaw and the forehead?
Let that softness travel down the back of the neck and out across the shoulders.
Just really sense your body laying here.
And before we guide into breath,
And we'll come back to more awareness of the body.
With closed eyes,
I invite you to become aware of the room.
So start to visualize where you are with closed eyes in the room.
Visualize with the walls,
The ceiling,
The floor.
The size and shape of the room.
With closed eyes visualizing the objects that are around you.
Becoming aware of any sounds in your environment.
Any movement,
Any breezes or warmth.
All of the sensations that you can become aware of in your external environment.
The clothes touching your body.
The things your body is resting on.
Perhaps there's a pillow,
A jersey,
A blanket.
Just allowing yourself to really absorb the external environment.
And any sounds that become a part of your time here.
Let them be a part of your time here rather than a distraction to pull you away.
Let the sounds become a part of this experience.
This way they add to rather than take away from.
And your presence is still here.
So now becoming aware of your body.
Bringing awareness once again back to the face.
And to the travel of the breath.
Before we change it,
How does it flow and where does it go?
Where do you sense the breath?
What's the energy in the breath?
Is it long or short?
Smooth or erratic?
Tired or wired?
Our breath often matches our energy.
And that's why we'll focus here for your rest.
Breath is such a powerful tool for us to nourish the nervous system.
And bring us into a rest and digest away from fight and flight.
Even if just for this time here.
And as often as you can.
So now I invite you to find a rhythm in your breath.
What I'd like you to do is to find an inhale for four.
And an out breath for six.
And I'm going to guide you for three rounds.
And if it's a little long,
That's okay.
You just breathe as you need to.
I'm going to guide you so that the mind can soften.
And then I'm going to invite you to continue breathing in this way.
So when we extend the exhale.
We really ensure that we're in the parasympathetic nervous system.
The rest and digest state.
That's what our body needs us for.
So finding an exhale.
Now join me here.
Inhale for four.
Three.
Two.
One.
And exhale for six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Inhale for four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Exhale for six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Inhale for four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Exhale for six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Keep going.
In for four.
And out for six.
So you find the count in your mind.
Whether you hear the number.
Whether you visualize the number.
Whether you trace a line up and a line down.
Keep the count of in for four.
And out for six.
Extending the exhale and nourishing the system.
And notice if any tension comes into the body as you breathe.
Allow your body to be as soft as possible.
The jaw.
The throat.
The shoulders.
Let the breath glide in and glide out.
And when you get to the top of the breath.
Try to do that without tension.
Try to hold the breath in without tension.
Just pause.
And then begin to breathe out.
Begin the exhale.
You are safe here.
You're safe in rest.
You're safe in breath.
Beautiful anchors.
To fill your cup little by little.
To change the energy for you little by little.
In for out six.
With as little effort as possible.
And that goes for not just the body.
And what it takes to find this guided breath.
But the mind.
As little effort as possible.
In for.
Out six.
And if thoughts come in that's okay.
Just let them float past.
Rather than opening up the conversation in your mind.
See that thought.
Let it drift.
Come back to your breath.
And if you need a little more.
Focus for the mind.
Feel the breath moving within your body.
How does it feel as it inhales down and in?
How does it feel as it exhales out?
Finding a breath.
And allowing rest.
Is all it takes.
To fill your cup.
A little.
Each time.
And it all adds up.
You are safe here.
Safe and rest.
Safe and breath.
And I invite you to stay as long as you can.
In this space.
And when you feel that you've had enough time.
Perhaps you pick a song to play.
To keep breathing for another three,
Five minutes.
Keep breathing.
Or perhaps you enjoy the silence.
Stay in this energy.
By yourself.
Because you can.
And you're safe in rest.
You're safe in breath.
Enjoy this time.
And when you feel that you're ready to come out of this breath practice.
Become aware of your body.
Feel the earth underneath you.
And take your time.
To really absorb what you've created here.
And with love I step away.
So that you can keep breathing.
With love know that you are safe.
In breath.
And in rest.
In joy.
Because you deserve it.
Bye for now.
Take it easy.
Stay present.
