This is a meditation to help you with anxiety in stressful times.
There's a famous quote about anxiety by neuropsychologist Dr Rick Hanson.
Rick says,
Your brain is like Velcro for negative experiences,
But Teflon for positive ones.
It's so important to remember this when we are deeply lost in worries about the past or fears about the future.
As humans,
We are wired to focus excessively on the negative,
While brushing off or discounting positive things that are happening to us.
A lovely way to control the negative,
Anxious,
Racing thoughts is through mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness allows us to notice what we are feeling without judgement and then breathe into it with kindness.
So let's do a short meditation exercise,
Helping you to notice anxious or stressful thoughts and calm them with kindness and awareness.
Find a quiet space where you won't be disturbed for as long as you need.
Get yourself comfortable wherever you are,
On a meditation cushion,
On a chair,
Lying down or even standing,
Whatever works best for you in this moment.
Pause the recording if you need to get yourself really settled and comfy.
Begin to notice the feeling of your body gently sitting,
Lying down or standing.
Start to notice your breathing,
Allowing it to become slower,
Softer,
Gentler if you can.
Allow your shoulders to soften,
Just breathing into them for the next few breaths.
Let your tongue sit in the bottom palate of your mouth.
Allow your tummy to soften as you breathe into it for the next three breaths.
Now bring to mind something that has been worrying you or stressing you out lately.
Not a huge traumatic worry,
But something with a moderate charge.
It could be a worry about your child's friends,
Your elderly parents needing more care.
Or just one of those thoughts that you can't stop obsessing about.
Notice the worry and just allow it to be there for a minute,
Without pushing it away and without trying to solve it.
Gently and with kindness,
Drop down into your body and start to notice where you feel the worry.
It could be a feeling of tightness in your jaw,
Your neck or shoulders,
Your heart area or your tummy.
Notice where you feel it the most and gently and kindly breathe into that area.
Now take one of your hands and softly place it on the part of your body where you feel it the most.
Imagine the hand is the hand of someone kind and caring.
It could be a friend,
A grandparent,
A spiritual leader or someone you know and respect.
Allow the kindness and caring in your hand to be absorbed into your body as you continue to gently breathe.
Just notice this for the next few breaths.
Ask this part of your body,
What is it you most need right now?
And without any judgement,
Wait and see what answers come.
The answer may simply be,
I will get through this.
Or most people who experienced this would feel the same way.
Or I am allowed to feel like this and I can choose to move forward in a positive way.
Or maybe I need to stop listening to the news or just look at my phone less.
And gently sit with whatever appears.
Allowing yourself to bathe in the kindness and caring of this exercise.
Remember,
There is no judgement or right or wrong way to do this exercise.
So if no answer comes,
That's okay too.
Just keep noticing your breathing.
Now notice how you feel after taking the time to do this exercise.
And congratulate yourself for taking this time for you.
When you are ready dear one,
Slowly,
Slowly open your eyes and come back into the room.
