Hello,
My name is Jelena Fu.
Welcome to the guided meditation that aims to help you handle severe anxiety.
I'm sure you already know that anxiety feels so uncomfortable in our bodies and in our minds.
Our hearts are racing,
Blood pressure rises.
The whole body is in a state of uncomfortable alertness that doesn't seem to dissipate.
And our minds keep spinning different scenarios,
Past,
Future,
What-ifs.
And our thoughts seem to be unstoppable.
Most people,
You,
Me,
We have been there.
And my meditation training has been so helpful in handling these anxiety storms,
As I like to call them.
And I would like to share my technique with you through a guided meditation.
So find a comfortable position for the meditation.
Make sure you're not disturbed for some time.
Straighten your back,
Relax your muscles,
And close your eyes.
Bring your attention to the breath.
Our breath is shallow and short when we experience anxiety,
As if we're grasping for more oxygen.
Body,
Mind,
Emotions,
And breath are intimately connected,
And one affects the other.
Intentionally attempt to slow down your breath.
So slowly inhale,
Then hold your breath for a second or two,
As long as comfortable,
And then exhale very slowly.
Once again,
Inhale,
Hold your breath,
Gently and slowly exhale,
And hold your breath for a second or two after the exhale.
Make sure you're doing only what's comfortable for you.
Now repeat this a couple of times.
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale,
Hold.
Two more times.
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale,
Hold.
One more.
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale,
Hold.
Now try to extend your exhale.
That slows down the heart rate and lowers the blood pressure,
And directly lowers your anxiety.
So breathe in two,
Three or four,
Hold your breath for one or two,
And then exhale for maybe five.
Then hold one second.
Right,
Inhale,
One,
Three,
Hold,
And exhale,
One,
Three,
Five,
And hold.
And one more time,
Follow your own rhythm.
So by now you should be feeling a little bit better,
But there's definitely more anxiety stored in the body.
Run a slow,
Gentle mental scan of your body.
Pay attention to your stomach,
Your chest,
Shoulders,
Throat,
And jaw.
This is where we often keep our anxiety.
It may feel as a block,
As some weight,
As contraction,
As a block.
So if you notice any uncomfortable sensation,
Direct your breath to that area,
And then with an exhale,
Release the tension.
Visualize that contraction or block leaving your body with an exhale.
Repeat a couple of times for every place in your body where you notice tension.
Now notice the whole body.
Maybe there's some leftover tension.
Feel how the gravitation of the earth holds you.
You're being held,
And you're being supported.
You may relax.
You may repeat to yourself,
I am supported.
I'm cared for.
I have all the help I need.
I have all the resources.
I am loved.
I am supported.
I am cared for.
While we were focusing on breath and body,
You might have noticed that the mind is still running somewhere in the background,
Commenting,
Labeling,
Asking,
Arguing,
Defending.
Now let's turn the focus to our minds,
To that voice that can drive us mad.
Imagine that that voice is on the radio somewhere else,
And try to listen to it without engaging in its story.
You are a kind,
Loving,
Open-minded listener.
You don't need to defend or convince or argue,
Explain.
You don't have to believe that voice.
You can just be the presence that listens to it.
Let the radio speak whatever it wants.
You may observe how maybe the stations switch,
The volume gets changed,
Story takes different turns,
And if you catch yourself engaging with the voice,
That's okay too.
Simply step back into the role of a listener.
Now for another minute,
Pay attention to that voice.
And direct your attention now to that within you that listens and observes everything,
Every second of your life,
That hears the voice,
That notices the body,
That notices the breath,
That which is calm,
Open,
Benevolent,
That feels like a giant space,
Like emptiness.
And allow that space to come forward and expand.
Notice how everything becomes born and dissipates in it.
Every thought,
Every sensation,
Every emotion.
Notice that anxiety in the space.
Just a tiny,
Tiny speck that arises,
Floats and dissolves.
Return now to your body and breath.
How do they feel now?
How about your mind now?
Slowly notice your surroundings.
Feel the surface,
Where you're sitting on,
Things around you.
Wiggle your fingers,
Toes,
And gently stretch if that feels comfortable.
When you're ready,
You may open your eyes.
I hope you're feeling better now.
Thank you for meditating with me.
Namaste.
