Lengthening The Exhale

Stand alone or #3 in the Anxiety series (3/5). Learning to lengthen your exhale and focus on your breathing can be the very first defense to an anxious mind or uncomfortable situation. Key to telling your nervous system that right now, you are safe enough. Allow yourself a few minutes to see what that feels like, be curious.

Transcript

Hi, And welcome back to your safe haven, A place to land. Just as you are. I am Jenna Gilbert. This is the third meditation in a five-part anxiety series. But it is okay to do this one on its own. We're going to begin by settling into your body. Just allow your posture to be supported, Not forced. Whether it's sitting, Or lying down. Wherever you feel comfortable and grounded. Today, We're going to bring our attention to our breath. Just noticing how it's moving right now in its natural state. Take a few moments. To relax and slow down. There's nothing to change yet. If your breath feels shallow, Tight, Or uneven. That's okay. Nothing has gone wrong. Now gently begin to bring a little more awareness to your exhale. Not forcing, Just allowing it to last a moment longer than the inhale. So maybe your inhale is the count of three. Your exhale will be to the count of four. Whatever feels natural in your body, Just making your exhales longer than your inhales. The exhale is often where the body begins to soften. So we're just gonna work on creating a little more space there. So let's do it together. Inhale. And a slow, Easy exhale. Again, Inhale. And a slow, Easy exhale. If it's helpful to you, You might imagine the body unwinding slightly on the out-breath. It's not all at once. It can be just a very small shift. Sometimes lengthening the exhale can signal the body that it doesn't have to stay in a stress response. Not instantly. But over time. Now as you continue breathing this way, Pay attention to see if you can notice your body. Maybe focus on your jaw. Shoulders. Chest? Hams? As you breathe in, And out. Does anything soften? Even 5, 6, 7%. We don't want to chase that feeling. There's no need to focus that hard on it. We just want to notice it. This is how we begin to support the system in finding balance. Take a few more breaths here. Slow inhale. And a longer exhale. Just letting that be enough for now. Inhale. And a slow, Longer exhale. When you're ready. And it doesn't have to be right now. Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm. Slowly move your fingers. Toes. And when you're ready. If they're closed, Slowly open your eyes. As a gentle reminder, This is a place you can return to anytime you need. More practice. Is better. It's something that you have created, Something that you can remember. As always, Thank you for joining me. And I hope you have a bright day.