Hello and welcome everybody.
Let's begin by settling into a comfortable position.
You might like to be lying down or sitting up.
Whatever position feels right for you and allows you to feel comfort in this moment in time.
And remember that you can adjust your position at any time you choose.
If you haven't already done so,
Perhaps you might like to close your eyes or gently lower them to a soft gaze.
Whatever feels right for you.
And now let's take a deep breath into the body and then sigh it out,
Letting it all go.
Rest in the pause,
Feel the belly soften,
Relax just a little.
Take another deep breath in,
Feel the belly rise and the ribcage expand.
And as you exhale,
Simply imagine letting go of all of your stress.
Take another deep breath into the body and as you exhale,
Gently say to yourself,
Relax.
Now let your breathing return to its natural rhythm.
And whenever you feel stressed or anxious in the future,
Remember that you can simply take three full breaths into the body and sigh each one out like you've just done.
And know that this simple activity will help you to relax.
Now bring your awareness to the top of your head.
Notice how the very top of your head feels.
Breathe into it and as you exhale,
Allow it to relax.
And now let your focus drift down to your eyes.
Simply notice how your eyes feel and perhaps you might like to let them relax.
Drift your awareness to your nose and feel the slight sensations of the air moving in and out with your breath.
When you breathe in,
Imagine you are being filled with calmness.
And when you breathe out,
Imagine your body feels heavy and deeply relaxed.
Now bring your awareness to your ears.
Notice how they feel and what they hear around you.
Now focus on your mouth.
How does it feel and what do you notice?
Can you sense the flavour of something you recently tasted?
And now drift your attention down to your neck.
And if you notice any tension,
Simply breathe into it and allow it to relax.
Now focus on your shoulders.
Take a moment to breathe into them and allow them to relax.
And now move your awareness slowly down each arm all the way down to your fingertips.
Breathe into them and as you breathe out,
Allow them to relax.
Allow your focus to drift to your chest,
Relaxing this area as you breathe into it,
As well as your upper back.
And if you notice any tension,
Simply breathe into it and relax.
Now imagine you are focusing on your heart.
Perhaps you might be able to sense it beating strongly,
Supporting you.
Breathe into your heart and allow it to relax.
And notice how good it feels to do so.
And now drift your awareness to your lungs.
Feel them gently expanding and contracting with your breath,
Delivering oxygen to your body.
Allow your focus to move down to your belly.
Notice the rise and fall of your belly as you breathe in and breathe out.
Notice how it feels and allow it to relax.
Now notice your lower back and how it feels against the surface you were resting on.
If you notice any tension,
Simply breathe into it and allow it to relax just a little more.
Now drift your awareness to your pelvis and hips.
Breathe into them and allow them to relax.
Allow your focus to drift down each leg.
Your legs have been taking you so many places over the years and they deserve to fully relax.
So breathe into them and allow them to relax.
Drift your attention down to your knees and down your lower legs,
All the way down to your feet and the very tips of your toes.
Breathe into them and allow them to relax.
Now that you have relaxed your body,
I am going to count down from 10 to 1 and with each descending number your conscious mind will relax just a little more.
Perhaps you might like to imagine that you were standing at the top of a set of stairs and when I begin counting you will simply walk down those stairs.
Ten,
Nine,
Eight,
Seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Notice how you feel right now.
Breathe into your body and allow it to relax.
And remember that whenever you are presented with feelings of stress,
Know that your breath is there to support you and soothe you and guide you into relaxation.
And now as I count backwards from 10 to 1,
Gently bring your awareness back to the room.
Ten,
Slowly coming back to the present moment.
Nine,
Eight,
Seven,
Bringing back all that you have learned today,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Feeling more alert and awake,
Three,
Two,
Slowly opening your eyes and one,
Welcome back.
If you continue to practice this meditation every day for at least 21 consecutive days,
Know that your ability to respond to stress will greatly improve.
Thank you and have an amazing day.
