Hello,
My name is Kristen,
And welcome to this practice for soothing anxiety and stress.
In our busy lives,
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by endless to-do lists,
Constant thoughts,
And things beyond our control.
When we experience the effects of stress and anxiety,
It's so important to pause and be present with our experience.
This session will gently guide you to slow down,
Release tension,
And rediscover your true sense of calm and clarity.
This is your time for self-care,
So take a moment to turn off any distractions and find a comfortable position either sitting or lying down.
If you're feeling especially stimulated today,
Lying down may be helpful.
We are going to settle the body and mind into relaxation,
A practice that is most beneficial when done regularly.
Be gentle with yourself and know that you cannot do this practice wrong.
Let go of any expectations for the practice and any specific outcomes.
Allow yourself to be here,
In this moment,
Exactly as you are.
When you're ready,
Close your eyes and take a moment to settle into your body,
Feeling the support of the surface beneath you.
As you feel into the support,
Allow the muscles to release the tension they are holding.
Allow your face to be soft.
Relax the muscles around your closed eyes.
Release your jaw,
Your neck,
And your shoulders.
Open through your entire body and bring your full awareness to your breath.
Simply watch your breath flow in and out of your body.
We will begin by setting an intention for our practice.
Please silently repeat the following sentence after me.
I am deeply resting and restoring my mind and body.
I am deeply resting and restoring my mind and body.
Now release the intention with gratitude for what will be.
We will take a few rounds of square breathing together to further calm the mind and relax the nervous system.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose,
Counting to four as you inhale.
Hold at the top of the inhale for a count of four.
Then slowly exhale for a count of four.
Hold the breath at the bottom of the exhale for a count of four.
Again inhale for a gentle count of four.
Hold for four.
Slowly exhale for four.
And hold the breath out for a count of four.
Repeat this a few times,
Allowing everything in and around you to slow down.
And adjust the length of the breath to suit you,
Either counting to three if four feels too long,
Or counting to five or six if you prefer to extend the breath.
When you finish this round of square breathing,
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Imagine a ring of bright white light around your head.
This ring of light is pure energy and loving awareness.
It will soothe and restore each part of the body that it moves through.
Move this ring of radiant light down your face slowly,
Feeling it relax every part of your face.
Now the ring of light moves down through your neck,
Releasing the tightness there.
Now through your shoulders,
Your chest,
And your upper and lower back.
The ring now moves down through each arm,
Your hands,
And all 10 fingers.
Now move the ring of light from your waist down through your pelvis,
Your legs,
Your feet,
And all 10 toes.
Now from your feet,
Move the ring back up through your entire body,
All the way to the top of your head.
Feel the ring softening and relaxing every part of you,
Calming your mind and settling your body into peaceful stillness.
Now gently guide your attention to your natural breath.
Breath awareness is a simple yet incredibly grounding and stress relieving practice that you can use in meditation and in all areas of your life.
Your breath is always here,
Always available to help you simplify and slow down.
Feel the breath moving in and out of the body and pay close attention to this process.
Your breath is your anchor to the present moment.
You cannot be in a past breath or a future breath.
You only have this breath as it is happening now.
As you continue to breathe naturally,
Bring into your awareness any recent feelings of anxiety or stress.
And from the viewpoint of a witness,
Without judgment or concern,
Simply notice where this shows up in your body and trust what comes up.
Acknowledge these sensations as part of your experience,
Knowing it's perfectly okay to feel this way.
Silently name the emotions you have been experiencing and continue to keep your body relaxed.
You may notice thoughts going through your mind,
And that's okay.
It's perfectly normal and there's no need to force them out.
Simply let them come and go and remain neutral and unattached.
You're noticing how your stories are formed and the places where you may be stuck.
Be your own loving witness and continue to use your breath as an anchor to the present moment when your mind wanders.
Now imagine your breath has a bright white color to it.
As you breathe in,
The light fills your body and mind with pure energy and loving awareness.
As you breathe out,
The light takes with it all of your anxiety and stress.
Take a long,
Slow,
Deep breath in through your nose,
Imagining your body once again filling with this bright,
Shining light.
As you breathe out,
It clears the clutter,
Making space for you to feel whole.
One more time,
Breathe in loving awareness and exhale anything that no longer serves you.
You are now empty and clear.
Feel the lightness of your being.
Now send your attention to the dark space behind your forehead in front of your closed eyes.
Focus but do not strain.
Keep your gaze soft and simply notice anything you see there.
You may see colors,
Shapes,
Patterns,
Flashes of light,
Or maybe nothing at all.
Keep watching this space as you use your imagination to see yourself standing at a doorway.
The door is decorated with beautiful stained glass.
Notice the light catching on all the different colors of the glass.
Reach out and take hold of the handle as you pull the door open.
It makes a loud creaking sound,
And before you,
A staircase extends down into the deepest parts of your mind.
There are 10 steps to the bottom of this staircase.
Follow along in your mind as I count down.
10.
You are deeply relaxed.
9.
Feel all stress and worry melting away.
8.
Letting go of all responsibilities.
7.
Feeling safe in your body.
6.
You are whole and complete.
5.
You are going deeper into relaxation.
4.
You are expanding beyond your typical edges.
3.
You are merging with the presence in the room.
2.
You are in a deep state of inner and outer stillness.
1.
You are completely in the present moment.
Breathe here,
Fully present in the depths of who you are.
Feel your own beauty,
Peace,
And serenity.
Be here for a few more moments,
Relaxing,
Recharging,
And fully immersed in the experience.
It's now time to return.
Please slowly make your way back to the entrance of the staircase in your mind.
1.
You take a step up.
2.
You are aware of the room around you.
3.
You notice the sounds in the space around you.
4.
Becoming aware of your physical body.
5.
Becoming aware of the thoughts in your mind.
6.
Feeling calm,
Centered,
And deeply at peace.
7.
Begin to gently bring some movement to the body.
8.
Stretch in any way that feels good.
9.
Slowly open your eyes.
10.
You are completely reset and ready for what comes next.
Thank you so much for being here with me.
The more you return to this practice,
The deeper and more natural this sense of peace will become.
So feel free to revisit this meditation often and share it with loved ones who may also benefit.
I hope you have a beautiful rest of your day.
