Welcome to a breathing and relaxation practice with me,
Vela.
This is your time to slow down,
To release what you've been carrying,
To soften your body,
Calm your mind,
And reconnect with your breath.
This is a down-regulation practice,
Meaning it's designed to guide your nervous system into a more restful state.
The theme of this flow is safety and calm.
Take a moment to make yourself more comfortable.
Allow your body to settle.
Relax your shoulders and the muscles in your jaw.
Take a deep breath in and sigh.
Notice the surface below you,
How the chair,
Bed,
Floor,
Or cushion holds you completely.
If you haven't already done so,
I invite you to close your eyes or soften your gaze and bring your awareness within.
Notice your breath,
The gentle rise and fall.
There's nothing to change.
Follow the exhale and see if you can relax a little bit more in every out-breath.
The breath is your anchor,
A reminder that you're here,
In this,
Now,
And you're safe.
If your mind wanders,
That's okay.
Gently bring it back to the sensations in your breath.
I invite you to imagine a white light at the top of your head.
Bringing awareness to your forehead.
Invite this warm white light to fill your mind and soften the muscles in your brow.
Sensing the area around your eyes and letting your eyelids soften.
That white light moves down into your face,
To the cheeks and the jaw.
Let them soften.
Let the tongue rest.
The throat relaxes as the white light gently moves down your neck to your shoulders.
Setting down the weight you've been carrying and allowing your shoulders to fall towards the earth.
As you let go,
Sense the white light moving down your arms.
Warming and relaxing all the muscles in your arms and out through your fingers.
Notice gravity doing the work as your limbs feel heavier and held by the earth below you.
Bring your awareness to your chest.
Let that white light fill your chest and your ribs.
Pausing here to notice your heartbeat.
Moving the white light down to your solar plexus and diaphragm.
Inviting a softening here.
Bringing your awareness to your belly.
Relaxing all the muscles in your abdominals and lower back.
Allowing your pelvis to fall heavy towards the floor.
And the white light to move down your legs.
And out through the bottoms of your feet.
Letting gravity do its work and mother earth to hold you here.
This white light fills all your cells.
With your attention inside your body,
It's as if you're listening to the earth.
And you're listening within,
Connected with your inner world.
Bring your awareness back to your breath.
Let's guide the breath into a calm rhythm.
Inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for six seconds.
Repeating for three or four rounds on your own.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Continue with that rhythm for a few more rounds.
Notice how the breath softens the body.
This kind of breathing signals to your body it's safe and time to relax.
Bring to mind a moment when you felt safe and calm.
If you can't think of anything specific,
Imagine what the warmth of that white light would feel like.
And let that feeling arise in your body.
Where is your safe and calm place?
What is around you?
What can you hear?
What does the air feel like on your skin?
How do you feel?
Place your hand on your heart or wherever feels most soothing.
And as you breathe,
Imagine you're breathing into that space.
And allow the sense of safety and calm to radiate through your cells.
Let's come back to our breath rhythm.
This time,
Breathe in safety and exhale,
Relax into your own calm presence.
Inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for six seconds.
Repeating for three or four rounds on your own.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Continue with that rhythm for a few more rounds.
Breathing in safety,
Exhale,
Relax into your own calm presence.
There's nothing you need to do.
Just be and receive this relaxing and calm state of being.
