This meditation is all about calming the nervous system.
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body.
It starts at the brainstem and makes its way all the way down through the core of the body.
It goes behind the throat and the vocal cords,
Down to the heart,
Touches our lungs,
And makes its way all the way down through the digestive tract.
Our bodies are sensitive.
We are sensitive to the environment,
To the world around us,
Our lifestyles.
We receive stress signals from the external world,
And our nervous system integrates those into our internal world.
Too much stress can bring our nervous system out of balance,
To a state of overdrive.
We can become fatigued and have sleep troubles.
We get headaches,
Muscle tension,
Brain fog,
Digestive issues,
Anxiety,
Depression.
By giving some love to the nervous system,
We can help it to reset and to restore the balance in our bodies.
I want to share with you some simple tools using your own body that you can do at any time or place to stimulate the vagus nerve and encourage a state of calm and balance in the nervous system.
We'll start by finding a comfortable seat,
Or I like to lay down when I do these exercises,
And place the palms of your hands on your body over a place that needs some calming.
This could look like both hands over your heart,
Over your belly,
Over your eyes,
Or your head.
You could try placing one hand in one place,
And the other in another,
And just settle in here.
Take a moment to check in with yourself,
To be present in your body the way that you are in this moment.
Start to deepen your breaths.
Longer inhales,
Longer exhales,
Slow and in control.
On the lips sealed,
And let your exhale be a hum.
Again,
Inhale through the nose,
Keep the lips sealed,
And exhale with a hum.
Inhale through the nose,
Exhale with a hum.
Keep going at your own pace,
Inhaling through the nose,
And exhaling as long as you can with a hum.
Hum at whatever note and volume you want to.
You are free here,
Don't overthink it.
Humming produces a vibration in the vocal cords,
Vibrating the vagus nerve that runs behind them.
It's like when a cat purrs,
When it's happy or content,
Or a mom humming her baby to sleep.
This act slows the heart rate,
Deepens the breath,
And helps to create inner peace,
Both scientific and energetic.
Once you finish your last hum,
We will transition to a breathing exercise.
Take your next inhale through the nose again,
This time hold at the top,
And then exhale with a shushing sound.
Again,
Inhale through the nose,
Hold at the top for 4,
3,
2,
1,
Exhale with a shush.
Inhale through the nose,
Hold at the top for 4,
3,
2,
1,
Exhale with a shush.
Keep going at your own pace,
Being sure to let the exhale be longer than the inhale.
These ocean wave breaths move the belly in and out,
Again stimulating the vagus nerve,
Signaling to your body that you're safe here,
Safe to rest,
Safe to be calm.
Stay here for as long as you like,
Humming or shushing,
Stimulating your vagus nerve and calming your nervous system.
And when you are ready,
Let this sense of calm carry you through whatever is next.
