Welcome to the mindfully managing stress meditation.
As you get comfortable in your seated position with your feet resting gently on the floor,
Your hands sitting in your lap in a comfortable position.
As you gently close your eyes,
Just making yourself comfortable for the next few minutes.
As you allow sounds both inside and outside of this room to simply come and go.
And just as thoughts will come and distract you during this meditation,
Just noticing them with a sense of curiosity without trying to change them.
As you thank them for reminding you of what can be done at the end of this session.
As you mindfully bring your awareness back,
Back to the meditation.
As you allow all of the busyness of your day or your week to be left outside the door,
Allowing the space for you to slow down.
As you take three peaceful breaths,
Sighing on the outbreath.
Just letting go of any heaviness you may feel with every sigh.
Allowing your breath to be your anchor.
As you find yourself distracted by thought.
As you follow the breath in and out through your nose.
As you tune in now to what's going on for you today in this very moment.
Recalling any thoughts or situations that have been making you feel stressed,
Anxious or overwhelmed.
It's bringing these to life.
Doing so with pure kindness,
With gentle awareness and openness to explore events that they even feel a little uncomfortable.
You may have pushed aside.
As you become aware of a certain thought or situation that has brought on this stress.
Just noticing where you may be holding this challenge in your body now,
Gently bringing your awareness to any sensations you may feel.
Connecting with where you are holding your stress.
Maybe it's in your shoulders or your stomach.
Or even in your legs.
Doing so with gentle awareness as you allow the space for all sensations that come to you to simply be here now without trying to ignore them.
Just gently breathing into these spaces in your body.
Breath by breath.
As you notice the shape of this heaviness or tension that you hold.
Is it rough or smooth?
It's weight.
Is it heavy or light?
The size of it in your body.
Is it large or small?
Just noticing how it feels this area,
This space,
Free of judgement.
Little by little.
As you continue to gently breathe into your body.
Allowing your breath to support,
To nurture and to hold these sensations.
These areas of heaviness,
Of tension.
Like a comforting hug from a loved one.
Knowing that it's okay for you to feel how you do in this very moment.
Allowing yourself the space to breathe into any discomfort.
Just a little more.
Just a little deeper.
Surrendering to what is.
Surrendering to what is there for you.
With kindness.
With a sense of curiosity.
Allowing each out-breath to release any thoughts or any sensations you no longer wish to carry that you wish to release.
In this breath.
In this breath.
On your next in-breath.
Having allowed the space to release and let go.
Over the last few minutes.
Just begin to become aware of the sounds both inside and outside of this room.
Feeling the pressure points of the seat that supports you.
As you gently begin to wiggle your fingers and your toes.
When you're ready slowly opening your eyes.
As you are welcomed back into this room.
You
