40 Days To Less Stress

In Day 1, we will tune in to what compelled you to take this course. You might like to use a journal or diary to write down what has brought you to this course and understand the invitational nature of the practice with kindness and patience. An introduction to the autonomic nervous system will be explored and how we can understand the parasympathethic and the sympathetic branches of this system, particularly when feeling stresed. Touch, breath, and sensation will be observed in the body, noticing how to feel into various senses with a half smile.

Day 2 is an introduction to mindful eating where we learn how to focus on an object of meditation whilst eating. The senses are invited to pay attention in this caring, careful way to seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. Mindful eating is a wonderful way to open up to the present moment with curiosity and attentiveness. We will also explore an ancient Pali word, "sati", which means to remember, and how we can be present with the objects of concentration whilst slowing down our automatic habits.

Day 3 explores mindful drinking and learning to be curious about sensations in the mouth and throat area. We will also be exploring how to release tension in the tongue and jaw. These parts of the body can be very common places to hold tension, so there will be an opportunity to release tension through this gentle guidance and awareness. For this practice you will use a warm or cool drink to notice your inside and outside world.

Day 4 will give the mind something to pay attention to whilst generating sensation in the body, particularly in the hands. We have lots of sensations in the hands, so we can use them to support presence when stress arises. We can learn to direct our attention to the hands through various movement patterns as a way of feeling sensation. Often the mind will be racing off into thoughts. The hands are a lovely way of supporting present moment awareness.

Day 5 is an opportunity to generate sensation in the body with gentle guided mindful movement. We will explore rocking through the legs, side to side and feeling sensation in the feet. Learning to change sensation in the feet, including different ways of balancing through the pelvis and legs. We will also explore writing our name with the pelvis feeling into the spine and neck area. Gentle head movements will be explored to connect with breathing and rolling the shoulders to release tension through the shoulder girdle.

Day 6 explores the first foundation of mindfulness, which includes the body and the breath. We are learning to cultivate attention control, allowing the body and breath to be the object of meditation. Slowly and carefully moving your attention through the physical body part by part as a way into the present moment. Often when the mind is busy thinking, changing our attention to the body can sometimes give the mind a rest, to reduce aggitation and worry.

Day 7 is mindfulness in everyday life, describes the difference between formal and informal practice, supporting us to learn how to be awake in routine everyday activities. This kind of attention can support us to slow down and notice what is unfolding moment by moment. These daily practices could include a warm or cold shower, swimming or a felt sense of water on the skin through touch. Explore various routine everyday activities to support coming into presence; eg. cooking, making the bed, brushing the teeth, hands & smell, being in nature etc. Often with ongoing stress we can miss all of these moments to be awake and attentive, due to being lost in our automatic habits.

Day 8 is a guided lying down body scan meditation to support attention control and opening to the language of sensation inside the physical body, using props in basic relaxation pose. Props are used to support the body to invite ease and release, allowing the body to soften through touch and the weight of the blankets. Over time the language of sensation may become more vivid as a way of supporting the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system to regulate. The guidance is an opportunity to feel into the natural breath and all of the physical sensations whilst lying down.

Day 9 is learning to feel into different sensations in the body, pleasant, neutral and unpleasant and how do we relate to these different physical sensations, moment to moment. We often lean into pleasant sensations, pull away from unpleasant sensations and sometimes we don't even notice neutral sensations. This short guided practice is to support feeling the language of sensation and how our brain is hardwired to notice unplesant experieneces in the body, particularly when we feel stressed. We will explore these sensations with curiosty in the four postures, sitting, standing, walking and lying down and obsereve the changing nature of sensations in relation to the position of our bodies.

Day 10 is an experiential practice around feeling the breath and how this can be an anchor in our daily practice. We will explore different areas of the body where we can experience the breath; nose, throat, chest, shoulders, heart, belly, diaphragm, lower back and an all over body exeperience. This guided short practice is awareness of breathing and an introduction to various ways in to be with the breath. Sometimes awareness of breathing can bring up anxiety, so some alternatives will be invited. Trusting your body knows how to breath with gentle guidance and support.

Day 11 is an opportunity to move mindfully, spending some time each day to move gently and learn how to shake out strong triggers, blocked emotions, aggitation or responses in the body from stress. Learn to enjoy the body and move energy that can get stuck with fear or worry, noticing the difference between movement and stillness. How can we release tension whilst moving the spine in different postions and move the arms in a gentle safe way. We will be curious about the left and right sides of the body and discover how to connect breath and movement to calm the mind.

Day 12 learning to stop our automatic habits so we can pause and notice the natural breath inside our bodies with awareness. Can you put your foot on the brake, slow down the automatic habit of rushing and notice the body breathing in and the body breathing out. We will explore natural walking and the freedom of movement, noticing the breath and all the sensations available to us when we take a physical pause, stop and observe. During stressful times you might be aware that you are rushing and moving quickly, learning to slow down can be very wise during these times. .

Day 13 is a short guided awareness of breathing meditation, exploring various postures in a sitting position with props from around your home. You will be invited to sit in a chair, on the floor, legs crossed, kneeling or leaning against the wall, using blankets and pillows for support and comfort. Sometimes when we are feeling busy or rushed from racing around, learning to stop and come into a comfortable sitting postion can be veary healing and stress reducing. The body becomes still like a mountain and the breath flows genlty like a river.

Day 14 is a lying down meditation with the body supported with props in an inversion to calm the mind and soften the belly; supporting digestion and well being. Use a pillow or blanket underneath the sacrum, legs on the lounge or a comfortable chair. Blankets can be used to support the back and cover the body and a pillow underneath the head for support. Make sure you can swallow easily and perhaps covering the eyes with a small towel or scarf. We will be exploring various breathing practices to invite ease into the torso. During stressful times the belly can remain tight, which contracts the breathing process and digestion, this posture allows natural breathing and space for the diaphragm and internal organs to be massaged.

Day 15 is noticing how you pay attention to the body heart and mind. How is your practice going so far in the course? Are you able to offer your self patience and kindness even if your mind is wandering. Understanding the wandering nature of the mind can allow the experience to be as it is in the present moment, with attitudes of non-striving, letting and letting go. Can you cultivate non-judgement, compassion and curiosity, exploring these attitudinal foundations of mindfulness in the body. Using the body and balance can be an interesting way to feel into curiosity and the how we relate to the unfolding experience.

Day 16 an opportunity to explore sensations inside the body, opening up to the wisdom of the body through gentle guided movement. Often when we feel stressed the body can store and hold strong emotions and physical tension. We are going to learn how to move with kindess through various parts of the body whilst lying down, moving the head, arms, legs, shoulders and pelvis to release tension. We will explore different movement patterns, circles, extension, flexion, left & right, twisting, lengthening and contracting with curiosty. Notice how your body feels after moving gently, are the sensations, pleasant, neutral or unpleasant? We will also integrate movement to release stress from the body whilst extending the out breath and making a gentle sound, inviting rest, repair & digest.

Day 17 Breath and sound with movement is a practice to extend the out breath to release tension, through softening the belly in various postures. We will explore different ways of extending the out breath with sound and posture to calm and soothe the autonomic nervous system. You can try different variations and listen to the wisdom of your body and feel which practice soothes your body. Feel free to try the variations with props if approriate when stress arises, moving energy with particular emphasis on sound and the out breath. The breath is a bridge between the body and the mind and I hope it supports you today.

Day 18 is a guided practice to observe sensations inside and outside of the body. Sometimes when we feel stressed, learning how to expand our awareness out can be a wonderful support to calm the nervous system. We will explore our visual field and hearing to open the lense of our awareness, to expand out to the outside world. We will be in a sitting position and drop into our inside world and then expanding out to change our perception. Learning to place our attention on various sensations to support stability and ease.

Day 19 invites a short guided meditation practice to fine tune our senstivity to the experience of breathing, allowing intimacy of the spaces in between. Often with rushing and the busyness of everyday life, we have lost out ability to sense and feel the gaps at the end of each out breath. A moment to really drop into the stillness when the breath leaves the body and rest in the relative stillness. Gentle mental noting will support our attention to stay with the four parts of each breath, learning to be present and attentive with the natural breath. When we are grounded in the present moment one breath at a time, this can sometimes reduce anxiety.

Day 20 invites a guided walking meditation, where we allow the feet to be the object of meditation, supporting us to be mindful in our everyday life. The walking meditation help integrates the formal practice into our daily life as we move through space. The feet ground our attention down, particluarly if we are feeling stressed. The toes and feet are a lovely anchor, so even pressing the feet and wriggling the toes can be a way of dropping our attention down, away from the busy mind. Walking on the earth connecting to nature each day, you might like to try this outside with bare feet, or exploring different natural settings.

Day 21 is a guided breathing practice to open the upper thoracic spine using a blanket to open the upper back. The shoulder blades are on the floor, arms open, hands soft. A hooded jumper can be used to cover the head and eyes to invite ease, if this is comfortable for you. The practice invites the rib cage to open, legs bent, knees together feet wide. Head is supported by a small pillow and noticing the breath at the back and side lung area. Cultivating even in breath, even out breath, to sense and feel the experience of breathing in this supported lying down postion. We will also explore various breathing practices together. When we feel stressed often the shoulder girdle is contracted and tense, this practice might invite a realease for you.

Day 22 is an opportunity to explore the objects of concentration in a guided sitting meditation posture. Finding a comfortable seat and paying attention to the body, breath & sounds, encouraging steadiness, sitting like a mountain. This guided meditation will give you some time and space to let go of tension in the physical body, especially with the out breath and how letting go may support your ongoing practice. We will also create a bigger container expanding out to hearing to change the object of concentration. Thank you for your ongoing practice during this 40 Day Course.

Day 23 is a walking meditation to support the heart mind to a more wholseome state, whilst walking gently walking on the earth and taking in the good. We will be noticing was is pleasnt in our environment, particluraly in nature outside if this is available for you. This practice can be a lovely antidote to stress and worries of everyday life. We will be exploring what it feels like to mentally note pleaseant experiences available to us through the sense doors. This practice can take just a few minutes to reset your relationship to your outside world and notice how this can infom your inside world. This practice can give us space around difficult thoughts in the mind and some space to open to sensation in new ways.

Day 24 is a guided practice to feel the breath at the belly with props and gravity. You will need a few cushions and blankets to support your practice and if you have access to a table or bench to release tension in the shoulder girdle. Remember to practice with kindness and patience, learning to lengthen the spine with soft knees, pressing both hands into the table or bench. We will experience different breathing practices to see how your body responds in this postion. Belly breathing is a lovely practice to face the internal organs to the earth to calm the nervous system and support sleep hygiene.

Day 25 is a guided sitting meditation, learning to lean into discomfort and explore our relationship to stress and soothing in the body. We will be naming unpleasant sensations in the body and how to be with these strong physical sensations, which can also manifest as strong emotions. We are learning to build our inner strength together when we meditate and how do we hold stress in the body even whilst meditating. A moment to pause and tune in with what is here, moment to moment as we navigate the changing nature of sensation in the body heart & mind. How can we see clearly into our own experience with a sense of balance, allowing it to be here and naming quietly in the mind with stability.

Day 26 is explorig thoughts, what is thinking and how can we relate to thoughts in the mind. Are they pictures, images, words, internal dialogue, what is your dominant style of thinking? We will then move into a guided sitting meditation, cultivating the observering part of our awareness, noticing the changing nature of thoughts, moving through our field of awareness. Meditation supports us to understand the nature of the mind and how we can relate to the heart mind through our ongoing practice. We will also explore an inner resource and how we can notice this in the mind and the relationship between thoughts and sounds.

Day 27 is an opportunity to extend the out breath whilst humming, learning to feel the sensations in the body and does this have a calming effect on the heart mind. Can this practice support a reduction of ruminnation in the mind, a sense of soothing the spinning thoughts in the mind? Learning about the vagul nerve and how this informs our emotional well being, connecting to the gut and the feeling center of the body. This practice explores various hand movements to support a felt sense in differnet parts of the body. You will have the opportunity to experiment with these different hand movements making the pratice your own.

Day 28 is an experiential practice creating sensation and vibration in the body with movement and breath. This is a lovely way to support us particularly if we are feeling stuck or flat energetically, this could also be in relation to sleep hygiene. We will observe how touch and tapping might invite pleasant sensations in the body and how this might help us feel more enlivened as we cultivate physical sensations, esepcially as a morning routine. We will shake the body to begin with and then use sound and tapping to explore and release stress in the body. We are bringing energy up to the skin in a gentle way with various parts of the body. We will stimulate sensation in the physical body and then explore thoughts in the mind whilst in a sitting meditation position.

Day 29 is a walking meditation, learning to open up to the sense doors as we walk together slowly. Sometimes when we are lost in our thoughts with a busy mind, thoughts about the past or worries about the future. This short guided practice can support us back to the present moment by using our senses in a particular way in our environment. This meditation can be integrated into your daily life, even at work or whilst parenting at home and moving around the community. We will also observe which senses are strongest for you and how this can inform being grounded, present and awake, particularly if you are feeling too stressed, aggitated or overwhelmed to sit still.

Day 30 is a guided sitting meditation, focusing on the objects of concentration, breath, body, sounds, thoughts & feelings. An opportunity to observe and cultivate attention control, how can we let go of impluses in the mind, learning to relate to the changing nature of our experience. Know that you can have your eyes open if this supports your practice or use touch in your hands to generate sensation. Mental noting will also be invited to support concentration and encourage you to be with your inside world and expand out to your outside world. We will cultivate equanimity together during this guided meditation which is balance of heart mind, a really important quality to support balance and ease.

Day 31 is an exploration of emotions, can we feel different emotions in the body? We will notice what happens with sensation and how emotions show up inside the body, remember there is no right or wrong way to feel, simply getting to know what is here to be known. We will explore love and fear and some variations of these emotions. Sometimes we might lean into emotions and pull away from others; some might register as pleasant, unpleasnt or neutral. Some emotions may have a stronger charge, lets learn to touch into the body, heart and mind feeling like a scientist, as we learn to feel the feelings together. During times of stress it can be really important to learn to slow down, stay awake and notice what is unfolding, mindfulness meditation can support us to do this in a caring careful way.

Day 32 is a guided practice exploring a new posture which can be very beneficial for being with grief, loss, transitions or exhaustion. We will be using props from around the home; 6 pillows, 4 blankets and a small scarf to cover the eyes. Fold a long panel for creating a long rectangular shaped blanket to support the spine. Place 2 pillows under each knee, soles of the feet are together and knees wide. Use 3 pillows to support the lumbar spine, upper back and the head, allowing time and space to prop the body into a comfortable position. You might like to use a blanket to wrap around the arms, inviting the body to be warm, still, dark and quiet. We are opening the heart with a soft belly to calm and support the nervous system. You might also use your last banket to warp around the head, covering the ears to dull the sense doors, feeling held and supported by gravity. We will sweep the awareness through the physical body and focus on gentle breathing together.

Day 33 is an opportuity to listen deeply to the body heart and mind during mindful communication with loved ones in your daily life, with a full open heart. We will observe a recent difficult communication and how this can show up in our bodies, feelings or emotions. Difficult or stressful communications can be tricky to navigate, mindfulness can support us to be really attentive to what is here and learning how to be with strong emotions through touch and breath. Learning to lean in, tune in and be with emotions as they show up in our everyday lives. We are fine tuning our awareness to support us during interactions with those around us.

Day 34 is a guided meditation to move from objects of cencentration to open awareness with the bells. There will be a small shift by letting go of the objects of concentration and moving into more silence and a sense of spaciousness or choiceless awareness. This practice supports us to notice the changing nature of experience and feeling open like the sky. Sometimes when we feel stressed there can be contraction or holding on, if we can learn to be more spacious in our practice this can be a resource to support us into balance and ease. During this guided meditation there will be more silence and space for openess and expansion.

Day 35 is an opportunity to notice sensations in the four postures, sitting, standing, walking and lying down. I recommend that you have a track where you can walk about ten steps and some props to support yourself for sitting and lying down meditation. Walking meditation can be more tactile with the shoes off and even outside on grass or sand can be very grounding. Feel free to practice where it suits you today and slowing down from the busyness of everyday life. This practice could also be a compassion break from parenting, employment or some space to slow down, reduce stress and just lean into non doing.

Day 36 is a guided sitting meditation, or you might like to try this practice lying down, walking or standing. If you do stand remember to have your hand on a chair or finger touching the wall for support. We can meditate in the four postures, exploring silent practice with the bells. Silence can be an inner resource to give us space to reconnect within, due to being over stimulated with screens, news, family life & work. We are going to listen to the bell ocassionally as a mindfulness bell coming back to presence. Being comfortable with the silence through open awareness, is an opportunity to tune into your own experience and open to what is here in the body heart and mind. This practice gives you a choice to decide on which posture suits your body, responding to what is required during silent practice.

Day 37 is a guided practice to invite love as an antidote to fear or worry, which can be more pronounced during stressful times. We have these two main emotions love and fear and focussing on gratitide can be a wholesome way to open up your good heart. We will explore what is alive in you today or most engagaed in with in your life. This inquiry will inform what comes up in your practice and how this can lead into more joy, kindness, love and compassion. Notice how it feels to name gratitude, either speaking or in written form in your journal. We will use some mental noting related to gratitude and touch and warmth to explore this practice together.

Day 38 is a practice to focus on our lives more holistically, including intention, sleep, exercise and eating. We are going to make a small shift in any of these areas, as a way of supporting well being. Together we will cultivate a self practice, listening in to the wisdom of the body. What am I thinking, feeling and sensing right now? What does my body need for ease and releasing stress today? Learning to ask yourself what is called for right now? We can start to have some efficacy over our practice and learn how to lean into the language of sensation, infoming ogoing practice. Do you need stillness or movement and can you trust what your body is requiring, listen deeply and observe what unfolds.

Day 39 is an opprotunity to explore kindness, compassion, joy & equanimity through our practice and how sometimes we might notice the opposite to these states. Sometimes it can be skilful to cultivate more wholesome states in our practice particularly in a lying down posture or choosing your preferred posture. We will be exploring what is here to be known whilst scanning the body with kindness, compassion and appreciation.

Day 40 is an opportunity to share the benefits of our daily practice together and tuning in with gratitude and appreciation. We will write a letter to our good selves, noting down the benefits we have explored together during the course. We will finish sitting together in silence to appreciate the time and energy we have put into the course. Know that I am here to support you along the way with the Insight Timer Classroom, where questions can be answered with audio responses. Thank you for your comitment to ongoing practice and I look forward to connecting with you soon, may we grow together into wellbeing and ease.