Hello,
Melissa here with a practice to help you ease stress and create greater clarity of mind.
In this session,
We're going to use our breath along with gentle movement to signal to the brain that it's time to relax.
This session is designed to help you find a way back to calm from a potentially stressful state.
Our practice is focused on activating a part of your nervous system known as the ventral vagal network.
It runs upward from the diaphragm to the brainstem.
On the way,
It crosses nerves of the lungs,
The neck,
The throat,
And the eyes.
As breath stimulates the central vagal system from within,
Gentle movement of the head and the eyes activates it from the outside in.
A regulated ventral vagal network enhances our ability to engage with others.
It makes us better able to connect with the people around us.
It also activates the prefrontal cortex,
The part of the brain responsible for logic,
Helping us think more clearly.
So when you're ready,
Let's get comfortable and begin our practice.
Once you've found a comfortable seat,
Gently keep your eyes open.
Take a moment to look around the room you are currently in.
Notice the ground beneath you,
The ceiling above you,
And the four walls around you.
Then rest your gaze somewhere in front of you as we shift the vision inward.
Take the scan within.
Notice how you feel within the walls of your being.
You might notice any feeling,
Any thought,
And any sensation present within your body.
Take note of anything that you've noticed and just let it be.
No judgment,
No need to shift or change a thing.
Blink softly or flutter your eyes a few times just to reset your gaze.
Set your head to neutral,
Looking straight in front of you on the horizon.
Then slowly look your eyes over to the right as far as is comfortably possible for you without moving your head.
You're going to hold your gaze here off to the right hand side until you feel a desire to yawn or swallow.
Once you've yawned or swallowed,
Gently draw your gaze back to center.
And again,
Maybe you blink or flutter the eyes softly.
After a few moments,
Gently guide your eye line in the opposite direction,
Looking as far to the left as is possible and comfortable for your eyes.
Hold your gaze here until again you feel a desire to yawn or swallow.
Once you've yawned or swallowed again,
Gently draw the gaze back to center.
Blink or flutter the eyes.
Take a deep breath in here,
Inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
One more time,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
As we slowly move into a breath work practice,
Please know that you can return to this easy inhale and exhale at any point in time.
If you feel comfortable,
Join me in a box breath.
Once again,
Take a deep inhale through the nose,
Soften the jaw,
Part the lips,
And exhale it through the mouth.
On your next inhale,
We're breathing in for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Holding at the top of breath for three,
Two,
One,
And exhaling breath for eight,
Seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Pausing at the bottom again for three,
Two,
One.
Through the nose,
Inhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold for three,
Two,
One,
Exhale for eight,
Seven,
Five,
Four,
Three,
One,
Hold.
Through the nose,
Inhale,
Top of breath,
Hold,
Exhale for eight,
Bottom of breath,
Hold.
Through the nose,
Inhale for four,
Top of breath,
Hold.
Through the mouth,
Exhale for eight,
Hold.
Through the nose,
Inhale,
Hold,
Soften jaw,
Parted lips,
Exhale.
Through the nose,
Inhale one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold for three,
Two,
One,
Exhale for eight,
Seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold.
Three,
One.
Last time,
Inhale,
Hold.
Through the mouth,
Exhale,
Bottom of breath,
Hold.
Take a deep inhale through the nose,
Big sigh out the mouth,
Exhale.
Let the breath return to a natural,
Steady,
And consistent flow.
Keep your attention and awareness gently settled and rested here on your breath.
With eyes closed and vision inward,
Once again,
Take an internal scan of your body.
Notice how you feel.
Notice what thoughts are present,
Maybe perhaps even noticing spaciousness between each thought.
Notice any sensations,
Physical feeling in the body.
It might be as obvious as the seat beneath your bottom or the ground beneath your feet.
It might be as subtle as the touch of clothing against your skin or the movement of air in and out of the body.
Observe and take note once again without judgment or needing to change or fix a thing.
Then when you're ready,
Gently flutter open your eyes,
Maybe introducing some gentle movement into the body,
Shrugging shoulders to ears,
Rocking the head from side to side.
And for the last moments of your mindful practice,
Before you get back to your busy day,
Once again,
Become aware of your surroundings by just taking a quick scan of the room you are currently in.
Find grounding by noticing the earth beneath your feet.
Then once again,
Notice the ceiling above you and take a quick look around to notice the walls around you.
Bring your gaze back to center and one more time,
Take a deep inhale through the nose and gently let it go through the mouth.
Carry these practices with you as you ease back into your day.
Thank you so much for joining me and I look forward to guiding you again soon.
