Find a comfortable position.
You might be sitting in a chair,
Resting on a couch,
Or lying down.
Allow your body to settle into the surface beneath you.
If it feels safe,
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Take a slow breath in through your nose,
And exhale through your mouth.
Again,
Inhale slowly,
And exhale gently.
There is nothing you need to accomplish during this time.
Nothing to solve.
Nothing to fix.
This is simply a moment for your nervous system to slow down.
Many of us move through the day carrying tension we don't even notice.
Our bodies hold stress from responsibilities,
Expectations,
And the constant movement of life.
Right now,
You are giving your body permission to pause.
Take another slow breath in through your nose,
And allow the exhale to be slightly longer than the inhale.
As you continue breathing slowly,
Begin to bring awareness to your body.
Start by noticing your feet.
Feel the contact between your feet and the floor,
Or the surface beneath them.
You do not need to change anything.
Simply notice.
Now bring your awareness up to your legs.
Allow the muscles in your legs to soften just slightly.
There is no need to hold tension here.
Now bring your attention to your shoulders.
Many people carry stress in this area.
If your shoulders have lifted or tightened today,
Allow them to gently drop.
Imagine the weight of the day slowly sliding off your shoulders.
Now bring your awareness to your jaw.
Often when we are stressed,
The jaw tightens without us realizing it.
Allow the jaw to soften.
Let the tongue rest naturally in your mouth.
Take another slow breath in,
And a longer,
Slower exhale out.
As you breathe,
Bring your awareness to the center of your chest.
Notice the gentle movement of the breath rising and falling.
Your body knows how to breathe.
Your nervous system knows how to return to balance.
Sometimes it simply needs a moment of attention and care.
Now begin to notice the space around you.
Without opening your eyes,
Imagine the room you are in.
Notice the sense of support around you.
Right now,
In this moment,
You are safe enough to pause.
Your nervous system does not need to stay in constant alert.
With each slow breath out,
Allow your body to release a little more tension.
Breathing in calm.
Breathing out stress.
Breathing in steadiness.
Breathing out pressure.
If thoughts appear in your mind,
That's completely normal.
Rather than trying to stop them,
Simply notice them and allow them to drift past like clouds moving across the sky.
Then gently return your attention to the breath.
Your breath is an anchor.
Each inhale bringing awareness.
Each exhale bringing release.
Take a moment now to notice your body again.
Your feet,
Your legs,
Your shoulders,
Your jaw,
Your breath.
Perhaps there is a little more softness now.
Maybe a little more space.
You do not need to feel perfectly calm for this practice to be working.
Even small moments of slowing down help the nervous system reset.
Take one more slow breath in through your nose.
And a long,
Steady exhale through your mouth.
As you begin to return to your surroundings,
Gently wiggle your fingers or your toes.
And when you're ready,
Allow your eyes to open.
Take this sense of steadiness with you as you move into the rest of your day.
Your nervous system is designed to return to balance.
Sometimes it simply needs a moment like this.
If this practice helped you feel a little more grounded,
You're welcome to follow me here on Insight Timer for more nervous system regulation practices.
Namaste.
