Thank you for coming to be with me today.
This is an anxiety relief practice that you can use at any point for an immediate sense of relief.
We're going to utilize the breath.
So find a seated position somewhere comfortable.
And get your spine nice and tall.
I give a puppet string pulling you from the top of your head.
Good.
Take a nice deep breath into that space you just created.
Good.
Good.
For this practice,
We're going to use our breath to focus on relaxing the muscles around our belly.
When we are highly anxious,
Those muscles can become really tense and tight.
Often we're not even really aware of it.
So consciously relaxing those muscles is a great way to communicate to our nervous system that it's okay to relax.
Bringing our awareness to our breath and our bellies is a great way to calm an anxious mind.
To quiet those rampant thoughts.
Good.
Relaxing deeply into this position you're in.
Bringing your awareness to your breath.
Inhaling through your nose.
Exhaling through your mouth.
And I simply want you to bring your awareness in with your breath.
Inside your body.
Down into your core.
And with each inhale,
Try to bring your breath deeper into your belly.
Expanding your belly a little bit more each time.
Feeling a release on your exhale.
Maybe clearing out some space for more air to go into on your next inhale.
You can see that release in your mind's eye like a vapor in your body.
You can see that release in your mind's eye like a vapor in your body.
Like a vapor in your body.
Like a fogging glass.
Maybe it has a color,
A texture,
Some density.
Good.
Clearing more space in your core,
In your belly.
Allowing your inhale to penetrate more deeply.
Bringing your full awareness to your belly now.
With each inhale,
Each expanding breath,
Think about consciously allowing the muscles in your belly to soften.
If it helps,
You can rub your belly with a hand or two.
Massage them gently.
Maybe just holding your hands still somewhere that feels good.
Applying just a little bit of pressure.
Continuing to breathe deep,
Expansive breaths.
Really thinking about softening.
Releasing tightness.
Seeing some of that tension leave on your exhale.
Willing it to go.
Noticing any pain that arises and breathing into that.
Allowing your inhale to release.
Not only to be oxygen,
But love,
Light to that space.
Healing.
Just seeing your belly expanding like a balloon.
Feeling your weight in the space that you're sitting.
How you're held and supported by the surface that you're sitting on.
Feel your belly expanding all the way down into your pelvic bowl,
Into your root.
Really seeing your breath expand that whole space.
Good.
Really breathing into that sense of fullness in your belly that you've created.
Feel how with each inhale,
Your breath flows a little more freely in your belly.
It might feel good to move your hand with the feeling of that flow.
Noticing if when you're touching your belly,
If you feel any sensation of pleasure between your hand and your belly.
And just allowing that feeling of pleasure and warmth and presence to grow from that space.
Continuing those deep breaths and full audible exhales.
Just gently urging all the muscles in that space to relax and let go.
To expand and soften.
Feeling a feeling of peace.
Greater ease.
When you are ready,
You can carry this sense of greater capacity with you.
The ability to breathe more deeply.
To feel your presence here in your body with your full awareness.
Thank you for being with me.
