Welcome.
Before we begin making sounds today.
A brief note on why this practice works.
Running through the centre of your body is the vagus nerve.
The main highway of your parasympathetic rest and digest system.
This nerve passes directly alongside your vocal folds.
And the muscles of your throat.
Our nervous system is constantly scanning for cues of safety.
When we hum.
The physical vibration acts as a soothing internal massage.
Stimulating the vagus nerve to slow down your heart rate.
And signal to your brain that you are safe in this moment.
In this practice there is no need to sing a particular sound or sing beautifully or hold your breath or match a specific pitch.
Your own unique natural frequency is exactly what your body needs to rest today.
I'd like to share a gentle reminder.
This time is entirely yours.
And you are the highest authority in the room.
Traditional meditation often asks for strict stillness or deep focus,
But today we prioritise your comfort,
And your nervous system's safety above all else.
As we move through this session,
Please note.
That you have full permission to adapt anything I say.
If a prompt doesn't feel right for you today,
You can choose to ignore it.
If closing your eyes feels uncomfortable,
Feel free to keep them open or with a soft gaze.
You are always welcome to stretch.
Fidget.
Change your position or your posture or pause this recording whenever your body asks you to.
You are safe.
You are in control.
And you get to decide exactly how you want to rest today.
Let's begin.
Whenever you are ready.
So find a comfortable,
Warm space to rest.
As we begin,
Remember that you are in total control.
You can keep your eyes open.
Change your posture at any time.
Listen to what your body needs.
Take a few moments now.
To feel the solid support of the surface beneath you.
Feeling your shoulders.
Your pelvis and your heels resting heavily,
Held safely by the ground.
And I'd like to invite you now,
Gently.
And lazily.
To place your focus on your breath.
And specifically on your out-breath.
Following the path of the out-breath all the way.
All the way.
All the way to the end of the breath.
And at the end of the breath,
You will find that there is a space,
A pause.
Time to stop.
And then you will notice that the in-breath starts to ask you to take notice.
And so you yield to the in-breath.
And follow the path of the in-breath all the way.
All the way to the top of the breath.
To the space at the top of the in-breath.
Before the out-breath releases once more.
And you follow the path of the out-breath,
The lazy,
Gentle out-breath.
All the way to the end of the breath,
To the space,
The gentle space.
Before once again yielding to the in-breath.
Following the path of the in-breath all the way to the top.
To that space at the top of the in-breath.
Before releasing once more onto the out-breath.
And you will be breathing differently to me.
So you just take the time you need.
To explore your own breath pattern,
Finding those spaces.
At the end of the out-breath.
And at the top of the in-breath and really.
Tuning in to the way your body wants to breathe today.
Which will be different to the way it breathed.
Yesterday?
And different to the way it will breathe tomorrow.
And noticing with a lazy,
Easy curiosity.
That the out-breath can become longer than the in-breath.
And that when it happens.
.
.
This feels right and it feels good.
And as the out-breath lengthens away,
Lazily.
You might find that you feel more and more relaxed.
More and more relaxed.
Now.
As you continue to follow that long lazy out-breath.
I'd like to invite you now to add a soft quiet texture to it.
As you breathe out.
Coming on to your voice.
And letting out a gentle,
Low,
Continuous hum.
Mmm.
As this is our first time,
It may feel crackly or stuttering.
Or short of breath.
And that's okay.
Just let the sound trail off naturally wherever that lazy breath runs out.
And there's no rush to breathe back in,
Just yield to the space at the bottom of the breath.
And let the next in-breath arrive completely on its own.
And then,
When you are ready,
Letting another low hum roll out on the long exhale.
Hum.
Try it a few more times.
And remember,
We are feeling with our body.
Not listening with our ears.
Our ears can stay out of the way for this one.
This is an exercise in sensing and feeling and being with the vibration of the sound.
I'll be silent now for a few moments to give you space to explore.
You may notice my hum alongside yours,
Keeping you company as you explore.
You may find your own sounds becoming easier and smoother as you practice.
You you And as you continue this gentle rhythm at your own pace.
.
.
Begin to notice now where the sound lives in your body.
Can you feel it?
Can you allow yourself to feel the subtle buzz on your lips,
In your throat,
Perhaps across the top of your chest,
In your ribcage,
Around your back,
Where your back meets the surface that you're lying or resting on.
Maybe down into your belly.
Have a play.
See what you can feel.
I'm home.
And notice if that vibration can expand.
Inviting the buzz to soften the muscles of your jaw if you like.
Relaxing at the roots of your ears into your scalp down.
Down into your belly,
Wherever you like.
If it feels safe.
Imagine the vibration dropping lower,
Like a warm,
Quiet,
Vibrational hug.
Through your ribs,
Giving your heart centre a soft place to land.
And if any thoughts or emotions bubble up.
.
.
That is completely okay.
You don't have to fix them.
Just let them exist in the background.
And gently bring your awareness back.
To the physical sensation of the hum in your body.
Letting your sound blend and weave with the music around you.
You are part of the sound.
You are safe.
You And for the next few moments,
Simply ride the wave of your own resonance,
Making sound when it feels supportive and resting in the lazy,
Quiet space in between.
And I will hum with you.
Let's do this for a few minutes.
And as the sound naturally fades away into the music.
.
.
Letting your own hum dissolve into a gentle,
Quiet stillness.
There is nothing for you to do now and nowhere else you need to be.
And now.
With a lazy easy curiosity.
Just bring your attention back to the natural.
Unhurried rhythm of your breath.
Noticing the quiet rise and fall of your chest or your belly,
Exactly as it is.
Noticing the air coming into your nostrils,
Cool.
And noticing the air as it leaves your nostrils.
Warm.
Noticing that familiar space at the end of the out-breath.
When nothing much seems to happen.
Until you feel that desire to breathe in once more.
And now very slowly.
Begin to expand your awareness outward.
Noticing the feeling of the air on your skin.
Listening to the ambient sounds in the room around you.
Or the distant world outside beyond.
Feeling the solid,
Unchanging support of the floor or your bed beneath your body or wherever you are.
Anchoring you right here in this present moment.
And when you feel ready,
There is no rush at all.
You might begin to introduce some tiny gentle movements,
Wriggling your toes,
A gentle stretch of your feet,
Gently wriggling or stretching your fingers.
And then maybe allowing that physical movement to ripple through you like a wave.
Until you are aware of your whole physical body.
And perhaps taking a slightly deeper,
Refreshing breath now.
And if your eyes have been closed,
You can slowly invite the light back in.
Letting your surroundings slowly come back into focus.
And take a moment now to thank yourself.
For giving your body and mind this time to rest and restore today.
Carrying this feeling of support with you as you transition back into your day.
Thank you for practicing with me.
