Welcome to this 10 minute reset for the nervous system.
Let's start by getting comfortable.
You can lie down or sit back if that feels better tonight.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
And exhale slowly through your mouth.
Let's do that again.
Inhale.
And exhale.
Notice how,
Even with two breaths,
Your system starts to settle a little.
There's no need to make your mind empty.
Or to force yourself to meditate well.
But just giving yourself 10 minutes to let your body catch up with your day.
Start by bringing your awareness to your feet.
Feel their weight.
Their temperature.
The way they connect to the surface beneath you.
Then move slowly up through your legs.
Allowing any leftover tension from standing,
Walking or rushing to soften.
Bring that awareness up to your hips and your belly.
Notice your breath moving here.
See if you're forcing your breath.
And let go of the force.
But just notice.
You might feel your belly rise and fall.
Let the rhythm guide you.
As you breathe,
Imagine each exhale as a quiet release.
A way to signal to your body,
You can rest now.
Now we'll move into a simple pattern to calm the nervous system.
Inhale through your nose for a count of four.
Hold for one.
Exhale through the nose for a count of six.
Let's try that together.
Inhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold for one,
Two.
Exhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Let your breath lengthen naturally.
And whilst you continue,
If you need to sigh,
Yawn or take a deeper breath,
Go ahead and do it.
Your body knows what it needs.
Let's keep breathing like this for a few rounds.
Feeling the body begin to slow down.
Inhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold for one,
Two.
Exhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Continuing at your own pace.
Slowly begin to shift your attention towards your mind.
Maybe you'll notice that it's still a bit noisy with planning or reviewing or worrying.
And that's okay.
Imagine each thought is a sentence written in sand.
And with every breath out,
A gentle wave comes and erases it.
Often we go into meditation seeking to chase stillness without realizing that if we just keep breathing,
Stillness finds us.
Let yourself rest in this quiet for a moment.
In this knowing that there is nothing for you to fix and nothing for you to solve.
All you have to do is be aware of your breath,
Of your body,
Of this moment.
If it helps,
You can silently repeat to yourself,
I am safe.
I am here.
I can rest.
Let's finish with one deep breath together.
Inhale fully.
And exhale completely.
When you're ready,
You can drift into sleep or simply stay here for a while longer.
Let the stillness do what it's meant to do.
Reset you quietly and gently and completely.
Thank you for breathing with me today.
Namaste.
