Me First: Nervous System Regulation (Shorter Version)

This practice is simply for when you need to regulate the nervous system. We have this amazing capacity to down regulate the nervous system. This is an act of self-care, so ‘me first’ is what this is about. In doing so we have an amazing capacity to allow our bodies and minds to come back into alignment. Having used a specific breathing practice, we then drop into a space of gentle affirmations to consolidate this capacity we have to down regulate the nervous system.

Transcript

Welcome to this practice,

The nervous system regulation practice with affirmations.

My name is Ruben,

Let's soothe our nervous systems.

And first off just appreciating the fact that there's a me that's chosen to nurture myself.

When the nervous system is down regulated our bodies go into rest,

Restoration and healing.

So just noticing how you are resting in this moment in preparation for this practice.

Allowing your awareness to go below the level of thought and opening up to the sensations of how you are resting in this moment.

How you are gently holding your body,

Appreciating the rhythm of my breath.

And when getting distracted using numbers to count in any way that I wish.

Seeing these numbers or hearing them in my mind and just getting them perfectly in time with the waves of my breath.

My body soft,

The only thing is to notice with gentle awareness.

Thoughts can come and go whilst I gently connect.

And so there's a choice here for this nervous system regulation.

I can choose to continue to focus on the softness of my breath as my body breathes at its own rate and rhythm.

Using the numbers to count in any way that I wish.

Or I can choose to do something a little different.

Because alternatively I can choose to notice my out-breath.

How it speeds up,

Slows down and comes to a pause.

And the more familiar I become with this out-breath,

The more I recognize that I can gently,

Very gently lengthen my out-breath.

Lengthen each out-breath just by a touch.

So as each out-breath happens,

The very last part,

The last quarter can be gently extended,

Gently lengthening.

It's easy to do this as I soften to each out-breath.

This is the only thing on the agenda.

Resting in the knowing of this point of connection.

Whichever one I choose with a gentle commitment to come back each time.

Knowing that in doing so my nervous system is down regulating.

And the more natural this begins to feel,

The more I get a sense of the fact that this is an act of self-care.

I am choosing this act of self-care.

Distractions are there to remind me to come back to this act of self-care as I gently connect to this particular experience of my breathing.

Every time I connect to my out-breath in this way,

My nervous system is getting an extra soothing stroke.

As each moment unfolds,

I find that this point of connection that I have chosen becomes more and more natural.

And this is my indicator that my nervous system is down regulating.

Bit by bit,

Moment by moment,

Beautiful down regulation.

I love the rhythm of my breath.

I love the fact that my nervous system is down regulating the more I hang out with you,

Dear breath.

I love tracking the movement of you.

I love the ease.

I love how the more ease I bring to this,

The easier the practice becomes and the more I drop into a place of grounding,

Connecting,

Soothing and healing.

My breath is my bridge from an up-regulated nervous system to a down-regulated nervous system.

I trust my body's ability to find balance.

I trust my body's ability to restore harmony and sending a thought of appreciation to myself,

For myself.

In taking part in this little practice,

This has been a gift to me and from me.

Reviews

Beautifully done, Rueben. Everything about this flows so perfectly together. Thank you! Inspiration + Craftmanship = Art

Love how breathing and affirmations are connected to both calm and make it visual.

Absolutely lovely guidance into calming the nervous system. Your soothing voice and words helped me get to a state of calm. Thank you 🙏

My body is able to cool down and I like the affirmations 💙.

Thanks for helping me down regulate my NS! Appreciate you, Reuben! 🙏🏻🪷🙏🏻

Quieting the fluctuations of my mind so my body can relax. Amazing, thank you.

Nice to hear your very familiar and soothing voice Reuben 😊
Always creative and productive, thanks for this one!
Lovely colours and shapes on the picture.

What a beautiful gift this is to give yourself , an act of self-care that radiates out and calms the soul

I can trust my body’s ability to down-regulate using my breath. 🌸🌺