Pause and reset.
Breath work with a mini body scan.
Welcome to this practice.
Take a moment to sit comfortably.
You might like to let both feet rest flat on the floor,
Somewhat balanced and symmetrical.
Allowing your shoulders to drop,
That's important,
Your jaw to soften.
If it feels right for you,
You can close your eyes or hold a soft gaze on something in front of you.
Giving your body permission to pause.
There's nowhere else to go right now,
Nothing else that you need to do.
We'll begin with having an in-breath for four and an out-breath for six.
Let's get into this.
Inhale through the nose,
Two,
Three,
Four,
And exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Again,
In,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
One more time,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
As you gently familiarize yourself with this in-breath,
Out-breath,
Notice the shift as your out-breath is slightly longer than your in-breath.
This gentle pattern activates what's called the parasympathetic nervous system,
Your body's natural rest and restore mode.
Your heart rate slows and helps calm.
Take a few more breaths this way as you listen to these words.
You're settling into a steady rhythm,
Allowing your thoughts to come and go whilst you continue with this in-breath and an extended out-breath.
Now,
We'll move through to do a gentle body scan.
Scanning your body in this way helps calm the brain's stress response and frees up mental space for clarity.
You don't have to change anything you find,
Simply notice.
Bring your attention to the crown of your head,
Noticing any sensations,
Tingling,
Warmth or even nothing at all.
Everything is okay.
Now,
Moving to your forehead,
Smooth the space across your brow,
Soften the tiny muscles around your eyes.
Let your eyelids be heavy.
Feel the cheeks and the jaw.
If you notice clenching,
Invite your jaw to loosen.
Perhaps let your lips part slightly.
Shift to your neck and shoulders.
With an out-breath,
Imagine your shoulders dropping a little further,
Even more.
Like a gentle waterfall,
Releasing tension or resistance,
Flowing down.
Notice your upper arms,
Elbows,
Forearms and hands.
Let them be heavy and supported.
Maybe notice the temperature of the air on your skin or your hands resting on your lap.
Bring awareness to your chest and upper back.
Feel the rise and fall as you breathe.
Can you soften here by just a little more?
Move down to your belly,
No need to hold or brace.
Let the abdomen expand naturally with each inhale and soften on the exhale.
Bring attention to your hips and pelvis.
Sense the support of the chair beneath you.
Down into your thighs,
Knees,
Calves.
Finally,
Feel your ankles and feet connected with the ground.
Imagine roots spreading gently into the earth.
Now,
Let's take one more scan from the top of your head all the way down to your feet.
In one long sweep,
Noticing any places that feel a little more at ease now.
Notice how you feel now compared to when we began.
Perhaps more steady,
Anchored,
Present.
To close,
Return to your breath.
Inhale deeply through your nose,
Filling up and exhale slowly through the mouth,
Letting go.
Sometimes a practice doesn't work as we would like,
But being okay with this is part of the practice.
When you're ready,
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
Gently opening your eyes and bringing this little reset with you into the rest of your day.
