Relieving stress.
In this meditation,
We'll practice cultivating a sense of ease,
Openness,
And space,
Even around stress and difficult emotions.
This practice can be an antidote for those times when we feel stressed and overwhelmed.
Before we start,
Take a full breath in and a long breath out.
To begin this practice,
Invite your body to feel nourished and fed.
As you breathe in,
You can imagine breathing in all the energy and positive emotion that your body needs.
As you breathe out,
Letting go of any tightness,
Tension,
Or toxicity.
Breathe in warmth and openness.
Breathe out tension and tightness.
Check in with the body.
See if any tension has come up in any of the usual places,
And see if you can soften around them on the next exhale.
Feel free to move or shift your posture if that feels helpful.
Now check in with your mind.
Are there any stories taking up space that don't have to be there in this moment?
You can invite them to come and go,
Neither clinging to them or pushing them away.
Breathe in and breathe out.
Now check in with the heart.
Are there sensations in the chest or the front of the body?
Just noticing any warmth or tightness,
Tension,
Or openness that might be there.
Just observing and noting without judgment.
Feeling into the sensations around the chest and the heart,
Without labeling anything good or bad,
Right or wrong.
Simply noticing as you breathe.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
See if you can feel more openness,
Sense of ease in the body,
Spaciousness in the mind than when we started.
Allowing tension and tightness to dissolve with your kind awareness,
Creating a bit more freedom in the mind.
And as we begin to close this practice,
I invite you to smile just for a few seconds.
You may want to bring your hand to your heart saying silently,
May I be well,
May I be happy,
May I live with ease,
May I be well,
May I be happy,
May I live with ease.
