You are listening to a meditation from Sound Science Soul.
One of the most important things to do for anxiety or during a panic attack is to connect into your body and slow down your breathing.
This is not always instinctual though,
As when you panic your fight or flight instinct turns on and you may want to actually run from yourself but you can't.
Your body needs to stay with it and be brought back into homeostasis.
Mindfulness is recognizing your physical reaction and letting yourself and your body know there is no real danger.
With regular practice this exercise helps you to reprogram your nervous system so that it doesn't stay stuck in fight or flight.
Like anything or anyone that has been mistreated they may feel insecure,
Distrustful,
Unsafe,
Maybe even defensive or aggressive.
This exercise helps you to recover,
To finally feel safe in your body,
Safe in the world.
Once you've learned this breathing practice you can take it with you anywhere so that if anxiety arises wherever you are you can fall back on your breath to bring a sense of peace and safety to your body.
Let's begin.
Lie down in a comfortable position preferably.
Make sure you are warm or cool enough.
Place a soft blanket over you or turn on a fan.
Place one hand on your stomach and the other hand over your heart.
This helps to calm your nervous system and let your body know you are there with it and you aren't going anywhere.
Like being held and nurtured as a baby our body needs to know it is not being abandoned.
When anxious you may take short constricted breaths or even hold your breath.
It's important during this practice to slow your breathing way down and keep it very controlled.
Take in a slow deep breath through your nose,
Filling your abdomen like a balloon.
Breathe in very slowly,
Very controlled.
You don't need to hold your breath much between breathing in and out as you'll be using slow rhythmic breathing.
After you fill your abdomen to a comfortable point,
Breathe out through the mouth,
Slowly pushing the air out and completely deflating your abdomen.
You want to completely empty the lungs so after pushing the air out you may need to take a few gentle short breaths to completely expel the breath from your lungs.
If any thoughts arise while you are breathing you need to keep bringing your focus back to the breath and body.
Your thoughts will increase your anxiety and keep you stuck in mind and not in your body.
Continue repeating the breath gently and slowly.
Slowly in and slowly out.
There is no rush,
No destination,
But to become present and with your body.
Your only goal here is to soothe and nurture your nervous system and let it know you are there.
Keep breathing gently in through your nose,
Very slow and controlled.
And then breathe out very slowly,
Very controlled.
Continue doing this at your own pace,
But as slow as possible so that your entire body gets the cue to slow down.
If at any point you become upset or emotional,
If difficult feelings arise or if you become fearful,
It may be helpful and necessary to wrap your arms around yourself and say,
I'm here,
You are safe,
I love you,
I'm not going anywhere,
I won't leave you.
Often if you have experienced trauma,
Especially if you were abandoned,
Abused,
Or not cared for well as a child,
As an adult you need to become the parent you needed to your inner child and let it know you were there,
That you will take care of that inner child,
You aren't going anywhere,
Your inner child can trust you,
Finally it can trust somebody.
It's okay to repeat these things to yourself while embracing yourself or while breathing in and out.
Continue on with slow,
Gentle breaths as long as you need until you feel yourself completely relaxed,
The panic subsiding.
Sometimes you feel the effects right away,
Sometimes it takes some time,
Especially if you're highly agitated,
And sometimes you have to do it over and over again and again.
But take as much time as you need because with time and consistency your nervous system will start to feel calm,
And feel the power of your presence and your love.
Laughing
