Welcome.
This meditation is an invitation to slow down,
To gently shift your body out of doing and into being.
There's nothing you need to fix,
Nothing you need to achieve.
You're simply allowing your nervous system to remember how to rest.
Take a moment now to get comfortable.
You might be lying down or sitting,
Allowing your body to be fully supported.
And when you're ready,
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Begin by noticing the natural rhythm of your breath.
No need to change it yet,
Just observe.
Notice where the breath is most present for you today.
Maybe in the chest,
The belly or the gentle movement of your ribs.
Let your awareness settle there,
As if you're listening quietly from the inside.
And as you continue to breathe,
Invite your shoulders to soften,
Your jaw to unclench,
Your tongue to rest easily in your mouth.
If thoughts arise,
That's completely okay.
Each time you notice them,
Gently return your attention to the breath.
Your body has a built-in system designed for rest,
Repair and restoration.
This is known as the parasympathetic response.
It's the state your body naturally enters when it feels safe enough to slow down.
In this meditation,
You're not forcing relaxation.
You're simply creating the conditions that allow calm to emerge on its own.
Now gently begin to deepen your breath.
Inhale slowly through the nose to a comfortable count of four.
And exhale gently through the mouth for a count of six.
Let the exhale be a little longer than the inhale,
Signaling to your nervous system that it's safe to soften.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Continue at your own pace,
Slow and unhurried.
With each exhale,
Imagine your body settling more deeply into the surface beneath you,
As if gravity itself is holding you.
Now bring your awareness to the centre of your chest.
You don't need to visualize anything specific.
Simply sense this area,
Often associated with ease and regulation.
As you breathe,
Imagine the breath gently moving in and out through this space.
If it feels supportive,
You might place a hand on your chest or your belly.
Allow that simple touch to communicate reassurance to your body.
Silently,
You might say to yourself,
In this moment,
I am safe.
In this moment,
I can rest.
Let these words land softly without effort.
Now imagine this calm state slowly spreading through your body.
From your chest,
Down through your belly,
Your hips,
Your legs,
All the way to the soles of your feet.
And then gently upward,
Through your shoulders,
Your arms,
Your hands,
Up through your neck,
Your face,
Your scalp.
Any place that feels tight or guarded is gently invited to soften.
Not because it has to,
But because it's allowed to.
For the next few moments,
There's nothing to guide.
Just rest here,
Breathing,
Sensing,
Allowing.
If your mind wanders,
That's okay.
Each return to the breath is another signal of safety.
You are letting your nervous system do what it already knows how to do.
Now slowly begin to bring your awareness back to the room around you.
Notice the surface beneath your body,
The sounds nearby,
The gentle rhythm of your breath.
Recognize that this calm state is something you can return to again and again.
Even a few slow exhales can begin to activate this response.
As you prepare to open your eyes,
Take one final slow breath in and a long,
Easy breath out.
When you're ready,
Gently open your eyes or lift your gaze.
Carry this sense of deep calm with you,
Knowing your body has the capacity to rest,
Reset and restore.
Thank yourself for taking this time.
