What was once the body's defense mechanism to run from a pack of hungry wolves,
The stress response allowed our great ancestors to mobilize energy to run to safety and ensure the survival of our species.
But today there aren't any hungry wolves chasing us,
Nor is there a big lion waiting around the corner to feast on our flesh.
Rather we have work,
Deadlines,
Traffic jams,
Financial commitments,
Relationships,
Physical appearance,
Bills,
Other personalities,
Triggering the same stressful response over and over again.
Take a moment and think about this.
How long could the body survive running from a lion 24-7?
Seven days a week,
365 days a year.
This is the case for some people who don't know how to shut off the stress response.
A student once came to his master and said,
Master,
I cannot stop stressing about what happened yesterday.
Master said,
Don't stress the could-haves.
If it should have,
It would have.
She replied,
Okay,
So I should just ignore what happened and move on?
Master responded,
What you deny or ignore,
You delay.
What you accept and face,
You conquer.
And that is exactly right.
The key to inner peace and harmony is acceptance.
Find yourself a comfortable position for this practice.
Maintain a nice straight back.
Place your hands on your knees or palms facing up if you wish to lay down for this practice.
Take a few moments to settle into your position.
Gently close your eyes and your mouth.
Let's start by taking some deep breaths.
Breathing in through the nose.
Bring out through the nose.
In through the nose.
Out through the nose.
In through the nose.
Out through the nose.
Follow your breath for the next few moments.
Bring your awareness into this present moment.
Feel your body in space and time.
What does your body feel like?
Stay in your body's physical sensations.
Breathing in through the nose.
Breathing out through the nose.
Feel your lungs expand.
Feel your lungs relax.
With each inhalation,
Open yourself to love.
With each exhalation,
Release all your fear.
Breathing in love.
Breathing out fear.
Breathing in love.
Breathing out fear.
Open yourself to success.
Inhaling success.
Exhaling out all your stress.
Inhaling success.
Exhaling out all your stress.
Inhaling success.
Exhaling out all your stress.
Open yourself to compassion.
Inhaling compassion.
Exhaling all your tension.
Inhaling compassion.
Exhaling all your tension.
Inhaling all your tension.
Inhaling all your tension.
Open yourself to joy.
Inhaling joy.
Exhaling out all your stress.
Inhaling joy.
Exhaling out all your stress.
Inhaling joy.
Exhaling out all your stress.
With each in going breath,
Open yourself up to potential.
With each outgoing breath,
Release all your doubt.
Opening.
Releasing.
Opening.
Releasing.
Opening.
Releasing.
Continue this practice.
Continue this practice.
Continue this practice.
Continue this practice.
Now let it all go.
Let your thoughts go.
You are not your thoughts.
Let your concepts go.
You are not your concepts.
Let your ideas go.
You are not your ideas.
Let all your emotional reactions go.
You are not your emotions.
Let all your feelings go.
You are not your feelings.
Now let your body go.
You are not your body.
Completely let go.
Experience this moment as if you were nobody.
In no time.
In no space.
A complete oneness with the magic of this movement.
Letting it all go with each breath.
Allowing your body to fully relax.
Your mind can get in the way at times.
Disabling the body to fully relax.
Let your mind go.
Disengage from your mind.
Let your outside world go.
Disengage from your outside world.
Just be with each breath.
Nothing is more important for this practice.
With each exhale let go even more.
Allowing your body to fully relax.
Relax your body.
Feel your mind and body becoming one with this present moment.
Allow each breath to take you into a deeper state of relaxation.
Immerse yourself in this relaxation for the rest of this practice.
Feel your body.
Feel your body.
Feel your body.
You You You You You
