Hello and welcome to the official launch of The Daily Insight.
My name is Tara Brach and I am a teacher here on Insight Timer.
Today's meditation focuses on relieving stress and anxiety and if you wish it can help you in getting to sleep.
Please find a comfortable position.
And whether you are lying down or sitting you might experiment with placing one hand gently on your belly and resting the other hand on your heart.
Become aware of your breathing and consciously lengthen the breath a long slow in-breath now.
And then slowly release the breath so the length of the exhale is matched with the length of the inhale.
Breathing in again a long slow deep in-breath counting to five.
And exhale relaxing outward counting to five.
And a long deep in-breath and a slow out-breath so that you can feel the sensations of the breath releasing through the nostrils.
Breathing in long deep in-breath and releasing the breath letting go,
Letting go.
And again a full deep in-breath and a long slow out-breath.
And now allowing your breath to resume in its natural rhythm sensing how fully you can relax with the inflow and the out-flow.
Feeling the breath just as it is witnessing it receiving this life-breath.
And continuing with this relaxed breathing as you begin to scan through the body releasing any tension you might be carrying.
You might bring a slight smile to the mouth.
You might bring a slight smile to the lips.
Feeling the inside of the mouth smiling.
You might smile into the eyes and sense your whole face softening,
Relaxing.
Feel the shoulders from the inside out and imagine ice melting to water,
Dissolving,
Releasing and then water to gas,
Letting go.
Let your hands rest in a very soft and easy way.
Feeling the chest open and smiling into the heart visualizing and sensing that curve of a smile filling the heart and chest area.
Now with this next breath let it be received in a softening belly.
This breath and now this one and again relaxing,
Loosening through the belly.
You might even imagine the curve of a smile visualizing and feeling that spreading through the whole navel and abdominal region.
Relaxing down through the pelvic area,
Relaxing through the legs and down through the feet.
If you feel your body all at once you can sense it is a field of sensation,
Floating,
Relaxed,
Safe and at ease.
Sense with the in-breath that you are receiving a gentle flow of soothing,
Healing energy from the universe.
Letting it fill your body.
And with the exhale letting go into the universe,
Sensing the sound and space around you,
Releasing into this receptive openness.
If there is any tension,
Pain or fear in your body let the tender touch of your hand on your heart.
Offer comfort.
Send a stream of caring,
Soothing energy to the place of discomfort.
You might offer a message of care such as,
I am here.
It's okay.
You can relax.
If you find your mind is drifted into thoughts,
Gently relax open your attention,
Listening to sounds around you,
Letting go again through the body,
Softening the shoulders,
The hands,
Relaxing your belly,
Your heart and again resting in the inflow and outflow of the breath.
Continue breathing in,
Receiving a soothing stream of energy,
Breathing out,
Letting go and entrusting yourself into a larger belonging.
Life and at home in this flowing breath,
At home in this moment,
In this life.
Rest in the breath like a raft gently moving with the waves,
Peaceful and at home moment by moment in this changing life.
You might sense how fully you can let go,
Entrusting yourself to the waves,
Safe and at home in this breath,
At home in this moment,
At home in this life.
Namaste and blessings.
