Hello and welcome to your nervous system shift meditation for guiding your nervous system towards safety and connection.
In this meditation we're going to be starting with some grounding techniques to bring us into the room,
Into our bodies and then we're going to be using the breath to influence the nervous system.
We're then going to be working with affirmations once we've brought our nervous system into a parasympathetic response or the rest and digest,
Healing,
Connected and safe aspect of our nervous system.
So we'll begin by bringing our awareness to our bodies.
You can do this either seated or lying down,
Finding a comfortable position and I invite you to close your eyes.
Feel yourself supported by the surface beneath you,
Maybe you're sitting on a chair or lying in a bed or the floor.
Notice the parts of your body that are connected to the surface.
Maybe you feel your feet on the floor,
The back of your body on the couch or the bed.
Allow all these parts to really relax into the support of the surface.
Relax your body deeper with every exhale and allow your mind to surrender,
Imagining it softening in the arms of the physical container that is your body and the surface beneath you.
Now bring your awareness to the sensation of the clothes on your skin,
Any areas of coolness or warmth.
Feel the sensation of the air on the parts of your skin that are bare,
Feeling all of the outside space around you.
We're going to travel the awareness now to the sensations of the air entering and exiting the nostrils.
Notice the qualities of these sensations here.
Maybe you connect to the coolness of the air coming in as you breathe in or the warmth of the air coming out as you breathe out.
Notice if you can feel the air passing more so through one nostril than the other or if the passage of air in and out of your body feels equal.
Now we're going to intentionally imagine breathing in more air through the left nostril and more air passing out of the left nostril.
Do this at your own pace for a few more cycles.
There's no need to force anything,
Simply see what you can do to guide your imagination and guide your awareness of sensation towards the left nostril.
Just briefly,
I'm going to invite us to close our right nostril with our right thumb and continue to breathe through the left nostril.
Just experience that breath with the added physical support of the right nostril being closed by the right thumb.
Each nostril is connected to the opposite side of the brain and when we breathe predominantly through one nostril,
We're activating that opposite side of the brain.
This happens naturally throughout several cycles throughout the day.
The dominance of each nostril is naturally going to change.
You might notice that when we're predominantly breathing through our right nostril that we might be more alert,
Activated.
Maybe we'll be more effective at being busy and getting things done or maybe we'll find ourselves a little bit more reactive.
Equally when we're in a cycle throughout the day where predominantly the breath is flowing in and out of the left nostril,
You might find that we're a bit more relaxed,
Maybe even a bit more sleepy.
That's because we're connected to the activation of the right brain through the left nostril.
You can remove your right thumb and bring it to a comfortable space.
When and if you're ready,
You're very welcome to continue breathing predominantly through your left nostril or you can breathe equally through both nostrils or you can simply release any intention with the breath and breathe naturally.
Just notice now,
Do you notice a difference when we started this activity breathing through the left nostril?
Do you notice a difference between the nostrils?
Was one dominant at the beginning and is the different one dominant now?
Just attune yourself to any subtle changes throughout the body and throughout the activity and quality of your thoughts,
Your mind and even your emotions.
Now that we have prepared our physiology to be in a space of openness,
Safety and connectedness,
We're going to align our energy and our consciousness with some affirmations.
As I speak each affirmation,
I invite you to imagine these words and the frequency of these words landing,
Looming and emerging from the space just above your navel,
Below your ribs,
Your core.
As I speak these affirmations,
I invite you to say them to yourself in your head or out loud and allow the energy to grow from within you,
Blooming like lotuses from your core.
Trust however this process unfolds for your unique system,
From your unique imagination and allow the magic intelligence of your body and your soul to lead the way.
I am safe.
I am safe.
I am safe.
I am loved.
I am loved.
I am loved.
I am resilient.
I am resilient.
I am resilient.
I am protected.
I am protected.
I am protected.
I am at home in myself.
I am at home in myself.
I am at home in myself.
I am at home in my body.
I am at home in my body.
I am at home in my body.
I am my own best friend.
I am my own best friend.
I am my own best friend.
I am exactly where I need to be.
I am exactly where I need to be.
I am exactly where I need to be.
I can trust in life.
I can trust in life.
I can trust in life.
I love myself.
I love myself.
I love myself.
I am at peace.
I am at peace.
I am at peace.
Allow your breath to be long and slow.
Allowing the breath to move and flow with any emotions that came up during those affirmations.
And allow the energy in the body to flow as well.
Noticing any places of tension or resistance that have arisen and just exhaling them.
Beautiful.
Now gently begin to gather your awareness back to your body.
Feeling your body supported by the surfaces below.
And take a moment here to appreciate your body's abilities and all that it does for you every day.
It's your constant companion through this life regulating you as best as it can,
As best as it's been taught.
In every moment.
If you wish you can place one hand on your belly,
One hand on your heart or anywhere that feels comforting for you.
And allow yourself to even just imagine that safety,
That wholeness and connection in your body in this moment.
Travel your awareness back to the passage of your breath at the nostrils.
And take a moment to appreciate the constancy of the breath as another companion through life.
If you feel to you can give yourself a little hug or even bring a little smile to your lips.
Once again,
Even if it just starts with your imagination,
Connect to a feeling of safety and connection on this earth in this moment.
And the body will follow.
I hope you're feeling calmer and more connected to yourself and to life after this meditation.
Take as much time as you need to come out of this space and know you can come back to these affirmations or the left nostril breathing at any time.
Whenever you're ready,
You may open your eyes.
Thank you.
