To take a moment to arrive in the shape that feels most supportive for you today.
That could be lying down,
Seated or resting with props.
There's no way that's right that you can do this.
And if it feels helpful,
You can allow the eyes to close or keep them softly open,
Resting your gaze.
Begin by noticing that you are here,
Breathing,
Supported by the surface beneath you.
There's nothing to fix,
Nothing to solve.
This practice is an invitation to rest with overwhelm.
Not to push it away,
Not to sort it out,
But to meet it in a way that feels more spacious.
And you may choose to set a simple intention for this practice.
Something steady and kind.
It might be a phrase like,
I can take this one moment at a time.
Or,
I'm allowed to go gently.
And if no words come,
That's okay.
You can rest without an intention.
And next,
Bring your attention to the points of contact between your body and the floor,
The chair or the bed.
Whatever surface you're resting on.
Notice that you are held in several places.
Notice the weight of the body being received.
And even if it feels like everything is a lot,
There is support here.
And if it feels okay,
You may notice your breath.
There's no need to change it,
Just observing.
Breathing in,
Arriving.
And breathing out,
Leaving.
And if the breath doesn't feel like a helpful place to rest your attention,
You can choose something else.
You might notice the feeling of your hands resting.
The texture of clothing against your skin.
The temperature of the air on your face.
The gentle pressure where your body meets the surface beneath you.
Alternatively,
You might listen for a sound.
Something close by or further away.
Let your attention rest wherever it feels easiest.
There's no right place to focus.
You can stay with one anchor or gently move between them.
And if the mind wanders,
That's part of the practice.
Each time you notice,
You're already returning.
Returning here and now.
We'll begin a slow journey of attention through the body.
There's nothing you need to feel.
Just let the awareness move lightly.
The right hand,
Palm,
Fingers,
Thumb.
Right wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder.
Left hand,
Palm,
Fingers,
Thumb.
Left wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder.
Both shoulders together.
Upper back,
Space between the shoulder blades.
Chest,
The gentle movement of breath.
Belly,
Softening.
Lower back,
Pelvis,
Hips.
Right thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Foot,
Toes.
Left thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Foot,
Toes.
Both legs together,
Resting.
Neck,
Jaw,
Mouth,
Cheeks,
Eyes,
Forehead.
The entire head.
The whole body.
Present.
Held.
And now gently bring to mind the feeling of too much.
Not a specific story,
Just the sense of overwhelm itself.
There's no need to go into it deeply.
Just notice how it shows up in the body.
Maybe there's a tightness,
Some pressure,
Restlessness.
It could even be numbness.
Whatever is here is okay.
See if it's possible to let this feeling be here without needing to change it.
And also notice,
Is there any place in the body that feels neutral?
Or even slightly okay?
And you might shift your attention between the two very gently.
Overwhelm.
And something that feels a little more settled.
Back and forth.
At your own pace.
You're not getting rid of anything.
You're allowing space for more than one experience.
You might repeat it silently if it feels supportive.
This feels like a lot,
But I can go gently.
Now we'll explore a few natural contrasts.
There's nothing that you need to create.
Just notice what's already here.
Too much and just enough.
Sensing the feeling of too much.
Full and crowded.
And now gently shift just enough.
A sense of one small thing.
One moment.
Too much and just enough.
Overwhelm and steadiness.
Bringing awareness to overwhelm again.
The intensity,
The fullness.
And now notice steadiness.
The ground beneath you.
The rhythm of breath.
Something that doesn't need to change.
Overwhelm and steadiness.
And now tightness in space.
Noticing any tightness in the body.
Whether it's holding or bracing.
And now inviting space.
Even a small amount.
Around the breath.
Around sensation.
Tightness and space.
And next effort and ease.
First sensing effort.
Trying,
Managing.
Holding it all together.
And now ease.
Nothing to solve right now.
Even 1% less effort.
Effort and ease.
And next containment and expansion.
Noticing the edges of the body.
The skin holding you together.
Contained.
Now sensing expansion.
The space around you.
The room.
The air.
The wider field.
Contained and expanded.
And then letting all of these begin to settle.
Nothing to hold on to.
Nothing to push away.
Just resting as things move and shift.
And bringing attention to something steady.
It could be the breath.
Or the weight of the body.
The feeling of the support beneath you.
Or simply the fact that you are here.
Let that steadiness sink in.
Even when things feel like too much there can be something steady alongside.
And if you set an intention earlier gently return to it now.
Notice how it lands.
You might repeat it softly.
And begin to notice the space around you.
The sounds in the room.
The temperature of the air.
Feel the body again.
Whole and present.
There's no rush.
When you're ready small movements can begin.
Fingers.
Toes.
Maybe a stretch.
Letting the world come back slowly.
And you might take a moment to notice even if everything felt like a lot.
Was there a part of you,
Any part,
That was able to soften?
Or rest?
May you carry that with you.
I want to thank you for taking care of yourself today.
Namaste.
