Begin by taking a seated position.
Take a deep breath in and a long breath out.
If you're listening to this meditation,
Chances are you're feeling some form of stress or anxiety.
And I'm sure that you're fully aware that stress happens regardless of your best intentions.
Sometimes,
Stress and anxiety come at the most inconvenient of times.
Times when you would most like to feel calm,
Relaxed,
And at ease.
It's funny how that happens,
Isn't it?
We yearn for calm and peace,
Yet here comes anxiety skipping up to the front door.
So I'm sure you would agree that a meditation on eliminating stress would be a good thing.
Eliminating stress would be useless.
Since we cannot eliminate stress,
This meditation is about managing it in a healthy way.
Instead of pushing the anxiety away,
I invite you to work with it as it is.
Take a deep breath in and a long breath out.
When you encounter stress or anxiety,
Name it.
Accept it as it is,
Share compassion,
And breathe through it.
Speak to yourself with adoration and care.
Say something along the lines of,
You are feeling stressed right now.
It's understandable that anxiety has been activated in this situation.
I can feel your heart pounding and your hands getting sweaty.
Let's move into the breath and ease the body.
Take a deep breath in and a long breath out.
Let's focus on the breath together now.
With each inhale,
Fill the belly completely,
And with each exhale,
Empty every bit of breath out.
Notice the natural rise and fall of the chest,
The expansion and contraction of the lungs.
Feel the air passing through your nostrils slowly as you breathe in and out.
Notice as the air temperature changes from the inhale to the exhale.
Continue with this intentional awareness on the breath as I walk you through three deep breaths.
Take a deep breath in,
First filling the lungs,
And then the belly.
Hold the breath at the top of the inhale and then with ease,
Slowly letting all the breath out,
First through the belly and then through the lungs.
Again,
Take a deep breath in,
Filling the lungs,
Then the belly,
Then emptying the belly,
And then the lungs.
And last time together,
Deep breath in,
Filling the lungs,
Then the belly,
Holding,
And then slowly emptying the belly,
And then the lungs.
Begin to elongate the spine,
Reaching the crown of the head toward the heavens and anchoring the pelvis down toward the earth.
Reach the shoulders up toward the ears,
Then back and down the back body.
Claim a posture of confidence and stability,
Radiating the heart center forward.
Take a deep breath in and a long breath out.
Anytime you begin to feel stressed or anxious or the body is activated by unwanted emotional reactions,
Anchor into the breath and into the spine.
First,
Acknowledge that you are having an emotional response.
Name the emotion or emotions,
Show compassion and acceptance,
Then move your awareness into the breath.
Focusing on the breath takes the mind away from the situation or circumstances and allows for response without reaction.
You're able to feel without feeling overwhelmed.
Take a deep breath in and a long breath out.
