Calming Breath To Reduce Stress

This soothing breath meditation invites you to gently return to calm through the simple act of conscious breathing. Designed for all levels—from first-time meditators to seasoned practitioners returning to a beginner’s mind—you’ll use the breath to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting deep relaxation and emotional balance. With each inhale and exhale, you expand your window of tolerance, deactivate the stress response, and stimulate the vagus nerve to create a sense of inner safety and connection.

Benefits: Reduces stress, boosts emotional regulation, increases focus and well-being.

Music is "The Inner Calling" composed by Music of Wisdom – Licensed from https://meditationmusiclibrary.com

Transcript

Begin to settle into your position.

If you're seated,

Remove any tight clothing and allow yourself to settle.

If you're lying down,

Make sure your knees are bent,

Where you're in a position that is both restful and alert.

In this moment,

Invite your breath in by simply taking three deep breaths in and out.

And one more final breath in and out.

And as you're breathing,

Begin to notice where centering your attention on your breath occurs.

Maybe it happens when you're breathing into the nostrils or the swirling in the back of your throat or your chest or deep in your belly.

Perhaps you notice the breath above your legs.

And gently,

Whatever is the most easeful way to land into the breath,

Where there's the least amount of resistance,

See how anchoring into that is.

And if your mind begins to wander,

No problem.

Just like you would with a brand new puppy.

You wouldn't scold a puppy for changing its attention.

You just gently call the mind back like you would so tenderly and sweetly to a puppy.

Sit,

Stay.

And if it begins to wander again,

Call it back.

Sit,

Stay here in the present moment.

And if that just feels so challenging right now,

Like your thoughts are choppy,

And there's one thought after another after another,

Or if your thoughts are wandering,

Allow yourself to settle and be so gentle,

Just like you would with that puppy.

Your mind is learning new ways to come into awareness.

And just come back to the breath,

Breathing in and breathing out.

And just like waves in the ocean,

Some rise and they're giant waves and they roll into the shore.

Allow that wave to settle.

Maybe they're these tiny baby waves at the shore.

Allow them to rise and fall,

One after the other,

Landing in to the movement and the ever-changing moment to moment.

Each breath is our ability to connect in to a new layer of being.

Each breath is a new beginning.

Breathing in and breathing out.

Breathing in and breathing out.

Breathing in and breathing out.

Just sitting here for a moment in silence,

Taking three deep breaths on your own.

Feeling the rise and fall of the breath,

The movement of air,

The rejuvenation process feeding every soul,

The rejuvenation process feeding every cell in your body.

In and out.

And as you begin to bring your awareness back into the present room,

Gently tap your fingers together,

Maybe squeeze your hands a few times,

Pumping your fists,

Gently blinking your eyes open and remembering you can come back to your breath at any moment.