My name is Yosra,
And thank you for practicing with me today.
Near the end of the year or month,
It can be a time of added busyness and stress.
Sometimes what we're craving is a moment to have just to ourselves.
Here is a practice for when it feels like things are starting to build up,
And we want to take a moment to slow them down.
Let's begin.
Start by settling into whatever shape,
Seat,
Position that you'd like to be in for this practice.
Landing with your feet on the ground,
Or maybe feeling your seat connected to whatever surface you're sitting on.
Allow your eyes to wander around the space,
Taking in all the lights,
Colors,
Anything they feel curious about.
Maybe you choose to let them land on a soft spot,
Softening your gaze,
Or if it feels available,
Maybe closing the eyes.
Now as you start to settle into your body,
Into this space,
You can choose to take your hands to something to hold on to.
Perhaps that's over your heart,
Over your navel,
Or you can also choose to hold on something that you'd like to incorporate into your practice,
Like a crystal,
Something that feels good to the senses,
Or maybe it's the fabric of your clothing,
Noticing its texture on the tips of your fingers and on your skin.
Let's begin by taking a deep breath in and a deep breath out.
Feel your feet connect on the ground,
Or your seat on whatever it is that you are sitting on.
Take a moment here.
Inhale,
Exhale.
One more time.
Notice if you're still holding on to tension,
Maybe in your jaw,
Starting to soften in other parts of your face.
Maybe it's in your shoulders or other spaces where you notice your body holds on to stress.
As you take an inhale,
Gently repeat in your head,
I am connected.
As you exhale,
I am calm.
Breathing in,
I am connected.
Breathing out,
I am calm.
Again,
Inhale,
I am connected.
Exhale,
I am calm.
Do this again as you continue to take deep,
Full breaths in and slow breaths out.
I am connected.
I am calm.
It's okay if your mind wanders or you lose track of the affirmation.
On your next breath in,
I am connected.
On your next breath out,
I am calm.
Breathing in deeply into your abdomen.
Exhale,
Fully emptying out the lungs.
Again,
Inhale through your nostrils.
Exhale,
Full breath in,
I am connected.
Full breath out,
I am calm.
Repeating this process and these affirmations as you breathe in and breathe out.
Breathing in,
I am connected.
Breathing out,
I am calm.
Repeating these affirmations.
Full breath in,
Full breath out.
Going with your own pace here.
Know that there is no rush.
We have all the time in the world to be here right now.
Breathing in,
I am connected.
Breathing out,
I am calm.
We'll take three more cycles of breath here.
Two more.
After your last cycle of breath,
We'll slowly start to breathe in all the way,
Filling up to the top.
Full breath in.
Open your mouth,
Sigh it out,
And let it go.
Again,
Full inhale all the way,
Filling up to the very top.
Exhale to release.
Start to invite gentle movements back into your body.
It can feel like little wiggles,
Little sways from side to side,
And maybe a gentle fluttering of your eyes back open.
You can choose to spend as much time as you like,
Or maybe you continue with these affirmations on your own.
Feel free to stack this practice with another track,
Or maybe you're feeling ready to continue with the rest of your day.
Thank you so much for taking a mindful moment with me here,
And I hope to practice with you again.
Take care.
