Anxiety happens to the best of us, and it can easily take control of us fast. When we get anxious, we often get faster – whether it is in our breathing, actions or thinking.
Anxiety tends to make us reactive and feel a little tight within – almost like we are suffocating - and if we let anxiety really sink in deep and take hold that is when we may even have an anxiety induced panic attack.
A great remedy for anxiety is to slow everything down. Slow the breathing, slow the thinking, slow the doing. Slow right down and make space for yourself. That is what today’s meditation is designed to do.
Find yourself a comfortable safe space. You may like to sit up, lay down - find a position that feels good for you. Experiment with pillows and yoga bolsters – you may want to put a pillow under your knees or sit a bolster on top of your hips or thighs. Once you have found your comfortable position make sure your spine is straight – with your head over your heart and your heart over your hips. Rest palms facing upward if it is comfortable.
Hit play and enjoy...
TRANSCRIPT
Find yourself a comfortable safe space. You may like to sit up, lay down - find a position that feels good for you. Experiment with pillows and yoga bolsters – you may want to put a pillow under your knees or sit a bolster on top of your hips or thighs.
Once you have found your comfortable position make sure your spine is straight – with your head over your heart and your heart over your hips. Rest palms facing upward if it is comfortable.
Close the eyes. Relax the shoulders.
Begin by taking a big, long deep inhale. Then exhaling completely.
Breathing in your own time – to your own natural rhythm.
Relax the jaw, cheeks and bring a gentle smile to your lips.
Smooth out the space between your eyebrows.
Relax your forehead, scalp, and crown of your head.
With each breath invite yourself to soften and relax
I will give you a minute to just breath.
Breathing in deeply - Inviting in space and stillness.
Exhaling completely – letting it all go
Softening, quietening, allowing. Gently falling into a space that feels warm, comforting, and safe.
Breathing in
Breathing out
Relax and expand into this space where you reside in the here and now
Breathing in
Breathing out
Bring some awareness to your chest and your heart space.
Wherever you are - come into the role of the observer
Focus on the heart space and just allow feelings to arise. Just notice them.
Notice if you feel tight in any parts of the body. Just bring your awareness to those areas.
Bring a softness and awareness to any areas of pain or tension.
The only thing you need to do is be the observer. Notice what emotions and thoughts arise.
We are going to use the breath to clear any emotions or thoughts that are not serving you.
If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, on edge, stressed or anxious the breath will help dissolve and release these feelings that you may be stuck in.
Take a couple of breathes.
Gently falling deeper and deeper into the stillness. You are settling in and gently arriving at the present moment.
Breathing in…. Acknowledging that you chose to take care of yourself by doing this meditation today.
Breathing in
Breathing out
Remind yourself that you have the power to control what emotions and reactions affect you.
As you settle into your space in the here and now –invite yourself to choose emotions that nurture and support you.
Start to notice the breath
You don’t have to do anything. Just breathe naturally - noticing the natural ebb and flow.
Notice what it feels like when you breathe in
Notice what it feels like when you breathe out
Bring your awareness to your chest – your heart space. The area in the body that tends to get tight and constricted when anxiety creeps in.
See if you can gently lift the heart a little. It doesn’t have to be physical – it can be energetically.
Breathing in – feel the heart lift a little as the breath travels down deep into the body
As you exhale feel yourself get softer – more relaxed
Use your inhale to find an expansion in the body – lifting the chest and drawing the breath deep down into the belly
Use the exhale to soften, release and surrender
You’re doing great – stay with the breath. Eyes closed, body relaxed, lots of awareness around your heart centre, chest, sternum
We are now going to inhale to the count of four. Inhale 1 2 3 4 and exhale let it all go
Again inhale 1234 and exhale. Notice how you feel. Stay present.
We are now going to expand on this breathing. We are going to hold the inbreath for a count of 4. Before we begin take one last breathe in and exhale – let it all go.
Let’s begin. Inhale 1234 Hold for 4 3 2 1 and then exhale completely
We will now add the final step where we exhale for four.
Before we begin take one big breath in and exhale completely. Softening fingers, shoulders, and feet.
Let’s begin. Inhaling for 1234 Retaining for 4321 Exhaling for 4321
Keep the body soft. Remain aware. Be the observer.
Inhaling for 1234. Retaining for 4321 Exhaling for 4321
Inhaling for 1234. Retaining for 4321 Exhaling for 4321
The chest is relaxing. The breath is dissolving the anxiety
Inhaling for 1234. Retaining for 4321 Exhaling for 4321
Inhaling for 1234. Retaining for 4321 Exhaling for 4321
The breath is cleansing. The heart space is expanding
Inhaling for 1234. Retaining for 4321 Exhaling for 4321
Inhaling for 1234. Retaining for 4321 Exhaling for 4321
The breath is washing away negative emotions and thoughts.
The heart feels light and open
Breathing normally – naturally.
Take a few moments to rest in this space of stillness
Bring your awareness to the sounds in the room
Bring your awareness to the room
Bring your awareness to you meditating in the room
Invite some gentle movement into the body.
Move the head side to side
Roll the shoulders
Wiggle the fingers. Wiggle the toes
Wake up the body
Slowly open your eyes – keeping a soft gaze
Take your time bringing yourself back into your day
