A Calm Place Inside You

Release anxiety and find calm.

Hello and welcome.

Take a moment to settle into a comfortable position for this meditation.

You may sit upright in a chair with your feet on the floor,

Or if you prefer,

Lie down.

Gently rest your hands in your lap or by your sides.

When you're ready,

Allow your eyes to close softly.

Begin by tuning in to your breathing,

Not changing it just yet.

Simply noticing the natural rhythm of your inhales and exhales.

This is your time to find calm.

Allow yourself to arrive fully in this moment,

Leaving aside any rush or worry from the day.

Now take a slow,

Deep breath in through your nose,

And a long,

Slow breath out through your mouth.

Feel your lungs filling completely as you inhale,

And notice any tension beginning to melt away as you exhale.

Let's do that again,

Drawing in a deep,

Nourishing breath,

And exhaling any stress or tightness.

With each breath,

Imagine you are breathing in peace,

And breathing out anxiety.

If it helps,

You can silently count,

Breathing in for a count of four,

And breathing out for a count of six or seven,

Extending your exhale.

Continue this pattern at your own pace.

Inhale deeply,

Exhale slowly.

Each breath sends a signal to your body that you are safe,

That it's okay to relax.

Feel your heartbeat gradually calming down with these slow,

Deliberate breaths.

Right now,

Nothing else matters.

Give yourself permission to be here,

Just breathing moment by moment.

Now gently return to a natural breathing rhythm.

Notice how you feel as you breathe normally.

Perhaps your breath is already a bit steadier and smoother than when you began.

Allow your breathing to continue in a comfortable,

Easy flow.

Bring your awareness to your body,

Starting at the top of your head.

We'll do a gentle scan to release any tension you might be holding.

Begin with the scalp and forehead.

Scrunch up your forehead for a second,

And then release it,

Smoothing out any creases.

Let your eyes be soft in their sockets,

Unclenching through the tiny muscles around them.

Relax your jaw,

Maybe open your mouth slightly,

And then let it close in a slack,

Loose way.

Your lips and cheeks soft.

If you notice you've been clenching your teeth,

Allow the jaw to drop and relax.

On your next inhale,

Lift your shoulders up toward your ears,

Tensing them gently.

Then exhale and drop your shoulders down,

Letting them fall away from your ears.

Feel the heaviness flowing out.

Roll your shoulders a little if that feels good,

Easing out the knots.

Let your shoulders settle in a relaxed position.

Notice how the neck feels.

If there's stiffness,

Imagine the warmth of your breath softening the neck muscles,

Smoothing out any kinks.

Relax your throat and allow the breath to flow freely.

Bring attention to your arms and hands.

You might make tight fists for a moment,

Squeezing your hands,

And then open your fingers wide,

Releasing the fists.

Let your arms fall naturally and comfortably.

Perhaps you feel a tingling as the tension leaves your arms now.

Soften your chest.

Sometimes we have a tightness in the chest or around the heart when we're anxious.

Take a nice breath into your chest,

And as you exhale,

Let your chest muscles loosen.

Feel your heart area becoming warm and open.

It's okay to feel whatever you feel.

Remind yourself that in this moment,

You are safe and you are doing something positive to help yourself.

Move your awareness to your abdomen.

Often,

We subconsciously tense our belly.

Allow your stomach to be soft.

You might even let it expand out a bit with a big breath.

There's no need to hold it in.

With each breath out,

Imagine any knots in your stomach unwinding.

Release any grip you find there,

Letting the belly fully relax.

Now,

Direct your attention to your legs,

Your thighs,

Your knees,

Your calves.

Notice if you're holding tension there.

Sometimes anxiety can feel like restlessness in the legs.

If you like,

You can tense your legs briefly,

Press your feet down or tighten the leg muscles,

And then relax.

Let your legs become heavy,

Sinking into the floor or chair.

Feel gravity supporting you.

Finally,

Bring awareness to your feet and toes.

They carry you through the day.

Now,

Just let them rest.

Wiggle your toes once and then let them be still and loose.

Scan your whole body now from head to toe,

Noticing if any area is still calling out with tension.

If so,

Breathe into that spot.

Imagine sending a warm,

Soothing breath directly there.

As you exhale,

That area releases and softens.

Your entire body is becoming calm,

From the crown of your head down through your neck and shoulders,

Through your arms and hands,

Your torso,

Your legs,

All the way to your feet.

Feel a wave of relaxation gently flowing through you,

Maybe like a gentle warm light or a soft glow washing over your body.

You are enveloped in a sense of peace.

Now that your body has begun to relax,

Let's engage the mind's eye with a bit of calming visualization.

In your mind,

Picture a place where you feel completely at ease.

This could be a real place you love,

Perhaps a quiet sandy beach at sunrise with soft golden light on the horizon,

Or maybe a peaceful green meadow or a cozy room with a crackling fireplace.

It might even be an imagined sanctuary like sitting by a clear mountain lake.

Choose whatever setting feels comforting to you.

See it as vividly as you can.

Notice the colors around you,

The shapes of nature or objects in this space.

Now imagine the sounds in this peaceful place,

Maybe gentle ocean waves lapping the shore,

Or a breeze through tall trees or the soft chirping of crickets on a warm evening.

Allure those soothing sounds to echo in your ears.

Feel the sensation of this place,

Perhaps the sun's mild warmth on your skin or the solid earth beneath you supporting your body.

You are safe here,

In this place.

Any worries that were on your mind begin to fade into the background.

If a stressful thought tries to arise,

You might see it as a small cloud in the sky above you.

It appears and then it drifts away,

Carried by the breeze.

You don't need to hold on to that cloud.

Just let it pass.

All that matters is the peace of this moment.

Spend a few breaths simply enjoying this sanctuary you've created.

Pause for a short moment.

You deserve this peace.

Know that you can return to this calm mental refuge anytime you need to.

It might be later today or tomorrow,

Or whenever anxiety starts to creep in.

You can close your eyes,

Breathe,

And visualize this safe place again to reground yourself.

Now gently let the image of that place dissolve and bring your focus back to your breath.

Notice the air flowing in and out,

Perhaps a bit slower and steadier than before.

Mentally scan your body one more time.

You may find that your muscles are more at ease.

Your heart rate is calmer.

There might even be a sense of lightness or warmth in you.

Even if you still sense some anxiety,

Acknowledge that.

It's okay.

You've given yourself a moment of rest and kindness.

Remind yourself,

I am safe.

I am calm.

I can handle whatever comes my way.

Let these words sink in.

You can even repeat silently,

I am calm.

I am okay.

Feel free to smile softly,

Knowing that you have taken this time for you.

It's time to gently close our meditation.

Start bringing your awareness back to the room you're in.

Wiggle your fingers and toes a little,

Inviting movement back into your body.

Take a nice full breath in and a releasing breath out.

Gradually blink your eyes open if they were closed and let the light back in.

Take your time.

No rush.

Notice how you feel now compared to when you began.

Hopefully you feel more relaxed,

More centered.

Even if it's just a little bit better,

Acknowledge that positive shift.

You created this state by your own practice.

Thank yourself for making time to find calm and care for your mind and body today.

You did something truly good for yourself.

As you go forward with your day or evening,

Know that you can carry this sense of peace with you.

The calm you cultivated is always within reach.

You can tap into it with a few conscious breaths whenever you need.

Before we end,

I'd like to share a gentle suggestion.

If this meditation helped you,

Consider saving it to your library so you can come back to it whenever you feel anxious or stressed.

You might also share it with a few friends or loved ones,

Perhaps the first three people who come to mind who could use a bit of calm in their lives.

Sometimes just 15 minutes of mindfulness can make a big difference in someone's day.

By sharing,

You're not only helping others,

But you're also supporting this community of calm and compassion.

Thank you for meditating with me today.

I truly hope you feel better than when you started.

Remember that you have the power to find calm anytime you need.

Keep this peace with you as you return to your activities.

Have a beautiful rest of your day.