Hello and welcome to this guided meditation to help you ease feelings of stress and overwhelm.
Begin by finding a quiet and comfortable position.
You can decide whether you would like to sit or to lie down,
Maybe even wrapped in a blanket for extra comfort.
Close your eyes if it feels safe to do so and take a slow,
Low breath into your belly.
Breathe in through your nose and exhale slowly through a gentle parting of your lips.
See if you can become aware of places in your body where you might be holding tension.
Notice your shoulders,
Notice your jaw,
Notice your forehead and notice your hips.
If you feel as though you are holding any tension in these places,
Gently imagine sending your breath into these places.
And as you exhale,
Imagine the tension being released.
Breathe into your shoulder and as you exhale,
Release any tension.
Breathe into your jaw and as you exhale,
Let go of any clenching.
Breathe into your forehead and as you exhale,
Soften any creases across your brow.
Sometimes our emotions can be held like tension in our body.
Take another deep breath into your belly and exhale fully.
This time as you breathe in,
Imagine allowing your breath to move into any places of stress or worry in your mind.
Release through the exhale in the same way you invited the tension in your shoulders,
Jaw and forehead to release.
Breathing into stress or worry and releasing on the exhale.
Begin to notice your breath.
Feel the natural rhythm of your breath as it flows in and out.
Inhale low and slow.
Notice perhaps the cool air entering your nostrils and exhale.
Imagine any feelings of tension or anxiety being gently released.
Breathing in,
Feel cool air entering in through your nostrils.
And as you exhale,
Releasing any feelings of tension or anxiety.
Continue to watch the gentle rhythm of your breath.
Imagine yourself standing at the edge of your favourite body of water.
It could be your favourite beach or a lakeside or a gentle river.
The water is peaceful,
Steady and rhythmic.
And the sky is clear and opening out all around you.
With each inhale,
You begin to notice the gentle breeze on your skin.
And with each exhale,
You release any feelings of overwhelm or any thoughts that feel overwhelming.
Watch yourself walking slowly towards the water's edge.
With each step,
You become more immersed in this peaceful scene.
All your senses gently immersed in the sights,
Sounds and smells of this safe and comfortable place.
The earth beneath your feet is soft and supportive.
You notice that in your hand you are holding several small round pebbles.
Notice the texture and the sense and quality of the weight of each of them in your hand.
With each breath,
Imagine yourself gently releasing one pebble at a time.
One by one,
You let another pebble go.
These pebbles represent whatever feelings of stress or tension or overwhelm you might be holding.
As you release each pebble,
Feel a sense of lightness and relief washing over you.
Continue to breathe and let go of any worries or burdens.
Allowing them to dissolve into the vastness of this great body of water in front of you.
Know that it is okay to let go.
It is okay to let go of these feelings and make space for clarity and peace.
Notice yourself standing,
Hands now empty,
Breathing low and slow.
Take a moment to appreciate the stillness and serenity that surrounds you in this place.
Feel the steady support of the ground beneath you and the vast expanse of the sky above.
In this moment,
You are free from overwhelm.
You are steady and you are home.
Take a few more low,
Slow breaths.
Feeling the gentle rise and fall of your chest and belly.
With each inhale and exhale,
When you are ready,
Slowly bring your awareness back to your body.
When you feel ready,
Gently open your eyes and take a moment to acknowledge the steadiness and clarity you've cultivated within yourself.
You can carry this sense of calm with you as you navigate your day.
Knowing as well that you can always return to this inner landscape of grounding and vastness wherever you are and whenever you need.
Thank you for dedicating this time to yourself and for sharing your practice with me.
You are stronger than you might think sometimes and you have the ability to find support when and where you need.
You are welcome to return to this meditation whenever you need to find a sense of peace amidst the day-to-day overwhelm.
