Welcome,
Find a comfortable seated or lying position,
Allow your body to soften,
Let your shoulders relax away from your ears,
Gently close your eyes if that feels comfortable for you.
Today's practice is an invitation to reset your nervous system through the power of your breath.
There is nowhere to be,
Nothing to fix and nothing to force,
Just breathe.
Take a slow inhale through the nose and exhale softly through the mouth,
Again inhale deeply and exhale letting go of tension.
One more time,
Breathing in calm and breathing out stress.
Begin to notice the natural rhythm of your breath,
Feel the rise of the chest,
The expansion of the belly,
The gentle release on the exhale.
Now we'll begin a calming breathing pattern.
Inhale through the nose for four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale slowly for six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Again inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Continue at your own pace with every inhale inviting safety,
With every exhale soften tension.
Allow the exhale to become smooth and effortless.
Your body is receiving the message that it is safe to relax.
Now place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly.
We'll continue with a gentle coherence breathing rhythm.
Inhale through the nose for five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One and exhale through the nose for five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Slow and steady breathing in and breathing out.
Allow your breath to flow like gentle ocean waves.
If thoughts arise simply return to the breath.
With each breath your nervous system settles,
Your heart rate slows,
Your muscles soften,
Your mind becomes quieter.
You do not need to carry everything right now,
Just this breath,
Just this moment.
Feel yourself becoming more grounded,
More present,
More connected to yourself.
Now allow the breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Notice how you feel,
Maybe calmer,
Maybe lighter,
Maybe simply more aware.
Take a deep inhale through the nose and exhale with the sigh.
Feel the support beneath you,
Feeling the air on your skin,
Feeling yourself here.
As we close this practice remember your breath is always available to you,
A tool for grounding,
For calming,
For returning home to yourself.
Take one final deep breath in and a complete breath out.
When you're ready gently wiggle your fingers and toes and softly open your eyes.
Thank you for breathing with me today.
