Welcome.
Thank you for joining me today for this mindful practice.
We all get into stressful situations from time to time,
So it's not about eliminating stress from our lives,
But about how we manage it and react to it.
When you encounter something that stresses you out a medium amount,
You need to manage this stress so that it doesn't build up into more,
Which will surely disrupt your daily routine.
Things that are medium stressors are like,
You have a deadline coming up sooner than you thought,
And now you have a lot to do in a short time,
Or you have a social dinner to attend,
And you really don't want to see some of the people that will be there.
Obviously,
You know that you are to blame if you procrastinate a deadline,
But if you let stress get the better of you,
It distracts you from being able to focus.
Also,
If you really don't want to go to dinner with these people but you know you have to,
You can take steps to manage the stress,
So that you can get through the dinner without harming yourself from the ill effects of stress.
When you are stressed,
You cannot focus.
So on the other hand,
When you focus,
You cannot be stressed.
So let's focus on our breath right now.
What is it like right now?
Feel your belly expand and contract with your breath.
Feel your chest gently rising and falling.
Can you feel the air passing through your nose softly as you breathe?
Notice every single detail about your breath that you can.
Feel it filling all the different areas as you inhale.
Is the air warm or cool?
Good.
Let's take three big deep breaths now and pay attention to how each breath feels.
1.
Breathing in as much as you can until you are brimming with air,
Hold it for just a moment,
And exhale,
Allowing relaxation to come to you.
2.
Pulling air fully into your body,
Oxygenating yourself,
Hold it,
And exhale,
Allowing you to become even more relaxed.
3.
Last one,
So make it a really good one,
Fully in,
Hold it,
And exhale,
Feeling much more relaxed than when you started.
4.
Great.
You may notice that breathing with intention is a very powerful tool in changing your state of mind.
If you feel you need to relax even more,
You can repeat these three powerful breaths at any time.
5.
Breathing deeply and fully is helpful in any situation,
But especially during the more difficult times in our lives.
Another wonderful tool that you can use when you are experiencing a moderate stress level is nature.
Viewing nature is very relaxing and calming to every human.
You can either go to a place where there are tall trees or nice grass.
You can take a walk around your neighborhood or workplace and pay attention to the plants around you.
Plants and trees do provide us with oxygen after all,
So we do greatly need them.
So when you find stress is beginning to build in you,
Take a walk or gaze out the window into nature.
Be grateful for nature when you see it.
Thank nature in your mind for all the relaxation it brings to everyone around the world.
If you cannot get to a place outdoors,
You can simply imagine it.
Let's imagine right now we are in a beautiful garden,
So if you haven't already done so,
Close your eyes.
You close your eyes,
A wave of relaxation sweeps over you,
And you see that you are in a beautiful garden.
There is a soft and natural path through the garden that you begin to walk down.
In this garden,
There are so many exquisite plants producing the most beautiful flowers you have ever seen.
The trees around you are thriving and tall.
The trees sway in the wind with grace,
Back and forth,
Back and forth.
You look down at the smaller shrubs and plants that are passing by as you walk along this path,
And you can see their leaves of various kinds being caressed by the wind.
Some leaves are waxy and reflect the sunlight,
While others are soft and delicate.
You take a deep breath in of this fresh air these plants produce for you,
And you catch the aroma of a gorgeous flower.
You look around to see who is producing this fragrance,
And spot the most beautiful white flower you have ever seen.
It is huge,
Almost the size of a dinner plate,
And it smells sweeter than any rose.
You get closer to this flower,
And the fragrance is mesmerizing.
You are right up next to this flower now,
And you bend down,
Smell it even closer.
When you inhale its beauty,
The aroma of this flower heals you in all kinds of ways.
The sweet smell eliminates stress in your mind and body.
Inhale another deep breath in your nose.
The aroma is healing your body and any illnesses or ailments.
Take in another breath of its beauty,
And you feel it completely relax you and set you at ease.
Good,
You haven't felt this nice in a very long time,
So say goodbye to this flower and thank it for everything it gave you.
And continue down the path through nature.
It is beautiful here,
And you feel safe here.
You can feel the gentle sun rays on your skin,
And how it brings you nutrients.
Just enjoy being in your garden for a little while.
Great,
Now walk back along the path the way you came,
And say goodbye to all the beautiful nature that you saw here.
You can always come back to this place by simply remembering it,
And allow the thought of nature to simply eliminate all of your stress.
I am going to count from 1 to 5 now,
And with each word I say,
You will become more and more aware of the present moment,
And ready to go about your day.
1.
Coming back now.
2.
Bringing back the memory of nature with you.
3.
Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
4.
Feeling stress-free and ready to achieve anything.
5.
Welcome back,
And enjoy the rest of your day.
