Every day with or without conscious thought we are regulating our nervous systems and hopefully effectively managing and coping with our emotions.
This meditation will help you do that.
When we feel calm we are grounded,
Present and curious but when stress overwhelms us we can either become on edge or perhaps shut down.
Recognizing these states is key to expanding our capacity to tolerate life's daily stresses.
In this meditation we will activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
In other words we will slow your nervous system helping you to come down from an alert state to a much calmer one.
So I invite you now to find a comfortable position sitting with your feet resting on the floor.
Either close your eyes or lower your gaze whichever you prefer and place one hand on your heart and the other hand on your abdomen just below your ribcage and when you're ready just breathe out for one breath to reset your natural breathing pattern.
Now take a deep breath in up through your nose and allow it to go down into the depths of your lungs and then through your mouth breathe out gently as if you're blowing out a candle.
Notice your hands moving as you do so.
Repeating once again,
Take a deep breath in up through your nose and allow it to go down into the depths of your lungs and then through your mouth breathe out gently as if you're blowing out a candle.
Notice your hands moving as you do so.
Repeating once again,
Take a deep breath in up through your nose and allow it to go down deep into the depths of your lungs.
Breathe out gently as if you're blowing out a candle.
Let's repeat.
Take a deep breath in up through your nose and allow it to go down into the depths of your lungs.
And then through your mouth breathe out gently as if you're blowing out a candle.
Let's repeat.
Take a deep breath in up through your nose and allow it to go down into the depths of your lungs.
And then through your mouth breathe out gently as if you're blowing out a candle.
Let's repeat.
Take a deep breath in up through your nose and allow it to go down into the depths of your lungs.
And then through your mouth breathe out gently as if you're blowing out a candle.
And when you're ready just let your breath return to its natural rhythm.
These abdominal breaths allow any tightness in your chest to dissolve.
And I invite you now to experience another breathing exercise called 4-7-8 breathing,
Where we will breathe in for a count of four up through your nose.
And then we will breathe out for a count of four.
Breathe in for a count of four up through your nose.
Hold for a count of seven and then breathe out through the mouth with a whoosh sound for the count of eight.
This is a well-researched technique which can place you into a state of deep relaxation so it's worth practicing.
So let's begin.
Inhale quietly through your nose to the count of four.
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold for seven.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Let's repeat.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four.
Hold for seven.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Let's repeat.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four.
Hold for seven.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Let's repeat.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four.
Hold for seven.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Let's repeat.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four.
Hold for seven.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
And now just let your breath return to its natural rhythm and notice how you're feeling.
Just be aware of yourself sitting there,
Hand on your heart,
Hand on your abdomen.
And just take in all of the sensations,
The sounds and the feelings.
And when you're ready just open up your eyes and bring yourself back.
So there you have it,
A breathing exercise to calm your nervous system.
And with practice you will be able to regulate your nervous system and bring yourself down from an alert state to a calmer one.
My name is Hilary Hearts and thank you for meditating with me.
Till next time.
