Begin by sitting in a comfortable position.
Close your eyes if that feels right.
And just take a few moments to take a deep breath in.
And a releasing breath out.
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
Just feel yourself letting go of tension with each breath.
Now begin by grounding yourself into the earth.
Feel the support of the earth beneath you.
You might visualize or feel roots growing from the sitting bones,
The legs,
And the feet deep down into the core of Mother Earth.
And just know in this moment you are supported,
Safe,
And connected.
Now let's activate the vagus nerve through your breath.
We'll use a slow,
Extended exhale to send signals of safety and relaxation to your nervous system.
Begin by inhaling through your nose to the count of 4,
3,
2,
1.
And then exhale to the count of 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Exhale for 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
And repeat this a few times.
Inhaling for 4,
And then exhaling to the count of 6 or 8,
Whatever feels best for you.
With each slow exhale,
Feel your body softening and your mind becoming more calm.
You are activating your vagus nerve with each breath,
Inviting deep peace and relaxation within.
Now we'll stimulate the vagus nerve with a simple eye movement.
Keep your eyes closed and slowly shift your head from side to side,
Almost as if you're shaking your head no,
Nice and slow.
And just notice where you feel tension in your neck.
Now bring your head back to the center.
It might feel good to clasp the hands behind your head.
Feel your head resting into the palms of your hands.
And keeping your head still,
Gently shift your gaze all the way to the right.
You can keep your eyes closed here or open them.
Hold your gaze here for about a minute.
I'll be timing us.
And just breathe here.
Soften.
If you have a sporadic yawn or a swallow,
Bring your eyes back to center and close them if you've opened them.
If not,
Keep the gaze to the right and just keep breathing.
Inhaling for four,
Exhaling for eight.
A few more moments.
Now bring the eyes back to center.
Closing them if you opened them.
And just take a nice,
Deep inhale.
And exhale through the mouth,
Letting go.
If you opened your eyes on the last side,
Open them now.
Keeping your head still,
Gently shift your gaze to the left.
We'll be holding this for about one minute.
And just come back to your breath.
Inhaling for four and exhaling for eight.
As you keep your gaze all the way to the left,
Your head stays still and you keep looking to the left.
If you have a sporadic yawn or swallow,
Bring your eyes back to the center.
We're here for just a few more moments.
Now bring your eyes back to the center if you haven't already.
Close them.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Now gently rock your head from side to side with eyes closed.
And just notice if the tension in your neck has subsided in some way.
Come back to center,
Finding stillness.
You've activated your vagus nerve through this simple eye movement.
Take a moment to notice how your body feels.
You may feel calmer,
More grounded and present already.
Now place your hand gently over your heart center.
Feel the warmth of your hand and the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe.
This gentle touch is another way to activate the vagus nerve,
Reminding your body and your mind that you are safe,
Connected and loved.
As you continue to breathe deeply,
Imagine your heart surrounded by a soft golden light.
Let this light expand with each breath,
Filling your chest and spreading throughout your body.
Now release that visualization.
Take a moment and notice how your body feels.
Is there a sense of calm,
Lightness or ease?
You've taken the time today to activate your vagus nerve,
To bring your body out of fight or flight mode and into a state of healing.
Take one last deep breath in through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth,
Releasing any remaining tension.
And just know that this practice is always available to you.
By using your breath and eye movements and touch,
You can activate your vagus nerve and bring your body back into balance whenever you need it.
Have a beautiful day.
