Hey brother,
Hey sister,
If you've arrived here feeling wet down,
Tense or caught in anxious thoughts,
Then this space is for you.
Your body may feel tense,
Your thoughts may be racing,
Or you feel a wave of pressure that's hard to handle.
You don't need to push it away,
Right now,
We'll work with it,
Step by step,
So your nervous system can calm down.
So this is your time to breathe,
To soften,
And to remember that heaviness doesn't have to stay with you.
So close your eyes if you like,
And allow your body to settle into stillness.
Notice that you're safe here,
And take a slow breath in through the nose,
And let it fall out of your mouth.
As you exhale,
Imagine some of the pressure loosening,
Even if just a little.
If your heart is racing,
Then try placing one hand on your chest,
And one on your belly.
Say silently,
I am safe enough,
I can handle this moment.
And repeat with each breath a few times.
Now imagine that stress,
Worry or anxiety feels like a heavy backpack you've been carrying.
With every exhale,
Feel the straps loosen just a little,
And with every inhale,
Invite in more space and more ease.
See if you can gently set this weight down beside you,
Because you don't need to carry it right now.
And then bring your awareness to your body.
Notice if your shoulders are tight,
If your jaw is clenched,
If your stomach feels tense.
Stress and anxiety often tighten our chest,
Throat,
Stomach,
So notice where you feel it most right now.
And without needing to change it,
Just name it,
Tightness,
Heat,
Fluttering,
Heaviness.
Naming helps the mind slow down and allows you to soften,
To relax,
To let go.
With every breath,
You are giving your body permission to let go,
And you don't need to let go of everything at once,
It's enough to allow one small release with each breath.
Now let's anchor with the breath.
Place a hand on your stomach if you'd like,
And inhale gently through the nose.
Slow but not forced,
So the hand rises just a little,
And then exhale through pursed lips longer than your inhale.
Try this,
In for 4,
3,
2,
1,
Out for 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1,
In for 4,
3,
2,
1,
Out for 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1,
In for 4,
3,
2,
1,
Out for 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1,
In for 4,
3,
2,
1,
Out for 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1,
And continue breathing like this for a bit.
This longer out breath tells your nervous system that the threat has passed,
Even if your mind hasn't caught up yet.
So let it calm you.
Now imagine above you a gentle and golden light.
It streams down slowly like warm sunlight after a storm.
This light moves through you,
Dissolving heaviness,
Dissolving worry,
Dissolving pressure.
And all that remains is space,
Warmth,
Softness and calm.
If anxious thoughts drift in then picture them as leaves floating on a river,
Watched and passed,
Carried away by the current.
You don't need to hold on.
Come back to your breath,
Long,
Steady,
Soothing and natural.
Each inhale receives calm and each exhale releases what no longer serves you.
Feel your body a little lighter,
Your mind a little clearer,
And with each moment feel how much lighter you've become.
You are not your stress,
You are not your anxiety,
But you are the calm awareness behind it all.
So take one more deep and cleansing breath in,
And a slow and complete exhale out.
And when you're ready,
Gently bring your awareness back to the room,
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
And with the next exhale open your eyes softly.
Carry this sense of ease with you into the rest of your day and trust that you can always return to this place of calm.
