Hi and welcome to this self-soothing meditation.
My name is Paula Napiatano and I'll be your guide today.
As the mind and body take cues from one another,
We can use our own hands to encourage states of ease and comfort when experiencing difficulties.
The basic premise behind this is that the human body responds to touch,
And touch can change the activity in your nervous system.
This is a practice that you can utilize in your daily life when you need a way to calm yourself down.
So to begin,
Sit in a comfortable position,
Place your feet on the ground,
Relaxing your arms at your sides,
And resting your hands in your lap.
Gently lift the crown of your head toward the sky,
And when you're ready,
You can close your eyes or lower your eyes in a soft gaze on the floor.
Begin to breathe deeply through the nostrils.
Allow the lungs to fully empty with each exhale.
Continue breathing deeply like this for the next minute.
For the next few moments,
We'll be bringing awareness to the body in this moment.
Without changing or fixing anything,
Simply observe what's present for you,
Scanning the body from the crown of your head to the tips of your toes.
Notice what physical sensations you can feel,
And where you can feel them.
.
Next,
Begin to soothe and support yourself by bringing one of your hands to the top of your opposite arm,
Just below the shoulder.
Gently rest the hand here with the intention of offering yourself some support.
Allow yourself to feel the care and support that you have for yourself,
And tune in to any relaxation that you might begin to feel in the mind or the body.
Continue to breathe naturally here.
Now release your hand from your arm,
And take a few deep breaths here.
And now bring that hand to the back of the head,
Where the spine meets the skull.
This is where you are held and supported as an infant,
And it can offer a sense of safety and ease in the body.
As you gently rest the hand here,
Allow your body to relax,
And notice any feelings of safety and comfort.
.
Now release the hand from your head,
And move the hand to the center of your chest.
This stimulates the vagus nerve,
Which releases oxytocin,
And engages the parasympathetic nervous system.
Simply allow your hand to rest here,
And breathe fully and deeply,
Feeling care for yourself as you relax your body and mind.
.
Allow your hand to relax in your lap once again.
Simply continue to breathe here,
Inviting in relaxation to your mind and body.
.
You can use this practice in your daily life whenever you're struggling.
It's especially helpful when you're feeling stress,
Anger,
Or any other emotional experience that's getting your nervous system going.
And when you're ready,
Bring some movement back to your body,
Maybe wiggling the fingers and toes,
Or rolling your shoulders,
Or giving the spine a nice stretch upwards.
And when you're ready,
You can open your eyes.
Thank you so much for joining me in this practice.
Namaste.
.
