Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down.
Let your body be supported.
You do not need to hold yourself up right now.
You are allowed to rest here.
Before we do anything else,
Simply notice where you are.
Notice the space around you.
The light in the room.
The sounds near and far.
Let your eyes softly take in what is here.
Nothing needs to change.
You are letting your nervous system see that this moment is safe.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
We are going to use a simple breathing pattern that tells the body it is ok to soften.
Take a gentle breath in through your nose.
Pause for just a moment at the top.
Then,
Take a second small sip of air in and slowly let it all go through your mouth like a soft sigh.
Again,
In through the nose,
A short pause,
Another small sip of air,
And then a long slow exhale.
Let the shoulders drop as you breathe out.
Let the jaw soften.
Let the belly release.
One more time,
In through the nose,
Pause,
Another small breath in,
And slowly sigh it out.
With each long exhale,
Your body is receiving a quiet message.
There is no emergency.
You can let go.
Now just breathe normally,
Slow and natural,
Nothing forced.
Bring your awareness to your feet.
Notice how they feel,
The weight,
The temperature,
The way they rest on the floor or the bed.
Then,
Notice your legs,
Your hips,
Your lower back.
Let yourself feel the support underneath you.
You are not floating,
You are here,
Held by the earth,
By the surface beneath you.
Now gently bring your attention to your hands.
Feel their weight.
The subtle sensations inside them.
Perhaps a soft warmth or a gentle tingling.
Let your shoulders melt a little more.
They do not need to carry the day anymore.
Now,
Once again,
Allow your eyes to softly look around the space you are in without moving your head.
Just let the eyes gently explore.
Notice simple shapes,
Colors,
Light and shadow.
This is called orienting.
It is the way your nervous system checks for safety.
As you look around and see that nothing is threatening you right now,
Your body begins to relax on a deeper level.
Take your time,
There is no rush.
Now,
Let your gaze settle somewhere comfortable or let your eyes gently close.
Bring your attention to your chest.
Feel it rise and fall with each breath.
You might place a hand there if that feels soothing.
As you breathe in,
Imagine a soft wave of calm flowing into your chest.
As you breathe out,
Imagine any tension or heaviness leaving your body.
You do not have to push anything away.
Just allow what is ready to release to gently drift out.
If your mind starts to wander,
That is ok.
Each time you notice it,
You can gently come back to the feeling of your breath and the weight of your body.
Right now,
Nothing else is required of you.
No decisions,
No fixing,
No solving.
You are simply here,
Allowing your nervous system to reset.
Take another slow breath in and a long,
Easy breath out.
Feel the space inside your body becoming a little wider,
Quieter and softer.
Even a few minutes of this changes your chemistry.
Your heart rate slows,
Your muscles relax,
Your mind begins to clear.
You might notice a sense of warmth or heaviness or a gentle drifting feeling.
These are signs that your system is moving out of survival and into rest.
Let it happen.
You are safe in this moment.
You are supported.
You are allowed to slow down.
Take one more deep breath in through the nose and let it go slowly through the mouth.
As we come to the end of this practice,
Know that you can return to this feeling anytime with your breath,
With your awareness,
With this simple remembering of safety.
Carry this calm with you.
Let it move with you into the rest of your day or into sleep.
Your nervous system knows how to find balance and you just gave it the space to do so.
Thank you.
