Welcome.
Right now,
In this moment,
You are safe.
Whatever brought you here,
Racing thoughts,
Tight chest,
Overwhelming feelings,
Know that you've taken the right step by pausing and choosing to care for yourself.
Find a position that feels supportive.
This might be sitting with your feet on the floor,
Lying down or even standing.
There's no wrong way to do this.
Let's start by simply noticing that you're here,
You don't need to change anything about how you're feeling right now.
Anxiety is not your enemy,
It's your nervous system trying to protect you.
We're just going to help it remember that,
Right now,
In this moment,
You're okay.
Take a moment to notice three things you can see around you,
Even with your eyes closed.
First,
Maybe the light filtering through your eyelids,
Or the colours you remember in this space.
Now notice two things you can hear,
Perhaps your own breathing or sounds in the distance.
Finally,
Notice one thing you can feel,
Your body supported by what you're sitting or lying on.
Now we'll work with your breath,
But gently,
No forcing,
No pressure.
Place one hand on your chest,
One on your belly,
We're going to breathe in a way that sends a signal to your nervous system,
I am safe.
Breathe in for a count of four,
Hold gently for two and exhale slowly for six.
The longer exhale is key,
It activates your body's natural relaxation response.
In for four,
Hold for two,
Out for six.
If counting feels like pressure,
Just focus on making your exhale longer than your inhale,
Your body knows what to do.
Now let's gently scan through your body,
Not to fix anything,
But simply to notice and offer kindness to any areas holding tension.
Starting with your face,
Notice if you're clenching your jaw,
Furrowing your brow or tensing around your eyes.
With your next exhale,
Soften these areas like melting snow.
Move to your shoulders.
So often,
When we're anxious,
We carry the weight of the world here.
With your breath,
Imagine releasing this burden,
Your shoulders can drop,
You don't have to hold everything up.
Notice your chest,
Your heart area,
If it feels tight or constricted,
Place both hands here and breathe directly into this space.
Your heart is strong,
It's been beaten faithfully through every challenge you've faced.
Let's connect with the earth beneath you.
Feel the solid support of whatever you're sitting or lying on.
This support goes all the way down through the building,
Through the ground,
Connecting you with the stable earth below.
Imagine roots growing from the base of your spine,
Down through the floor,
Deep into the earth.
These roots anchor you,
No matter what storms are happening in your mind or body,
These roots keep you steady and grounded.
With each exhale,
Send any anxious energy down through these roots.
Let the earth absorb and transform it,
The earth can handle it.
It's been absorbing and transforming energy for billions of years.
Here's a truth,
You don't have to stop the storm of anxious thoughts and feelings.
You can learn to find the calm centre within any storm.
Imagine that your anxiety is like weather passing through,
Clouds,
Wind,
Maybe even thunder.
But you,
Your essential self,
Are like the vast sky that holds all weather.
The sky is never damaged by storms,
It simply witnesses them pass.
Right now,
Find that sky-like quality within yourself,
The part of you that can observe your anxiety without being consumed by it.
This awareness,
This witnessing presence,
Is always calm,
Always stable.
Rest here in this spacious awareness,
You are not your anxiety,
You are the aware presence that notices anxiety arising and passing.
As we prepare to complete this practice,
Place your hands on your heart,
Feel the warmth of your own touch.
Speak to yourself,
The way you would speak to a dear friend who was struggling.
This is difficult right now,
And that's okay,
I'm doing the best I can,
I am learning to be gentle with myself.
Remember,
Anxiety often comes from your mind,
Trying to solve problems that can't be solved by thinking.
Sometimes the most courageous thing you can do is not figure everything out,
But simply be present with what is.
Take 3 more of those calming breaths,
In for 4,
Hold for 2,
Out for 6.
When you're ready,
Gently open your eyes,
Or lift your gaze.
You've just practiced one of the most important skills there is,
The ability to find calm within yourself,
Regardless of what's happening around or within you.
You can return to this calm centre anytime,
It's always here,
Always accessible,
Always yours.
