We often become very focused and narrow-minded when we feel anxious.
Your whole experience becomes about the anxiety that is present and maybe how uncomfortable it is.
In this meditation,
We will open up our awareness to see what else is present,
Helping you shift out of your anxious state.
So let's get started.
Find a comfortable position for your meditation,
Whether that's sitting on a chair,
A cushion,
Or lying down on your back.
Do whatever feels best for your body today.
If you are sitting up,
I recommend you focusing on having a straight,
Stacked spine,
Signaling to your body that it's time to focus.
Close your eyes if that feels comfortable to you,
Or you can just soften the gaze slightly in front of and below you,
Helping you tune into your body.
Let's start by focusing on our breathing.
Notice your breath as it flows into your body,
And then as it flows out of your body.
Notice that you don't need to work at all to breathe.
Your body is effortlessly breathing for you at all times,
Filling you up with nourishing oxygen on the inhale,
And letting go of what you don't need on the exhale.
Starting to imagine the path of your breath as it comes into your body,
Flowing through your nose or maybe your mouth,
Down your throat into your lungs,
And maybe imagine your breath can keep flowing deeper into your stomach,
Through your pelvis,
Through your limbs to the tips of your fingers and your toes.
As if your breath is a warm ocean wave,
Let each wave bring in relaxation as it takes away tension.
The waves flow in,
Relaxing,
And the waves flow out,
Releasing,
Each breath leaving you feeling a little bit lighter and a little more relaxed.
Letting your mind start to slow down to the pace of your breath,
In and out.
Maybe you're feeling a bit more relaxed now,
Or maybe you're still feeling very anxious.
Either way is absolutely okay.
But the truth is that anxiety is only one part of what's really present for you right now.
Though it can feel all consuming,
There's so much more going on in your body in each moment.
We're going to do a scan of your body to discover just what else is here other than your anxiety.
So bring your awareness to the top of your head now,
Asking yourself,
What else is here?
As you scan through your forehead,
Eyes,
Nose and mouth,
Maybe noticing other thoughts,
Sounds,
Smells,
Pressure,
Maybe tension.
Maybe there's relaxation or some other sensation,
Just noticing what else is here and your whole head.
Moving now to your neck and your shoulders,
Asking yourself,
What else is here?
Is there softness,
Maybe some soreness or stiffness?
Just letting yourself notice all that is here in your neck and your shoulders right now.
Now moving your awareness to your arms and your hands,
What else is here?
Do you notice any flowing,
Buzzing or tingly energy in your arms or your hands?
Now move your awareness to your chest and maybe you notice some tension due to your anxiety,
But ask yourself,
What else is here?
Is there any other sensations that you can notice?
And do the sensations change as you notice them?
Now drop your awareness down to your abdomen.
Maybe you often feel anxiety in your gut,
But with so much going on in your whole abdomen,
What else can you notice here?
Any sensations,
Movement?
Let yourself discover all the things that are going on in your abdomen right now.
Now noticing your hips,
Your pelvis and your seat,
What else is here in your lower body?
Do you notice the sensations of your seat connected to whatever you're sitting on?
Maybe there's a pressure or a texture of the fabric you're sitting on.
Do you feel tight or loose in your hips?
And now moving down to your legs and your feet.
What else is here other than any anxiety you may be feeling right now?
Can you notice any sensations in your legs?
And do you feel your feet on the ground?
And what does that feel like?
Just noticing.
Coming out now to bring your whole body into your awareness.
What else is here now?
Things are different even when you just scanned each part of your body.
Always moving and changing,
What can you notice other than any anxiety you might feel right now in your body?
Are you warm or cool?
Is there any energy running through you from doing this scan?
What else is here?
And letting it all go now,
Take some gentle movements to wake your physical body back up.
Maybe you want to stretch,
Roll your shoulders,
Wrists,
Whatever feels nice to you now.
And eventually opening your eyes.
I invite you to use this question of what else is here whenever you find yourself pulled into an anxious moment today.
Remember,
Anxiety is only one part of our experience in any given moment.
So let yourself come out of that narrow vision and open up to everything else that is present in that moment,
Feeling the spaciousness it can bring in.
I hope you have an open and a relaxed day and I'll see you again soon.
