Do not listen to this recording while driving or if you are operating machinery.
Only listen when you can safely relax and are able to get as comfortable as possible.
Hi,
My name is Robert Aceves and I welcome you to this mindfulness guided meditation to eliminate anxiety and calm your mind.
A few days ago a woman told me that when searching for meditations to eliminate anxiety,
She found that the majority of the meditations for anxiety ask you to focus on your breath and unfortunately she said that she has a hard time focusing on her breath and that doing that cost her even more anxiety because she couldn't concentrate on her breath.
This comment got me thinking and it's true that the vast majority of anxiety meditations ask you to focus on your breath.
I explained to her that the reason we use the breath to eliminate anxiety is because the vast majority of us who suffer from anxiety are generally either thinking about the past,
About things that have already happened and that we cannot change or about the future in things that have not happened yet and that causes anxiety to think that they could happen.
This causes our attention to wander from the present and that is why our breath can help us as an anchor to draw our attention to what really matters which is the present.
So today we're going to practice following your breath in the present to eliminate anxiety.
To begin,
I am going to ask you to put yourself in a place where no one is going to interrupt you and in a comfortable position.
You can be either sitting down on the floor or on a cushion with your legs crossed or sitting comfortably in a chair.
The important thing is that your back is straight and that your feet are firm on the floor.
Your eyes can be closed or open or somewhere in between open and closed.
Whichever is more comfortable for you will be the best since this meditation is for you.
Your hands can be resting on your legs either palms up or down or in any comfortable position for you.
That's it.
Let's get started.
So now I'm going to ask you to bring your attention to your breath.
And notice how you're doing right now.
What are you thinking?
What are you feeling right now?
What's on your mind?
How's your body feeling right now?
Do you feel any physical or mental tension right now?
That's it.
And again,
I'm going to ask you to bring your attention to your breath in the present and observe how your chest expands with each breath.
Breathing naturally and observing what exactly you do as you breathe.
Inhaling and observing what happens as you inhale with your body.
And exhaling and observing what happens when you exhale with your body.
Your body is an incredible machine and when we inhale it fills itself with oxygen and life.
And when we exhale it gets rid of toxins and all the things that it doesn't need anymore.
So watch this process at the same time.
As you experience the present and notice if your attention is being pulled from the past or perhaps is being pulled to the future and again bring your attention back to the present.
To this moment.
And notice how your breath is moving.
And again bring your attention back to the present.
To this moment.
This meditation is about being aware and present to our breath by inhaling.
This is the present and exhaling.
Ahh.
This is now the present.
And by practicing following your breaths and bringing your attention to the present you'll notice how the anxiety vanishes.
Since in the present there cannot be anxiety.
Another thing I love about being in the present is that we can enjoy what is real and what we have in front of us.
In the present we can experience a real inner peace.
In the present we simply occupy ourselves with breathing.
So I am going to ask you to take a deep breath in through your nose.
And exhale through your mouth.
That's it.
And once again take another deep breath in through your nose.
And again exhale through your mouth.
That's it.
And now just continue breathing through your nose naturally effortlessly.
I remember years ago when I was in a Japanese monastery I asked my teacher who was 107 years old at the time what had been the most important thing that he had learned in his life.
And he replied that he had learned that life is not about learning.
And so I asked him what was life all about then.
And he told me that life was about doing.
And so then I asked him okay so if life is about doing what is the most important thing that you have ever done in this life.
And he answered to breathe.
And that's where the conversation ended.
Later I went to meditate on this and I realized that he was absolutely right.
Life is about breathing because the moment we stop breathing there's no longer life.
I also realized that as long as I am still breathing anything is possible.
So continue breathing.
And at this time there's nothing more real than each inhalation and each exhalation that you're taking.
And if your mind wants to get distracted to the past or to the future you'll gently direct it effortlessly to anchor itself to the present by means of your breath.
And you're going to explain to your mind that for you there's nothing more important than being in the present.
There's nothing more important than being in the present.
And each breath you'll enjoy as if it were the first time you're inhaling.
And when you exhale you'll enjoy that exhalation as if it were the first time you're exhaling.
And continue breathing at your own pace.
Enjoy this moment.
And your connection of your being to the present is now much stronger and this makes you able to enjoy the present even more.
And notice if your attention wants to be distracted from the present and once again you patiently convince your mind that what is best for you is to be in the present since this present moment is where your life is.
This The present is also a good time to let go of all your past,
Focusing all your attention on this present moment by anchoring yourself to your breath.
Enjoying the energy that is being absorbed as you inhale and enjoying letting go of what you no longer need as you exhale.
And the next time you feel that anxiety that can prevent you from making good decisions you're going to take a step back,
Take a few minutes to breathe in and breathe out and bring your attention to the present.
You'll see how this is a great tool that will help you be better and better in all aspects of your life.
And now take a deep breath in through your nose one more time and feel how your whole body is inhaling and filling with life.
Hold the air for a second.
And now release the air and feel how your whole body is filling with life.
And now take a deep breath in through your nose one more time and feel how your whole body is inhaling and filling with life.
Hold the air and feel how your whole body is exhaling and releasing everything you don't need to carry with you in this moment anymore.
Feeling so much better.
And once again take a deep breath in and exhale deeply.
And slowly you're going to open your eyes coming back to the present feeling much much better and more alive.
Thank you so much for your time and I'll see you next time.
