Welcome to The Daily Insight.
My name is Jessica Amos.
I am founder of Stay With Yourself and teacher here on Insight Timer.
Today's meditation for breathing through anxiety was created to help you connect deeply with the peace and calm that exists here in the present moment.
It teaches you techniques for deep breathing,
Presence and awareness that just because your fears and your thoughts are telling you something,
It doesn't make it true.
Let's start by setting ourselves up with a posture that will allow you to fully relax and release tension or stress and anxiety that you are holding in your body.
Find somewhere comfortable to sit where you can plant your feet firmly on the floor.
Feel your spine tall and upright,
Supporting the back of your body.
Drop your chin down slightly and allow your heart space to soften and open as you draw your shoulders down and back.
Relax your hips and your thighs.
Relax your arms at your side.
And feel yourself here now.
Feel the edges of your body here in this place.
Feel how your body can be nowhere but the present moment.
And then bring awareness to your breath.
Take a deep breath in through your nose,
Out through your mouth,
In through your nose,
Out through your mouth,
In through your nose,
And out through your mouth.
I would like you to continue breathing deeply like this as I walk you through some things to focus on as you breathe.
For your next deep inhale,
I want you to imagine that your tummy is an empty balloon being filled with air.
And on your next exhale,
Feel your tummy softening and releasing tension.
Take several deep breaths into your belly like this,
Feeling it expand like a balloon and releasing tension,
Relaxing on the exhale.
Bring to mind the image of a napping cat,
A dozing dog,
Or a sleeping baby as you breathe deeply into your belly.
In your mind's eye,
Picture how a cat and a dog and a baby,
Their tummies rise,
Expand,
Become like these big round balloons as they're breathing deeply into their bellies and how their tummies flatten and soften on the exhale.
And you can tell that they're deeply at peace in deep rest and breathing deep into their bodies.
This is called diaphragmatic breathing.
It's how you came into the world breathing.
It's how you were designed to breathe.
Breathing deeply into your belly like this presses on the calming centers in the spinal column and actually relaxes the body.
Breathing deeply into your belly like this,
Retraining yourself to breathe deeply will bring you a greater sense of calm and peace in your daily life,
As well as soothe some of your anxious feelings.
You can also direct your breath to your neck and shoulders,
Releasing tension there or in your hips or jaw,
Face and skull,
Depending on where you carry tension.
Breathe deeply into a different part of your body,
Releasing tension on the exhale.
Continue breathing like this for as long as it feels comfortable and just receive my words as you breathe.
You are safe.
You are genuinely,
Wholeheartedly safe in this moment.
Here in this moment,
These are your feet firmly planted on the floor.
This is your body supported by your seat.
These are the edges of your body.
You are contained,
Whole and complete in the present moment.
Your surroundings are at peace and neutral.
There is nothing coming at you,
Demanding anything of you.
Here you are,
In the present moment.
Even your thoughts and your worries,
Your ruminations and concerns,
They are all just thoughts happening here in the present moment.
They're not actually real.
The present moment is the only thing that's real.
And what's real is you are in this space,
Breathing deeply into your belly,
Feeling the edges of your body.
All is well.
You are safe.
Feel free to repeat after me or just take in this mantra.
You can place your hand over your heart or over your tummy or both and press slightly in to give yourself some pressure like you're getting a hug and say,
I am safe.
I am safe.
You can breathe deeply as you do this.
I am safe.
Here I am.
This is the only place I can be.
Your body can be nowhere but the present moment.
Your breath,
Your heartbeat can be nowhere but the present moment.
And in this moment,
In the present moment,
All is truly well.
You are alive.
You are safe.
You are well.
Any thoughts or worries you're having,
They're just thoughts happening in the present moment.
And know that as each moment unfolds,
You can be present to what's happening,
Present to where you are.
You can breathe deeply and know that you are on your own side and you have your own back and you will take care of you no matter what arises.
So you do not need to worry about the future or the past.
You are okay.
Here and now,
This is all that truly exists.
The present moment is all that is truly real.
Take a deep breath in,
Breathe into that.
Exhale.
Here you are.
Deep breath in.
Exhale.
You are safe.
Thank you for sharing your meditation practice with me today.
Feel free to come back any time you need it.
May you stay with yourself today and always.
