Today we're going to start by finding a comfortable seat.
So this could be sitting down on the carpet with a straight back.
It could mean sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
Or it could mean simply just lying down flat today and allowing yourself to be completely supported.
Wherever you are,
Start to turn inwards.
This is your time to simply connect with your breath.
And today we're going to do a longer,
Deeper breath.
So it's going to start with the inhale of a four count.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Through the nose.
And then on your exhale you're going to do a five count exhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Also through the nose.
So your only job today is to stay with this breath.
This deep,
Intentional,
Elongated breath.
And as you do that,
I'm going to share with you a little bit more about the biological effects of meditation.
What's happening inside our bodies when we meditate.
So breathing in for one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And then exhaling through the nose for a five count.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Your only job is to stay with this breath.
When we are meditating,
Our brain produces theta and alpha waves.
Alpha waves occur when your mind is in an idle state,
Like when you're daydreaming.
So this means even though you're awake,
Meditation increases brain activity that happens when you're in your most relaxed state.
And why this is important is meditation is a very active,
Intentional practice.
There's nothing passive about meditation.
This isn't the time to take a nap.
This is the time to be alert,
Awake,
Intentional.
Keep breathing.
Keep breathing that four count in.
And the longest exhale on that five count out.
So why does this type of breathing matter?
This type of breathing,
Particularly this elongated exhale,
Helps us reduce stress and cortisol levels in our body.
It supports us in lowering our blood pressure.
It improves our heart rate and our anxiety management.
So I want you to think about where in your life you can be using this breath to support you.
Where in your life right now do you feel heightened levels of stress and anxiety?
Where in your life is it hard to breathe?
Is it at school?
Is it at work?
Your career?
Maybe it's dealing with a parent or sibling that you find challenging.
Perhaps it's in your inner circle with your friend group.
Maybe it's your spouse,
Your children.
Where are the situations that are putting you into this anxiety?
And can you introduce this breath?
Breathing in for four and breathing out for five.
Really letting go this time.
When we are able to come back to this type of breath,
Even if it's just once a day,
Our body starts to receive a consistent message to slow down.
The body is our greatest vessel.
Our brain is designed to protect us,
To keep us alert,
To keep us safe.
And sometimes we have to work with our body and our brain to remind them we are safe.
When we access this breath,
When we are able to reduce the cortisol in our system,
We feel safe in our bodies,
We are able to access higher performance.
And this could be as simple as making a better decision in a moment,
Taking a breath before we respond,
Choosing how we respond.
These are the real neurological impacts meditation has to our brain.
Keep breathing and keep letting go.
Today,
As you come out of meditation and back into your life,
Be curious about situations you encounter during your day where you can invite this breath.
And you only need to do this type of breath once or twice to receive these impacts,
To open up to choice,
To open up to love,
To open up to a new way of responding,
To access higher performance.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
There is no perfect way to do any of this.
So consider that you are doing it right.
When you are ready,
You can open your eyes and restart your day.
You are doing it right.
