A Meditation for Finding Safety in the Body

This week, mindfulness trainer and restoration coach Emily Jane guides a grounding observe to seek out security in our our bodies when trauma, worry, or anxiousness are pulling us to flee from or numb our discomfort.

When we live with a whole lot of stress or recovering from trauma or dependancy, we will discover ourselves residing in a fight-flight-freeze state, the place we really feel both disconnected from or unsafe in our our bodies. It’s onerous to recollect, On this second, I’m protected. This observe is designed to softly domesticate a way of security after which create a kinesthetic anchor (rooted in consciousness of how our physique is shifting) to start out constructing a felt sense of safety that your physique can keep in mind.

A Meditation for Discovering Security within the Physique

Learn and observe the guided meditation script under, pausing after every paragraph. Or hearken to the audio observe.

1. Start by discovering a snug place. You may sit down, lie down, let your physique be your information, and see what feels most supportive for you on this second.
2. Whenever you’ve settled into your chosen place, shut your eyes or decrease your gaze. Discover how your physique connects with the floor beneath you, and take a couple of moments to actually really feel into that sense of help and grounding. Convey your consciousness to your breath and easily discover the pure rhythm of the breath.
3. Noticing with out judgment, simply let the breath be precisely as it’s. Soften the muscle groups in your brow, loosen up the jaw and permit your shoulders to softly drop down. Now let’s take a few deeper breaths. Take a deep breath in by the nostril, inhaling from the stomach. Then extending that exhale with a protracted sigh. Simply herald a way of ease and softening into the physique. After we take deep aware breaths like this, it’s like we’re giving a sign of security to our nervous system. Take yet another breath like this, inhaling from the stomach and exhaling with a way of letting go.

After we take deep aware breaths like this, it’s like we’re giving a sign of security to our nervous system.

4. Now begin gently scanning by your physique. As you do, discover any areas of rigidity or components which may really feel a bit extra heavy, uncomfortable, activated, and even in bodily ache. Observe what you’re feeling with a curious and compassionate consciousness. Then take a deep breath and ship the breath into that space. Possibly you discover this supplies a way of ease or spaciousness round this half. Or perhaps you don’t. No matter you’re feeling is okay. There’s no proper or improper expertise right here. 
5. Proceed along with your scanning consciousness. Discover if there is part of your physique that feels protected, extra comfortable or calm. And if these phrases don’t resonate for you, be at liberty to decide on one which does. Possibly you simply discover that there’s a a part of your physique that feels extra impartial and fewer activated. Gently discover the place that’s within the physique—it might be in your chest, your arms, your stomach, your ft. Really feel what that sensation looks like.
6. Convey your full consideration to that place. Discover its qualities. Does it have a coloration, form, or texture? Enable your self to actually attune to this a part of the physique. Lean into that sense of security, ease, calm, or neutrality. 
7. Subsequent, increase your consciousness to the remainder of the physique. Possibly you discover there may be nonetheless some discomfort or rigidity in these different areas. And if there may be, discover the distinction, holding each the stress and the sense of security in your consciousness. Then deliver your full consideration again to that sensation of security. Noticing the qualities. Take a deep breath into this sensation. As you inhale, let it increase. And along with your exhale, permit it to stream into the remainder of your physique. Invite this sensation to increase, to amplify by the entire of your physique. Discover what that feels wish to relaxation with this or on this.
8. Now place one hand in your coronary heart and the opposite in your stomach. Apply simply the correct quantity of stress that feels supportive for you. That is an anchor, a somatic cue your physique can keep in mind. The extra you come back to this meditation, the extra your physique will affiliate this contact with security. Let’s take two last deep breaths, inhaling a way of security, calm, and ease. On the exhale, respiratory it out into the house round you. Inhaling security, calm, ease; respiratory out security, calm, ease.

That is an anchor, a somatic cue your physique can keep in mind. The extra you come back to this meditation, the extra your physique will affiliate this contact with security.

9. In case you are now feeling extra regulated comfortable and protected in your physique, acknowledge this. Additionally acknowledge that you’ve the ability to consciously regulate your nervous system. If there was no change, that’s okay. You didn’t do something improper, and typically establishing security simply takes observe and time. The perfect perspective we will have when working with our nervous system is one among acceptance and non-resistance. 
10. Whenever you really feel prepared, you may gently open your eyes. Thanks a lot for taking the time to do that meditation with me. Might the remainder of your day carry the identical sense of security, ease, and calm.