Finding Calm Within the Storm: A Guided Meditation for Anxiety
Finding Calm Within the Storm: A Guided Meditation for Anxiety
There is no denying that we are now in a global storm of uncertainty. Our lives have been picked up and thrown around. Going into week four of this (in Orlando, Florida), we continue to be tousled around by the impact of the Coronavirus without the ground in sight.
Maybe there was a honeymoon period in the beginning… No work, no school, more time to be home or outside. But now, we are longing for our old schedules, routines, and some predictability. With the uncertainty of where things are going and how long it will take to find the new normal, people are feeling anxious.
With this anxiety comes a heavy feeling in the chest and thoughts like “How will I get through this?” or “I can’t keep going like this.”
As an anxiety therapist in Orlando, many of my clients struggle with maintaining calm when life feels turbulent and chaotic. Tuning into what is safe and steady right now is a great tool for calming anxiety and settling the mind.
Getting the mental health support you need may look a little different than it usually does for you. But, there are still options available to you if you need extra support during this storm. I am offering Teletherapy sessions to support people, just like you. Scroll to the bottom of the page to contact me!
Now, let’s get to it!
Guided Meditation Practice for Anxiety
Music from: Bensound
Guided Meditation Script for Anxiety
Finding the Calm within the Storm: A Guided Meditation to Calm Anxiety
Hi and welcome to this guided meditation Finding the Calm within the Storm, a tool for calming anxiety. This meditation is a helpful when you feel anxious or when life’s circumstances seem chaotic. Today, across the world, we are sharing in a similar climate, that when dwelled upon can feel overwhelming and anxiety provoking.
What we focus on and give our attention to sets the dial for our nervous system. Our focused attention determines how feel inside, either anxious or calm. This practice will walk you through how to bring your awareness to the present moment.
When you can fully bring your awareness to the present moment, the other stuff, like worrying about the future and trying to predict the unknown, fades into the background.
Mamas, if you need to, put your kids in front of the TV for 15 minutes so you can give yourself a little break. You need it. Being crammed in your house with nowhere to go while having to entertain them and keep them from killing each other is taxing.
I’m going to suggest that you do this practice outside. It’s not necessary but being outside or in nature naturally has calming affects.
Let’s start with your breath. Just become aware of the natural inhale and exhale of your breath. Don’t do anything to change it yet, just notice the natural ebb and flow. Air in and the belly and the chest rise. Air out and the belly and chest fall.
One of the most immediate ways to down regulate an anxious nervous system is work with your breath. Now, let’s do four calming breaths.
Inhale to the count of four, hold to the count of four, and exhale to the count of eight. Let’s do this four times.
Inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for eight.
Inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for eight.
Inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for eight.
Inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for eight.
Next, notice the surface you are sitting on. Feel the texture. Notice all the contact points where you are supported. Take notice if there is anywhere that can let go of in your body and give way to the support of where you are sitting. Allow yourself to be supported by the ground or the chair. If there are muscles right now that don’t need to, allow them to let go.
Notice if you are clenching anywhere, your jaw, shoulders, tummy. If you are, breathe into that area and then let those muscles go.
Bring your attention to your immediate environment.
Notice the colors…..shades of colors…… shapes of objects…..textures: smooth, jagged, rough
If you’re outside notice where the sun is shaded in certain areas. Notice how the wind blows and moves certain objects. Notice how the wind, sun, and shade are making contact with your skin.
Bring your awareness to sounds, obvious sounds, subtle sounds, or the absence of sound.
Take note of any scents, obvious scents, subtle scents or the absence of scents.
Now, put one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Feel the contact of both hands on your body. Notice the warmth.
Say to yourself, “Right here, right now, I am safe.”
Thank you for joining me on this little mindfulness break.
Be well my friends.
Namaste
Feeling Coronavirus Anxiety?
Read this blog post 10 Tips to Settle Coronavirus Anxiety.
More Guided Meditations for Anxiety
If you’d like more guided meditations to soothe anxiety, click here to access my free library.
Feeling anxious and need support?
Reach out to here to learn more about online therapy sessions with Orlando Therapists at Mindful Living.
Mindful Living Counseling Orlando is a trauma healing center. Our Orlando Therapy Services include anxiety therapy, trauma counseling, eating disorder recovery, teen counseling, and healing from toxic relationships. At Mindful Living Counseling Orlando, we use a down-to-earth approach infused with cutting-edge therapies that go beyond traditional talk therapy so clients can heal at the root level and experience lasting change. Feel free to access one of our Guided Meditations to help you feel settled and calm now.
