Soothing Anxiety with Breath Awareness. An anxious mind that’s busy with worry can’t simply be told to be quiet. Giving it a job to do, such as watching the breath, can help it settle. Next time you find yourself occupied with anxiety, you might spend five minutes or more on breath awareness and give your mind a chance to slow down.
Here’s a Sample of the “Soothing Anxiety with Breath Awareness” Guided Meditation Script:
Finding a quiet place where you can be free from distractions
And taking a comfortable seat that promotes good posture
Setting a timer for 5 minutes or longer,
But choosing a meditation length that will allow you to feel successful
Short, regular sessions of 5 minutes a day may serve you better than one occasional 30-minute session
With your eyes opened or closed, breathing gently in and out through your nose
And then as you sit here, watching the breath
Drawing attention to your heart, and your desire to experience calm, peace and ease
Connecting to this yearning inside of you
And then silently, to yourself
Committing to remaining here, for the duration of your timer
And committing to the practice of simply watching and noticing the breath
And then having made that heartfelt commitment,
Returning to your job, which is breath awareness
Perhaps settling in on the feeling of the breath
As it moves in and out through your nose
From the tip of the nose
To the space between your eyebrows
Or sensing the breath as it fills and expands your lungs
Then empties again
Or aware of the breath as it moves all the way down into your belly
Or spaciously sensing the overall rise and fall of the body
With each breath in, and each breath out
Listening for the ways in which the breath is speaking to you
Staying open, staying curious
And remaining free from any judgment or self-criticism
The breath is perfect right now, just as it is
Your role is simply to watch
(pause 2 breaths)
This exercise is meant to complement, not replace, care from a doctor or therapist. If anxiety is getting in the way of daily life, please reach out to a mental health professional.
