470: FREE Guided Breathing Relaxation for Anxiety Relief
We hope you enjoy this Mindful Connection guided breathing practice with Ananga to help you feel more connected, grounded, and safe.
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Directions for this practice
Find a comfortable place to sit for five minutes.
Have your feet resting flat on the floor and your hands open and loose in your lap.
Relax your shoulders and your jaw.
If you would prefer to keep your eyes open during this breathing practice, find a spot in front of you and let your eyes soften and de-focus slightly as you gaze on that spot with relaxed awareness. Or if you choose to close your eyes you can do so now.
Now take a slow deep breath in and direct your attention down your body to your feet resting on the floor.
Hold your breath for a moment and release it slowly in a long exhale as you noticed the sensation of your feet resting on the surface that supports them.
Take another deep breath in, and begin noticing your feet with fresh curiosity.
Pause with your breath for a moment, and release in another long slow exhale. Can you sense the temperature of your feet? Can you feel any sensations in your feet?
Take another breath in, hold it for a moment, and as you exhale slowly this time see if you can help your feet relax a little bit more.
With your next breath in, bring your awareness to the area of your belly. Notice if it expands as you inhale, hold your breath for a moment and notice if your belly sinks back in as you breathe out.
And repeat. Take a deep breath in and feel your belly filling with air. Hold for a moment and feel the expansion. Now feel your belly relaxing in as you breathe out in another long slow exhalation.
Continue breathing slowly and steadily with gentle awareness of your belly for a few moments more.
There is no right or wrong way of breathing in this exercise. The idea is to simply pause for five minutes and be with your breath in grounded awareness.
If your mind wanders, please know this is normal. The nature of the mind is to wander and when it does, just bring your attention gently back to noticing your belly noticing your breath.
Now bring your awareness to your chest. Feel your chest fill with your incoming breath. Pause. And release your breath feeling your chest sink as the breath leaves your body.
And repeat.
Breathing in: Can you hear your breath as it fills your lungs?
Breathing out: can you hear your breath as it leaves your chest?
Breathing in: feeling your chest expand
Breathing out: relaxing your chest, letting your shoulders soften and roll back a little to open your chest area.
As you breathe in imagine your heart area feeling nurtured by your attention
As you breathe out soften and relax a little more.
Taking a few more breaths on your own keeping your attention on your heart area.
Cross your hands over your chest and focus on sending yourself support into your heart area with every breath in and allowing your relaxation to deepen with every breath out.
Taking your time, giving yourself time, in loving awareness and self-care.
Ending your practice
Have a good stretch and thank yourself for these few minutes.
Remember to come back to this practice and repeat it often. We recommend practising at least once a day for best results. For example, you could try taking an early evening break to follow along with this practice, or practice in bed to help you release the day and settle into sleep.
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