Relax and Unwind

Hi, it's Eve here. Welcome to this guided practice that is centered on cultivating a space for you to truly unwind, relax, and enjoy some me time. So you can do this exercise on your own or with a partner if you'd like. You can either sit side by side or opposite each other, whatever feels comfortable to you. So I'm on my own fertility journey and it sometimes feels like it's a full-time job. But I also do have a full-time job, and life is busy, and it can be hard at times to pause and unwind. You might be navigating multiple docs' appointments, taking medications, doing research, having procedures, or trying to support a loved one. All of this is a lot, and it can build up, which adds stress to the process. My intention for this meditation is to provide a space where you can take a little time to allow the mind and body to relax and unwind. I also have to remind myself that making time for ourselves is not just a nice-to-have, it's essential for our mental health. And in cultivating a clearer and calmer mind, we're more able to have happy and healthy relationships with the people around us, too. So let's practice together. Inviting you to get comfortable, softening the jaw, relaxing the shoulders, and starting with the eyes open. A soft focus, aware of the space around you. And taking a couple of slower, deeper breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. As you breathe in, noticing how the body expands. And as you exhale, noticing how the muscles soften as the body relaxes. And with the next out breath, gently closing the eyes or resting your gaze downwards. And pausing here for a moment, appreciating that feeling of having stopped. Bringing the attention to the body. Feeling the weight of the body pressing down. Noticing the contact against the seat. Aware of sounds around you. And then bringing the attention back to the body. Taking a moment to notice how the body feels. A sense of heaviness or lightness, a sense of stillness or movement. Not trying to change anything, just observing. And then shifting the attention to the breath, that rising and falling movement in the body. You might find it helpful to place a hand on the belly. And although we're following both the in breath and the out breath, paying special attention to the out breath. As you breathe out, letting go of any inner chatter, letting go of any tension in the body. And in letting go, feeling a sense of space in both the mind and body. Not breathing in any special way, just simply following the breath as you exhale, letting go. Appreciating that feeling of space with each and every out breath. So gently bringing the attention back in to the body, coming back to that feeling of contact, the body pressing down. Noticing sounds around you. And when you're...