Self-compassion to reset the nervous system

If you find yourself stuck in a stress cycle, try this gentle practice to pause, calm your nervous system, and reset yourself.

It’s not always instinctive for us, but self-compassion is one of the most powerful forms of healing and restoring our mental and physical health.

In this meditation, the teacher is mindful Shamash is upon us Offers three ways to show yourself compassion when you’re stressed and need a reset.

Shamash Alidina has been practicing mindfulness since 1998 and runs his own successful training organization. He is an author Mindfulness for dummies And recently, The conscious way through stress. It appears frequently in newspapers, magazines and radio programmes. Based in London, he runs online courses and speaks at conferences all over the world. I have been teaching mindfulness full time since 2010.

Self-compassion to reset the nervous system

Read and practice the guided meditation text below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to audio exercises.

1. Let’s take these 12 minutes to reset the nervous system, to get out of doing mode and into being mode. Start by finding a position that feels like a hug to your body, whether you’re sitting or lying down. See if you can feel one or two percent more comfortable. Maybe that means a pillow behind your back or opening your jaw a little.
2. Now let’s take a deep, slow breath. As you exhale, imagine abandoning your daily to-do list. Just let it fall to the ground for now. You’ll still be there later, if you really want to, but for now, you’re out of commission.
3. What is the state of your nervous system? Is it buzzing? Is it tight? See if you can greet him with a little curiosity rather than judgment. Instead of saying, I shouldn’t feel nervoustry to say Oh, that’s interesting. Stress is visiting me now. This is good. It will pass in time.
4. Now let’s bring some kindness to the physical body. Our nervous systems are often on high alert because they are trying to protect us. Let’s send a signal that rest is safe.
5. Start by bringing awareness to your lower abdomen. Invite him to soften. So when you inhale, you gently expand. As you exhale, it gently contracts. If it’s okay with you, put your hand on your heart. Or if you prefer, hold one hand in the other. Feel the warmth and gentle pressure. This is not just a gesture, it actually releases oxytocin. A natural chemical that soothes the body.
6. As you gently bring awareness to your breath, there is no need to breathe “perfectly.”“Just feel the breath moving back and forth, like an ocean tide. Every inhale is a gift of energy. Every exhale is an opportunity for release.”
7. You can say, breathing, I know I’m breathing. breathing, I smile sweetly at my nervous system. When we are stressed, we tend to isolate.
8. Let’s practice the three steps of self-compassion together. Step 1: Mindfulness. Acknowledge any struggle you are going through right now. Silently say to yourself This is a moment of suffering or it’s really hard right now. You’re not trying to minimize it. You are checking from your own experience.
9. Step Two: Shared Humanity. Remind yourself that you are not alone. Thousands of people will feel exactly this way now. This feeling of buzzing or feeling of heaviness is part of being human. You’re part of the big, messy, beautiful club. Humanity Club.
10. Now Step 3: Self-Kindness. Ask yourself the magic question. How can I be kind to myself now? Maybe you need to hear the words, It will be fine. You do the best you can. Say these words to yourself, with the warmth you would use to a dear friend. Or maybe for a struggling little puppy.
11. Now, just sit in this stillness for a moment. If your mind wonders, which it will, because that’s what minds do, just gently invite it back. Imagine a golden light of kindness radiating from your heart, filling your chest and limbs. There is space around you, creating a buffer zone of peace. The nervous system gently resets. Shift from fight or flight to rest, digest, and restore. You don’t have to earn this comfort. You deserve it simply because you exist.
12. When you’re ready, as we gradually reach the end of this short journey, wiggle your fingers and toes a little. Try to carry this nice muscle with you for the rest of your day. Things get hectic later, remember you can always go back to that soft underbelly or that gentle hand on your heart. Thank yourself for taking this time. It’s a radical act of kindness to stop and breathe. When you are ready, open your eyes slowly. Do a good stretch. And maybe give yourself a little smile.