Nicole Topp

Skye VIC, Australia

Marilyn Immoos-Langlois

Elk Grove, CA, USA

Ground yourself in safety using bilateral drumming and the four elements to find deep inner calm.

English

This Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) meditation is designed to restore peace & calm to your nervous system. The drumbeat moves from side-to-side (bilaterally) & is optimized by using headphones. The rhythmic, alternating stimulation of the left & right hemispheres of your brain is an auditory modality of bilateral self-regulation. The calming power of EMDR’s Four Elements Meditation is an evidence-based technique used by therapists worldwide to reduce anxiety & emotional overwhelm. It is used in Phase 2 of EMDR therapy to develop an inner resource of feeling safe & calm in your environment. This guided practice helps to ground you in the present moment, using your body's natural rhythms & the bilateral sounds of the drum, soothing ocean waves & gentle healing frequencies. Enjoy this music "Mind-Body Calmness" & “Ocean Waves", composed & licensed by Music of Wisdom. Photo credit to Hang Thu, "Rocky Beach With Cliff And Boat Under Clear Sky" via Pexels.

EMDR: Bilateral Drumming For Grounding In Calm & Safe Place

Welcome to this EMDR meditation with bilateral stimulation. As you bring your attention to the drum, tune into the subtle frequencies that are specifically designed to enhance a feeling of safe, calm energy using headphones if you have them available. Simply follow the drum and settle into stillness. Embrace the stability and support of Earth's gravity. Imagine yourself stepping onto a quiet, rocky beach. All around you is peace. The air is cool. The ocean stretches wide before you as the waves roll in and out. In effortless rhythm. This safe and calm place reminds you that life itself moves in rhythms with gentle ebbs and flows. In today's meditation, we will move through the four elements, and between each element, you will rest with a steady drumbeat for two minutes as the seeds of intention are planted deep into your unconscious mind. So now let's tune into the Earth element. Imagine your bare feet as you walk on the cool, sandy shoreline, noticing the stones as you pass them. Attune to the steady energy of the stones. Imagine that steadiness is rising up from your feet, through your legs, anchoring your whole body. The Earth beneath you has endured all kinds of challenges for ages. The Earth is strong, unshakable, safe and steady. Witness as your body relaxes and softens into the energy of gravity, feeling supported by the Earth. You are grounded. You are safe. You belong here. You may choose to silently repeat this affirmation. I am grounded. I am steady. I belong here. I am grounded. I am steady. I belong here. Allow that sense of stability to expand throughout your whole body. And now bring your awareness to the slow and steady drumbeat. You may also choose to tap along with the rhythm in a butterfly hug as you tap your collarbone left to right and right to left. It is completely up to you how you choose to use the next two minutes. And now bring your attention to the element of air. Imagine a fresh breeze brushes against your face. The salty air fills your lungs completely. With every inhale, lightness fills you. With every exhale, heavy burdens drift away as the birds glide overhead. Witness as they are carried effortlessly on the breeze. You may choose to silently repeat this affirmation to yourself. I breathe in peace and lightness. I release heaviness and burdens. I breathe in peace and lightness. I release heaviness and burdens. Stay with this feeling and this rhythm of breathing. Open, spacious and free. And attend to the bilateral rhythms for the next two minutes. And now bring your awareness to the energy of the element of water. Listen to the sound of the waves as they crash over the stones and rocks. The pebbles tumble along the shoreline as they retreat softly, dancing with the tide as it flows in and out. You may think of your emotions moving like the tide of the water as it kisses the shoreline. Sometimes the waves are soft. Other times they crash hard. Know that you are like water. You flow with life. Your emotions may rise and fall, but always return to a calm, peaceful energy. And now you may choose to repeat this silent affirmation to yourself. I flow with the waters of life. I trust the tides within me. I flow with the waters of life. I trust the tides within me. Remain attuned to this energy of effortless rhythm, ease, and serenity as you bring your attention to the bilateral stimulation. Allow the drumbeat to merge with the sound of the waves. Just as water may rock with a small boat, the rhythm carries you gently for the next two minutes. And now bring your awareness to the energy of the element of fire. Notice the sunlight as it spills golden light across the rocks and tiny pebbles, each stone glimmering with its warmth. Imagine you can feel the sunlight touch your skin. Allow the warming sensation settle into your chest as your heart center soaks it up. And now you may choose to repeat this affirmation to yourself. The light within me shines brightly and steady. I am at peace. As you soak in the glow of the sunlight, imagine you are being warmed from the inside out as you attend to the bilateral rhythms for the next two minutes. And now you may choose to repeat this affirmation to yourself. And as we are ready to close this meditation for today, take a deep breath in and out. Look around the rocky beach in your mind's eye, the grounding stones of the earth, the fresh open air, the flowing waves of water, the warm glow of the sunlight. All four elements lie within you. You are grounded like the earth, clear as the air, flowing like water and radiant with sunlight. May you be happy. May you be peaceful. May you be loved. May you be whole. Namaste.