Welcome to this guided meditation designed to help you release tension and fully relax by focusing on the present moment.
I'm your guide,
Dr.
Andrew Goff of Love is a Classroom.
As an early childhood professional,
You often carry the weight of the classroom,
But this is time just for you.
Let's take a moment to let go of all the thoughts from the past and the future,
And focus on the here and the now.
Find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
Close your eyes gently if it feels comfortable for you,
And take a deep breath in through your nose,
Filling your lungs completely,
And slowly exhale through your mouth,
Letting go of any worries or tension.
Allow your breath to settle into a calm,
Natural rhythm.
As you continue breathing,
Bring your awareness to the present moment,
Leaving behind any thoughts of the future or the past,
Letting your mind become quiet and still.
We will now begin the body scan,
Moving slowly from the top of your head down to your toes,
Noticing and releasing any tension along the way.
As we do this,
Keep your breath slow and steady,
Allowing yourself to relax more deeply with each exhale.
Begin by bringing your awareness to the very top of your head.
Notice any sensation you may feel there.
Allow any tension to release,
Feeling a gentle relaxation spreading across your scalp.
Now move your attention to your forehead.
Notice if you're holding any tightness here.
With your next exhale,
Let your forehead soften,
Releasing any tension or worry.
Feel the space between your eyebrows relax.
Shift your focus to your eyes.
Let them rest softly in the sockets,
Relaxing any strain or tightness.
Allow your cheeks to soften and your jaw to unclench.
With each exhale,
Feel the muscles in your face become loose and relaxed,
Releasing any tension you may be holding onto.
Bring your awareness to your neck and throat.
Notice if there is any tightness or discomfort here.
As you breathe out,
Let your neck feel lengthening in the spine.
Now move your focus to your shoulders.
This is a common place for holding stress.
As you exhale,
Imagine your shoulders melting down away from your ears,
Releasing any tension.
Shift your awareness to your arms.
Notice any sensation in your upper arms,
Elbows.
As you exhale,
Allow them to become heavy and relaxed.
Let go of any tension.
Move your attention to your hands.
Notice any tightness in your palms and fingers.
With your next exhale,
Let your hands soften,
Feeling them relax completely.
Let your fingers uncurl and feel any tension dissolve.
Now bring your focus to your chest.
Notice the gentle rise and fall of your breath.
With each exhale,
Allow your chest to soften and relax,
Releasing any tightness.
Move your awareness to your back,
Starting from the upper back and moving down to the lower back.
As you breathe,
Imagine each muscle in your back releasing and letting go.
Shift your focus to your abdomen.
Notice if you're holding any tension here.
As you exhale,
Let your belly soften and expand naturally with each breath.
Feel any sense of relaxation spreading through your stomach.
Now bring your awareness to your hips and pelvis.
This area often carries a lot of tension.
With each exhale,
Let your hips relax,
Feeling them become heavy.
Move your attention to your thighs.
Notice any sensation here.
As you breathe out,
Let your thighs soften,
Releasing any tightness or tension.
Shift your focus to your knees and then to your calves.
As you exhale,
Allow them to relax completely,
Feeling any tension melt away.
Finally,
Bring your awareness to your feet.
Notice any sensation in your ankles,
Arches,
And toes.
With your next exhale,
Let your feet relax fully,
Feeling any last bits of tension dissolve.
Imagine all the stress and tension flowing out through your toes,
Leaving your entire body feeling relaxed and at ease.
Now gently guide your awareness back up your body.
Start at your feet,
Noticing the sense of relaxation that remains.
Move up through your legs,
Feeling the heavy and calm.
Continue to your hips and abdomen,
Noticing how relaxed and at ease they feel.
As you move up through your chest and back,
Feel the gentle rise and fall of your breath,
Bringing a sense of peace and calm.
Continue up your shoulders,
Arms,
And hands,
Feeling them loose and relaxed.
Finally,
Return to your neck,
Face,
And head,
Noticing how calm and peaceful you feel.
Take a few more deep,
Calming breaths,
Inhaling peace and relaxation,
And exhaling any last bits of tension.
Feel your entire body calm and at ease.
When you're ready,
Gently bring your awareness back to the room.
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
Stretch your arms and back,
And slowly open your eyes.
Carry this sense of relaxation and presence with you throughout your day.
Know you can return to this state of calm whenever you need it.
Thank you for taking the time to care for yourself today.
Have a wonderful day.
