Progressive Relaxation And Embodiment

This is a practice of deep, slow breathing, combined with body awareness, and progressive relaxation. We begin by establishing a smooth and full rhythm of the breath. Next, we slowly move our awareness through our body, from the toes to the top of the head, relaxing and releasing tension and holding patterns. This practice helps to deepen our self-awareness, and connection to our body, fostering self-love, and a long-term, deeper sense of confidence and peace.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to this guided meditation. My name is Jeremiah Hoft and today we'll be doing a progressive relaxation practice. This is a great practice to do just before falling asleep or to prepare for a visualization meditation and also it deepens and develops a skill set for life of being able to check into your body and become more embodied which is extremely helpful in the case of feeling overwhelmed emotionally whether it be by anger sadness and grief whatever it may be so I invite you now if you haven't already to find a comfortable seat if you really want to go inward and deepen this practice wear an eye mask you can even do this laying down. Go ahead and pause this video if you need to to get yourself comfortable We will begin by taking three conscious breaths in through the nose filling up the belly, The chest and the head and letting it out with a slight sigh so go ahead and take your first breath in filling up holding briefly at the top and letting it fall out another breath in noticing tension and stress already leaving your body here we'll continue breathing in this manner so take another breath in filling up 3, 2, 1 5, Breathing in 2, 3, 5 and letting go 2, Breathing in 2, 3, Breathe at this pace or a little faster or slower if that's more comfortable for you but finding an even rhythm with the breath and staying with the breath as we move through this relaxation process now bringing your awareness down to the tips of your toes feeling each one from the pinky toe all the way to the big toe and noticing as you exhale tension releasing and leaving of your feet, The tops of your feet filling this area of your body with your awareness and with your breath and letting go and releasing any tension that is here on the exhale feeling the body relax feeling the tension release moving your awareness now through into your ankles and into your shins and your calves noticing what's alive here in terms of tension or holding or gripping the breath with the exhale just releasing and letting go moving the awareness onwards now to your knees letting go with the exhale bringing more and more awareness with every inhale to each part of your body now feeling the thighs and quads the back of your quads noticing tension here noticing the natural relax the natural release that happens as you exhale while bringing your awareness to this part of your body up into the hips, Filling up with a big breath and releasing and letting go of the tension in the hips that so many of us store that loving awareness and attention and intention and giving it permission in this time to let go, To release and to be free of tension free of emotional holding patterns moving your awareness now up a little bit higher than your hips through your torso, Through your stomach and your low back, Feeling the spine your lower back muscles, Your lower core and just letting go and releasing with another exhale feeling now that half of your body from the waist down is fully relaxed tension has been released perhaps it feels a little bit numb or floaty or spacious perhaps there's a nice tingling now instead whatever it is, Just noticing the difference as you've gone through from your toes all the way up to your low back and your belly area and released all this tension continuing to move that awareness now up through the upper torso, The chest, The upper back the shoulder muscles, Just beside the neck and on your exhale, Letting the tension just fall out of your body once again feeling that sweet release of relaxation moving your awareness from your upper torso now to your upper arm bones and your shoulders down through your biceps relaxing as you exhale as you continue to move that awareness through your forearms bringing that aliveness of your conscious attention in to your wrists, Your hands to each of your fingers this part of your body that is perhaps easier to feel as we're often so connected to and to doing so much with our hands honoring these hands and the work that they do for us having gratitude for these dexterous, Useful limbs and giving them permit to let go to release any tension on that exhale letting it all just drop out of your body bringing our awareness now back up into the neck letting go any tension here that you might be holding just letting it continue to fall out moving up to the jaw to the bridge of the nose to the temples releasing and letting go releasing and letting go now feeling your forehead noticing if there's a furrow in your brow feeling the band around the top of your head relaxing through the scalp and through all of your face and all of your head like a waterfall, Feeling your awareness pour down from the crown of your head and through your body feeling with gratitude the awareness of the relaxation that you have just created throughout your body by giving yourself this time, Attention and intention to relax and release thank you for practicing with me today have a beautiful, Blessed day Namaste