Welcome to this progressive muscle relaxation.
This is a soothing practice designed to help reduce stress and anxiety.
Progressive muscle relaxation originated in the 1920s and was developed by Dr.
Edmund Jacobson.
He observed that many of his patients struggled to relax because they were unaware of their physical tension.
To address this,
He began guiding them through a process of tensing and then releasing their muscles.
Through this,
His patients learned to detect and release tension,
Becoming increasingly better at relaxing.
I'll guide you through this practice today,
But first a few guidelines.
It's very important that you only tense your muscles to a point that feels comfortable to you.
Also,
If you've undergone surgery or have any condition that will prevent you from tightening your muscles,
Please refrain from participating in this practice.
And if you're not sure if this practice is safe for you,
Please check with your primary health care provider before proceeding.
In this practice,
I'll guide you to tense different muscle groups for about five seconds.
Then on my cue,
I want you to suddenly release the tense muscles and notice them relax.
As you go through this practice,
I encourage you to visualize the muscles tensing and then imagine a wave of relaxation flowing over them as you release the tension.
It's important that you keep breathing throughout the practice.
Now let's begin.
Start by finding a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down,
In a location where you will not be interrupted.
Allow your attention to focus only on your body.
If you begin to notice that your mind's wandering,
Bring it back to the muscle group that you're working on.
Begin by taking a deep breath in through your nose,
Breathing down into your abdomen,
And then exhaling slowly up and out your mouth.
Let's do this again.
Taking a deep breath in,
And as you do,
Notice your stomach rising and your lungs filling with air.
And as you exhale,
Imagine the tension in your body being released and flowing out.
And again,
Inhale and exhale,
Feeling your body already relaxing.
As you go through each step,
Remember to keep breathing,
Starting at your feet.
Tense the muscles in your feet by curling your toes under and hold.
Exhale and release.
Now flex your feet,
Pull your toes towards you,
And feel the tension in your calves,
And hold.
And relax.
Feel the weight of your legs sinking down.
Next,
Tighten your thighs by pressing your knees together,
As if you were trying to hold a penny between them.
And hold.
And release.
Next,
Tighten your buttocks,
Squeezing your cheeks together,
And hold.
And release.
Imagine your hips falling loosely.
Take a deep breath in through your nose,
And exhale through your mouth.
And notice how relaxed your lower body is now.
Moving on to your upper body,
I want you to gently arch your lower back and hold.
And relax.
Next,
Tighten the muscles in your stomach by sucking in,
And hold.
And release those muscles.
Now tighten your chest by taking a deep breath in,
And hold.
And exhale,
Blowing out all the air and tension.
Next,
Tense your upper back by pulling your shoulders back,
Trying to make your shoulder blades touch.
And hold.
Exhale and release.
Now,
Lift your shoulders up,
As if you could touch your ears,
And hold.
Then quickly drop your shoulders and release,
Feeling their heaviness.
Now,
Tightly,
But without straining,
Quench your fists,
And hold.
And release.
Next,
Flex your biceps by making a muscle.
Feel that build-up of tension.
You may even visualize that muscle tightening.
And hold.
And release,
Enjoying that feeling of limpness.
Now,
Tighten your triceps by extending your arms out,
And locking your elbows,
And hold.
And release.
And taking a deep breath in,
Feel the limpness in your upper body.
Then exhale,
Letting go of any remaining tension and stress.
Now,
Moving on to the head.
Smile widely.
Feel your mouth and cheeks tense,
And hold.
And relax those muscles.
Next,
Tighten your eye muscles by squinting your eyelids tightly shut,
And relaxing.
And hold.
And release.
Taking a deep breath in,
And down,
And up,
And out,
And appreciating the softness in your face.
Now,
Gently pull your head back,
As if you're looking at the ceiling,
And hold.
And release,
Feeling the tension melting away.
Now,
Take a deep breath in,
And down,
And then up,
And out,
And appreciating the softness in your face.
Letting go of all the remaining stress.
Now,
Imagine a wave of relaxation slowly spreading through your body,
Beginning at your head,
And going all the way down to your feet.
And feel the weight of your relaxed body.
And when you're ready,
Gently begin to wiggle your fingers and toes,
Gradually bringing your awareness back to your body,
Opening your eyes if they were closed.
Take a moment to appreciate the sense of calm and relaxation that you've cultivated here today.
And before we conclude,
Take a moment to thank yourself for taking the time to care for your well-being.
And remember,
You can return to this practice whenever you need to release tension and find peace within yourself.
Thank you for joining me in this progressive muscle relaxation meditation.
