Time For You Relaxation Meditation

Nothing to do but rest and be guided into this deeply relaxing meditation, where you will learn to use an anchor as part of an Effortless Meditation, firstly with your breath. This meditation is perfect for any time of the day and will give you the gift of slowing down and focussing on yourself.

Transcript

Welcome.

My name's Yvonne and I'll be guiding you through the relaxation sequence today.

Taking a moment now to switch your devices to silent.

Relaxing into a comfortable position with your back supported.

Allowing your head to be unsupported.

Knowing you can adjust your position at any time during our time together today.

I invite you to acknowledge the effort you've made to be here,

To carve out this time for yourself and noticing how you're feeling at this very moment.

This is your time and the only thing on your to-do list is to rest.

And now gently closing your eyes if that feels right for you.

Starting by tuning in to the natural rhythm of your breath.

Not trying to change it in any way,

Just noticing it as it is.

Gently taking control of your breath now as you begin to slowly deepen it.

Gently guiding your breath down into your belly.

Feeling your belly rising with each inhale and falling with each exhale.

If it helps and it feels right to you,

Place your palm on your belly to feel it rising and falling.

Starting to lengthen your exhale now so that it becomes longer than the inhale.

Without the need to be precise,

Simply just setting an intention to have your exhale longer,

Even just slightly.

With each lengthened exhale feeling your body softening,

Loosening and sinking into gravity.

You may wish to pause slightly in between each inhale and exhale.

Using this time as an opportunity to allow any excess tension to dissolve with each lengthened exhale,

Even just the slightest bit.

During this meditation practice,

Whenever you happen to notice your mind has drifted away or any thoughts pop up,

Just effortlessly,

Gently resting your awareness back on your anchor,

Which happens to be your breath right now.

Thoughts are all part of the meditation and there's no need to control them or judge them in any way.

It's a natural part of the process for thoughts to pop up.

We're not looking to clear the mind or reach a certain outcome.

Simply resting our awareness back on our anchor any time we happen to notice we've drifted away.

Inviting you now to gently return your breath to its natural rhythm,

Just allowing your breath to be in the background as usual.

Inviting you now to scan your senses,

Witnessing each one without any judgment,

Without any need to control,

Just noticing them as they are.

Beginning with the sounds around you,

What can you hear in the far distance?

How do those sounds feel in your ear?

Bringing your awareness to the sounds immediately outside where you are,

What do you hear?

And now drawing your awareness to what you can hear inside this room around yourself and how those sounds feel to the ear.

Without opening your eyes if they're closed,

Bringing your awareness to what you can see with those closed eyes,

Any movement in lights or shapes or anything at all.

Engaging now with your sense of smell as you gently open your eyes.

What do you notice in the smells around you and how do those scents make you feel?

Noticing now any tastes you have in your mouth,

Anything lingering from before.

And lastly bringing your awareness to the sounds around you.

Anything lingering from before.

And lastly bringing your awareness to touch,

What do you feel beneath your feet?

And where you are sitting.

What do you feel behind your back?

And where you're resting your arms and hands.

Keeping your eyes closed if you do have them closed and allowing your breath to stay in its natural rhythm.

I invite you now to scan your body with your mind,

Using this opportunity to let go of any tension you might discover in the process.

Beginning at the face.

Beginning to notice if you're holding any tension in your face.

This is an opportunity to release even the slightest bit of tension from your brows.

Your jaw.

Your lips.

With each exhale releasing just the slightest bit of tension if it's there.

Moving to your neck.

With each exhale an opportunity to let some of the tension in your neck go.

Moving now to your shoulders and torso.

As you exhale setting an intention to let all tension melt away.

Turning your awareness now to your arms and hands.

On each exhale if it feels available to you,

Allowing tension to release imagining it disappearing out your fingertips.

And finally to your legs.

Allowing tension to release imagining it disappearing out your fingertips.

And finally to your legs and feet.

Breathing in and as you exhale intending to allow tension to release.

Imagine it flowing out down your legs and out your feet and toes.

I invite you now to choose a mantra you will rest your awareness on.

In this practice a mantra is just a simple sound you repeat in your mind.

If you already have a personal mantra you're invited to use that.

If you like you can simply rest your awareness on your breath as we have been doing if that feels comfortable.

If you're new to mantras let's use something simple and without meaning like so ma so ma.

Just repeating the phrase in your mind gently over and over so ma so ma so ma.

Just repeating the phrase in your mind gently over and over so ma so ma so ma.

Allowing the repetition of your mantra to have its own rhythm not trying to control it at all.

Letting it change in length or rhythm as it pleases just repeating it in your mind.

Remembering the aim here is not to clear the mind not to think of nothing.

It is to allow the process to unfold in its own time at its own pace.

Not looking for a particular outcome just taking this opportunity to surrender all control.

Allowing any thoughts to appear understanding they are a natural part of the meditation process.

Anytime you happen to notice them very gently resting your awareness effortlessly back on your mantra or your breath gently repeating that mantra in your mind.

Gently repeating that mantra in your mind.

Resting your awareness softly gently and lazily back on your mantra or your breath at any time you happen to notice you've drifted away.

Acknowledging the thoughts are your mind's way of processing what's going on for you.

Allowing this process to unfold naturally.

Allowing the gentle drifting and returning effortlessly to rest your awareness back upon your mantra or your breath at any time.

Gently and effortlessly resting your awareness back on your anchor.

I invite you now to release your mantra no longer resting your awareness there or on your breath and simply rest for the last few minutes while you allow the effects of the meditation to slowly sink in.

You may choose to stay exactly as you are or perhaps recline into a more comfortable position.

There's nothing to do here but rest for a few moments.

Gradually starting to deepen your breath.

Gradually starting to deepen your breath.

Beginning to bring your awareness back to your body.

Wiggling your fingers and toes.

Stretching your arms and legs and fingers.

Taking a couple of deep cleansing breaths.

And when you feel ready gently opening your eyes and adjusting to the environment around you.

Thank you for spending this time with me today and remember you can return to this relaxation meditation at any time.

Go gently.