As you begin this progressive relaxation tape,
Get into a comfortable position.
Close your eyes and let yourself settle back.
Now as you relax like that,
Focus on your breathing.
Take in a slow,
Deep breath.
Feel the air filling your lungs.
Hold it.
And now,
Breathe out slowly through slightly parted lips.
Allow any tension to flow out of your body as you exhale.
And as you inhale,
Welcome the healing energy that flows in.
I'll be leading you through all the muscle groups of your body.
First tensing,
Then relaxing.
From tight to very loose.
This allows you to really experience what it feels like to be relaxed.
Begin now with your hand and forearm on the right side.
Make a tight fist.
Study the tension as you do so.
Keep your fist clenched and feel the tightness in your fingers,
Your hand and your forearm.
Hold the tension.
And now,
Relax.
Let go as quickly and completely as you can.
Allowing the fingers of your right hand to become loose and relaxed.
Observe the contrast from a moment ago.
Once more,
Make a tight fist.
Hold the tension.
Feel the tightness in your arm.
Now relax.
Straighten out your fingers.
Notice the difference once more between the tension and now the relaxation you feel in your right hand and forearm.
Now move to your upper right arm.
Push your elbow down against the chair or bed.
Study the feeling of tension in your upper arm.
And now relax.
Focus on these muscles as they just completely relax and let go.
Again,
Tighten your right upper arm by pushing your elbow down hard against the chair or bed.
Hold the tension.
And relax.
Let go of all tension.
Feel the sense of relief as the muscles in your entire arm become more and more relaxed.
Now move to your left fist.
Clench your left fist while the rest of your body remains relaxed.
Feel the strain as you tighten your fist.
And now relax.
Again,
Enjoy the contrast as you feel the tension draining out of your left hand and forearm.
Clench your left fist once more.
Feel the tightening of the muscles.
Hold the tension.
And again,
Relax.
Enjoy the feeling as the relaxation flows into your left hand and forearm.
Touch your upper left arm now by pushing it hard against the chair or bed.
Feel that tension.
Hold it.
And now relax.
Allowing the muscles to completely let go of all tension.
Again,
Repeat this by pushing your left elbow down hard.
Notice the tension.
Hold it.
And now relax.
Allow both of your arms to feel heavy and more deeply relaxed.
Notice the similarities and differences between the two.
Moving now to your forehead.
Lift your eyebrows as high as possible.
Feel the tightness in your forehead.
Hold the tension.
And now relax.
Picture your entire forehead and scalp becoming smoother as the relaxation increases.
Once more,
Lift your eyebrows as high as possible.
Notice the feeling of tightness.
And now relax.
Release the tension.
Allow the muscles to smooth out.
Just notice what it's like as the muscles become smoother and more and more relaxed.
Enjoy this feeling of relaxation.
Move now to the central part of your face.
Close your eyes tightly and wrinkle up your nose.
Feel your face become rigid.
Hold that tension.
And then relax.
Feel the tension being replaced by a greater sense of relaxation.
Once more,
Close your eyes tightly and wrinkle up your nose.
Feel the tension as it builds.
Hold it.
Then relax.
Keeping your eyes closed,
Notice the comfortable feeling that comes with relaxation.
Now move to your lower face.
Hold your jaw tight by biting your teeth together and pulling back the corners of your mouth.
Notice the tension throughout the jaws.
And relax.
Allow your jaw to open and let your lips part slightly.
Feel the feeling that relaxation brings.
Once more,
Bite your teeth together and pull back the corners of your mouth.
Feel the tension in your jaw and face.
And relax.
Notice the softening that occurs as your face becomes more deeply and comfortably relaxed.
Attend now to your neck muscles.
Pull your chin to your chest while at the same time keeping it from touching your chest.
Feel the tightness in your neck.
And now relax.
Press your chin against your chest once more.
Feel the tightness as you counterpose the muscles in the front from those in the back.
Hold the tension.
And now relax.
Allow the relaxation to spread deep into your face and neck.
Notice how the muscles feel as compared to before.
Let the relaxation fill you with a healing energy.
Note the sensation as this relaxation now travels to the muscles in your shoulders and your back.
Relax your entire body.
Feel the comfortable heaviness that accompanies relaxation.
Breathe easily and freely.
In and out.
Calm and relaxed.
Now take a deep breath and hold it.
As you do so,
Tighten your chest by pulling the shoulder blades back together.
And now relax.
Breathe out.
Release all the tension as you do so.
Once more.
Take a deep breath in.
As you hold the air in your lungs,
Pull your shoulder blades together.
Tighter.
Tighter.
And relax.
Your breathing becomes quiet,
Easy,
And calm.
Continue to experience a healing energy as you breathe in.
And as you breathe out,
Allow any tensions to be released.
Continue to let go.
More and more.
Now move to your abdominal muscles.
Hold your stomach in and make it tight.
Notice the tightness all the way around to your lower back.
Release the tension.
And now relax.
Once again,
Make your stomach tight.
Feel the firmness.
And again,
Relax.
Release all the tension in your stomach as quickly and completely as you can.
Now arch up your back.
Make your lower back hollow and feel the tension along your spine.
Maintain this tension.
And relax.
Release all tension.
Once again,
Arch your back.
Feel the tension as it fills your muscles.
Hold it.
And now relax.
Like two ropes being unwound from each other,
Allow the feeling of relaxation to move down your spine and release the tension from the muscles in your neck,
Your chest,
And your lower back.
Enjoy the feeling in these muscles as they loosen up,
Unwind,
And relax more and more deeply.
Move now to your right leg and continue to release all tensions and to relax.
Flex your right thigh.
Counterpose the top and bottom muscles by lifting your thigh slightly.
Feel the tension as it extends into your hips.
Hold the tightness.
And now relax.
Enjoy the sense of calm as you become more deeply and completely relaxed.
Once again,
Flex your right thigh.
Feel the tension.
Hold it.
And now relax.
Move now to your right calf.
Tighten your calf muscle by pointing your toes towards your head.
Feel the tension.
And relax.
Using all tightness,
Pay attention only to the sensations of relaxation.
Once again,
Tighten the calf muscles by pointing your toes towards your head.
Feel the tension.
Hold it.
And relax.
Now moving to your right foot,
Curl your toes and turn your foot inward.
Hold the tension.
And relax.
Feel the calming energy flowing into your foot as it releases more and more.
Once again,
Curl your toes and turn your foot inward.
Notice the tension.
Now relax.
Enjoy the feeling in your right foot,
Your calf and your thigh as these muscles relax more completely and deeply.
Move now to your left leg.
Begin by flexing your left thigh.
Lift it slightly.
Feel the tightening in the muscles as you counterpose the top and bottom muscles.
Hold the tension.
And relax.
As you release the pressure,
Pay attention to the difference in your thigh from tight to very loose.
Once again,
Flex your left thigh.
Keep it tight.
Now relax.
Feel yourself releasing all tension in your left thigh.
Now move to your lower left leg.
Tighten the calf muscles by pointing them towards your head.
Study the tension.
Notice what it feels like.
And now relax.
Let all the tension go.
Repeat this once more.
Tighten your calf muscles by pointing your toes towards your head.
Hold the tension.
Now relax.
Focus on these muscles as they completely relax and release all tension.
Now moving to your left foot,
Curl your toes and turn your foot inward.
Feel the tightness.
And relax.
Notice the difference the relaxation brings.
Once more,
Tighten your left foot by curling your toes and turning your foot inward.
Hold the tension.
And relax.
Notice what it feels like as the tension softens and the muscles become more completely and deeply relaxed.
Feel your entire left leg becoming as loose and pliable as you can.
Now let yourself relax further all over.
Scan back over your entire body.
If any muscles still feel tight,
Then tense them again.
Hold it and now relax.
Notice what it feels like as the muscles release more and more.
Allow the relaxing energy to flow freely into your toes and into your feet.
Feel the calming energy moving up your legs through your thighs into your abdominal area and your lower back.
Up into your chest.
The energy fills your lungs as you inhale.
And with each exhale,
You find yourself relaxing more and more.
The calming energy now flows up through your neck and over your face to the top of your scalp,
Down the back of your head and into your shoulders.
Moving into your arms.
Into your hands and fingers.
Notice that you are relaxed and calm.
The relaxation has brought a healing energy to you.
Allow it to surround you,
To feel you and to renew you.
Find in this healing energy for another moment or two,
Enjoying this calm,
Peaceful and relaxed time.
Notice the feeling relaxation brings.
It is a freeing one.
As you continue to practice with this relaxation,
You will find that you are able to relax more easily,
More deeply and more quickly.
Now you may choose to stay where you are.
Or if you are ready to get up,
You can stretch,
Open your eyes and return to your activities.
As you do so,
Carry with you the renewed,
Calm and relaxed feeling that you just experienced.
