Did you know that just a few minutes of mindful breathing can significantly reduce stress and anxiety? In today’s fast-paced world, stress and pressure can build up quickly, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and tense. In this blog post, we’ll cover an 18-minute guided meditation designed to release stress and tension to help you find calm and peace in your day. Imagine the relief of letting go of your worries and finding a moment of peace amidst the chaos.
Join Meg James, a renowned meditation guide on Insight Timer, as she leads you through a relaxing journey for stress relief, helping you to release tension and rejuvenate your mind and body.
An 18-minute guided meditation to relieve tension
Experience a guided meditation focused on releasing stress and pressure. For more guided meditations on stress relief, explore the largest library of free guided meditations.
Stress-release guided meditation script
Below is a step-by-step guide through Meg James’s guided meditation:
Step 1: Find a comfortable position
Start by finding your way into a comfortable position lying down. Extend your legs and let your arms rest heavily either on your belly, your chest, or alongside your body.
Step 2: Deep breaths
Take three deep cleansing breaths. Inhale slowly through your nose, and exhale audibly through your mouth. With each long exhalation, focus on leaving something from your day behind.
Step 3: Release thoughts and worries
Bring specific thoughts or worries from your day to your attention. Imagine these worries leaving your body and the space around you as you exhale. Consciously set aside all your stress and worries from the day.
Step 4: Scan through your body
Scan through the muscles in your body, noticing if you’re holding onto tension, particularly in your shoulders. Consciously soften your shoulders, letting them relax and the muscles loosen. Allow your arms to rest heavily.
Step 5: Relax your hands and jaw
Unclench your hands and allow your fingers to be soft and loose. Notice if you’re clenching through your jaw. Allow your jaw to rest loosely, so your teeth are not touching. Let your lips be soft and your mouth relaxed.
Step 6: Soften other tense areas
Scan your awareness through your body once again, noticing any other tense areas. Perhaps your brow is furrowed, or there is tightness in your hips or lower back. See if you can allow yourself to soften a little more.
Step 7: Focus on your breath
Become aware of your breath flowing in and out of your body once again. Your breath should be smooth and fluid, completely effortless. With each exhalation, completely let go of tension, weakness, and what no longer serves you.
Step 8: Feel the calmness
Feel all remaining stress and pressure leave your body. Let yourself feel awash with calmness. As you scan through your body once again, notice how it feels to completely let go. Feel the heaviness of your limbs, the warmth and softness of your hands and feet, and the effortlessness of your breath.
Step 9: Float in peaceful energy
Allow yourself to float in this peaceful energy for the final few moments of your practice. Take your time to deepen your breath, feel movement through your toes and fingers, and take any other movements or stretches you need.
Step 10: Ease out of practice
Ease your way out of your practice slowly and peacefully. In your own time, blink your eyes open once again into a soft and steady gaze.
This guided meditation script was adapted from Meg James’ “Release Stress and Pressure,” which you can find here.
Take a moment to reflect
After the meditation, take a few moments to reflect on your experience. Journaling helps you process your thoughts and track your progress over time. Here are some questions to guide your reflection:
- How did your body feel before and after the meditation?
- What thoughts or worries were you able to let go of during the practice?
- How did the practice affect your overall mood and stress levels?
- What insights or feelings emerged during the meditation?
Explore more ways to release stress and tension with specific meditations.
Find calm and ease with Insight Timer’s free meditation app
Discover the benefits of guided meditations like this one and more by downloading Insight Timer’s free meditation app. Access a variety of meditations and meditation music to support your journey to inner peace and stress relief.
Still feeling stressed? Relax with a longer meditation, like Hugh Byrne’s 29-minute guided mindfulness meditation for relieving stress and worry.
