Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Help relieve tension stored within your body and relax for sleep with this evidence-based progressive muscle relaxation meditation. Using isometrics, which is tensing and releasing muscles in your body, you can release physical tension as well as emotional tension.

Transcript

A Progressive Muscle Relaxation by Elizabeth Morales. To begin I invite you to find a comfortable position either seated or laying down. Try to remain alert whilst completing the meditation. However this can also be a useful meditation to fall asleep. When you've settled into position, Begin by slightly deepening each breath. Let go of all the thoughts previously running through your mind and arrive here in this moment, Ready to engage with non-judgmental curiosity about your body. This meditation will guide you from the top of your head to your feet, Encouraging you to relax and release tightness and tension from each part of your body. If you find yourself lost or caught up in thoughts, That's okay. Just gently draw your attention back to your body and to the sound of my voice when you notice that you've been distracted. Let's begin with your face. Draw your attention to your forehead and eyes. You may want to scrunch up your face, Feeling tension, And then release the muscles. Notice the sensations around your eyes and see if you can invite further softness there. Moving down towards your mouth, Softening the lips and jaw, And inside your mouth, See if you can lower the tongue from the roof of your mouth and notice how it feels as you do this, Scanning the face to see if you can release tension in any other part of your face. I encourage you to remain open-minded and non-judgmental as we complete this practice. So try to refrain from calling sensations good or bad, But rather try to lean in and describe the sensation with greater depth. Is it cool or warm? Sharp or soft? Tight? Tingling? Heavy? Become really curious about what is happening in your body in this moment. Returning to your body, Moving your attention now down your neck to your shoulders. Again, You might want to add tension to the muscles by pulling your shoulders up towards your ears before softening them back down, Releasing the tension, Letting go, Softening, Noticing all the sensations in this area of your body. If you find your mind wandering, That's okay. That's what minds do. Gently with kindness, Draw your attention back to your body. Now we will travel down our right arm, Scanning from the top of your right shoulder down towards the elbow and forearm. You may want to tighten the muscles before releasing them again, Softening your right hand, And then try to focus your attention on one finger at a time, And then your thumb. Again, You can make a fist if you want to, Squeezing tightly and then releasing, Softly resting your hand on your lap or beside you, And just notice all the sensations here in your right hand. Now drawing your attention to your left arm, Starting at the top of your left shoulder and slowly scanning down your left arm, Past your elbow to your forearm. Again, You may choose to flex these muscles and release them, Or you may not want to. Now focusing your attention on your left hand. Again, You may want to make a fist, Squeezing and tightening the muscles before releasing them. Now scanning down each finger and thumb on your left hand, Noticing the sensations here. Perhaps you can feel tingling or heaviness, Perhaps something else. Whatever you notice in this moment is completely fine. Again, If you find your mind wandering, That's okay. That's what minds do. Gently, With kindness, Draw your attention back to your body and then sensations here. Drawing your attention to your spine, Starting at the top of your spine and moving down your back. Imagine softness and releasing tension from the muscles through the back area. Similarly, Releasing any tension from the sides of your torso and drawing attention to your chest and down the front of your body. You may wish to place a hand on your stomach and see if you can breathe more deeply, Drawing the air down into your abdomen, Feeling it rise and fall with each breath. Drawing your attention down to your pelvis, Hips and bottom, Inviting release of tension, Inviting softness, Letting go. Drawing your attention now to your right leg, The top of your thigh, The sides and the back of your thigh. Moving down past the knee to your calf. Again, You can tighten up the muscles in your right leg and then release them if you like to. And just see if you can notice any sensations in your right leg. Moving down to the right ankle, Softening the top and bottom of your right foot. You may want to curl the toes and then release them. And then see if you can notice sensations in each individual toe. If your mind has wandered, That is okay. With kindness and without judgment, Just drawing your attention back to the body. We are now drawing our attention to the left leg. Beginning at the top of the left leg, Scanning the top, Sides and back of the thigh, Noticing any sensations here. Moving down past your left knee, Down to the calf. You may want to tighten the muscles in your left leg, Squeezing them and then releasing, Letting go, Softening. Draw your attention to your left ankle, Then down to the top of your left foot, The bottom and sides of your foot. Again, You may wish to curl your toes and then release. And again, See if you can notice the sensations in your left foot and if you can feel each individual toe on the left foot. And now scanning through the whole of your body, Feel that the whole body is alive with sensations, Tingling, Pulsing aliveness. Notice how the breath moves through your body, Causing subtle movement and flow. And notice if you can, The beat of your heart, Pulsing blood through your veins, Beating and alive. It's time now to draw this meditation to a close. Take a moment to thank yourself for choosing to take the time to practice mindful awareness.