16:54

Soften & Surrender

by Dana Readings

Rated
4.8
Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
1.6k

This guided meditation is a Yoga Nidra-inspired body scan, a way to observe sensations throughout the body and melt away any scattered energy, tensions and outside noise. Let this be an invitation for you to slow down, boost your immune system, quiet your nervous system and busy mind, and, to release any anxiety or emotions that might be bogging you down. Let this be your time to soften and surrender.

RelaxationMeditationYoga NidraBody ScanUjjayi BreathingProgressive Muscle RelaxationDiaphragmatic BreathingEnergy CirculationMind QuietingRenewalAnxiety ReliefEmotional ReleaseSurrenderRenewal And RecoveryBreathing AwarenessCalm Nervous SystemImmune BoostingSofteningVisualizations

Transcript

Finding your way into a comfortable position,

Either laying down or sitting comfortably nestled into some cushions or under a blanket.

Closing your eyes.

Trying to become aware of the air flowing into your body.

Feeling that constant stream of air,

That flow of life in and out of your body.

Becoming aware of the breath and the cycle of the inhale and the exhale.

And taking a few long,

Deep breaths.

Lengthening the exhale with each cycle of the in and out.

And with each inhale filling yourself up with this fresh,

Nourishing oxygen.

With each exhale softening the body,

Expelling it of any loose debris,

Emotions,

Thoughts,

Or tensions.

Slowing the breath down,

Articulating this autonomic process.

Slowing down to feel the sensations of the air moving through all of the hairs in your nose,

Down your throat,

Into your lungs,

Through into the diaphragm.

And following that steady,

Life bringing stream as it moves out again,

Removing all of those toxins and materials that no longer serve you.

Breathing in,

Exaggerating the filling up of your body as though it's a balloon.

Breathing out,

Emptying the body of all the stale energy.

Breathing in relaxation in life.

Breathing out stale energy and density.

Falling into this rhythm.

And as you do so,

Just gently constructing the throat passage as you breathe in.

So that you begin to hear the sound of the ocean like a gentle hum that's stemming from your voice box.

Feel,

Sense,

And hear the sound of the ocean within you.

Breathing into the cycle and feel the wave of the breath as it slowly starts to take over.

The mind quiets and the thoughts are just small distant clouds.

You're fully immersed in this oceanic rhythm of your breath.

As you're breathing,

Letting this lull you into a calm,

Peaceful state.

As the mind quiets,

The nervous system calms,

The body melts further.

And so deeper and deeper you go.

Calmer and calmer your mind and body.

Closer and quieter all of the sensations and all of the noises within and around you.

Feeling like a ship floating on the surface of the water here.

Just floating,

Moving with the gentle sway and rocking of the current of your breath.

Taking a few moments here to scan the body.

Feeling at the top of the head,

The crown and the center of your head.

Feeling it as though it's gently lifting upwards towards the sky on the inhale,

Like a string being pulled upwards.

And then softening on the exhale,

Placing your attention on the space between the eyebrows.

The breath in expands the space between the eyes and then relaxes it on the exhale.

The muscles of the eyebrows and the eyes relaxed.

Moving downwards to the cheeks and the jaw,

All relaxed.

Gently resting the tongue on the top of your mouth with the teeth gently separated.

Ears tuning into all around you,

Yet relaxed.

Drawing the neck,

Collarbone and shoulders away from the ears,

Feeling them weighted downward by gravity.

And the spine still straight,

Extending to the sky while simultaneously anchored down into the cushions,

Down into the earth below you.

Turning your attention to the right upper arm,

The right elbow,

The right lower arm,

The wrist,

Palm,

Thumb,

Pointer finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

And baby finger,

All relaxed.

Whole right arm relaxed,

Falling heavy away from the shoulder.

Turning your attention to the left upper arm,

The left elbow,

Left lower arm,

Left wrist,

Palm,

Thumb,

Pointer finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

And baby finger,

All relaxed.

The whole left arm relaxed,

Melting away from the shoulder.

Placing your attention on the chest and the heart,

The rib cage,

Belly,

Belly button,

Hips,

Tailbone,

Buttocks,

All relaxed.

Turning the attention to the right thigh,

Right knee,

Right lower leg,

Ankle,

Arch of the foot,

Big toe,

Pointer toe,

Middle toe,

Ring toe,

And baby toe,

All relaxed.

The whole right leg softening.

Moving your attention to the left thigh,

The left knee,

Left lower leg,

Ankle,

Arch of the foot,

Big toe,

Pointer toe,

Middle toe,

Ring toe,

And baby toe,

All relaxed.

The whole left leg softening.

Drawing your attention now to the core of the body.

Somewhere in your body there might be an energy control panel.

Looking on that panel for the main master switch.

And when you look at that switch,

All you see is the word soften.

So once you find it,

Moving your hand over,

Flicking the switch,

And in an instant feeling the body soften even more.

In this softened state,

Just observing,

Watching as the body steadily flows through all of the veins extending outward from that central spinal core.

Watching as the blood in the body smoothly flows in and out through all of the organs,

Muscles,

Cells,

Around all joints,

Hydrating everything throughout the body.

And then once more drawing your attention back to your breath.

Watching this effortless,

Unconscious breath bring life into all layers of your being.

Watching these circulations throughout the body.

Imagining as you were almost part of the ride,

Moving downstream through all of those different modes.

Watching as the body lovingly absorbs all of this beautiful,

Loving,

Nourishing energy.

Letting it all soak in.

Letting it tingle,

Feel the sensations as the body absorbs it all.

Deepening the breath,

Drawing in the air,

Long inhale in,

Expanding the body,

And exhale,

Sighing it all out.

Inhale expansion.

Exhale release.

Drawing in the breath in for one more deep,

Long,

Expansive breath.

And on the exhale,

Let it all go all the way until you feel empty.

And then coming back to an organic,

Cyclical rhythm.

Slowly allowing the renewal and revitalization to awaken you,

Rousing the body gently,

Slowly.

Again,

Feeling the tingle as this awakens you back to the space you are in.

And whenever you're ready,

Opening the eyes and bringing this life,

This new renewal in life with you wherever you go.

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Meet your Teacher

Dana ReadingsBurlington, Ontario, Canada

4.8 (88)

Recent Reviews

Riva

February 16, 2024

Very grounding and relaxing. I also appreciate the somatic aspect 🥰 thank you 🙏🏽💜

Leslie

May 2, 2021

Thank you for offering this meditation. I found the teacher’s voice and background music soothing. I appreciated the image of softening and hydrating. I found it calming and hopefully healing.

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