Let's begin by getting into position and grounding ourselves.
Find a comfortable spot where you won't be disturbed and sit or lie down.
If you're sitting,
Sit comfortably with your spine softly resting on a backrest and your arms and legs uncrossed.
If you're lying down,
Lie flat on your back again with arms and legs uncrossed.
You might want to place a pillow under your head and maybe your knees if your lower back is uncomfortable.
You may also want to loosen any tight clothing.
Taking a moment now to look around the room and notice the different colours,
Light and shadows that you see.
You may notice a running commentary in your mind.
If you do,
Identify these as thoughts and refocus your attention on what you can see.
When you're ready and only if you're comfortable too,
You can close your eyes.
Now bringing your attention to your body and how you feel sitting or lying against the chair,
Bed or floor.
Noticing any points of pressure where your body connects with the surface.
Maybe you can feel your clothes on your skin or sensations of warmth or cool where your body is covered or uncovered.
Taking a breath in and noticing any smells that you can smell around you.
Noticing any judgments that your mind may be making.
Then refocus to the sensation of smell.
Smells may lead you to notice taste in your mouth too.
Just be aware of this and see if there are any changes as you breathe in and out.
You might be starting to hear sounds around you as well.
Sounds inside the room,
Sounds out in the distance.
Just let the sounds come and go from your awareness,
Just like a car passing on the street.
Now take a deep breath in,
Noticing how that feels in your body.
Then breathing out with a great sigh and release all the air in your lungs.
On the next breath in,
See if you can notice any tension in your body.
See if you can notice any tension in your body.
And noticing any sensation of release as you exhale.
Take another deep breath in.
This time giving yourself permission to let go as you breathe out.
Now returning your breathing to its normal state.
You may find your mind keeps wandering throughout this activity and this is what minds do.
Simply notice where your mind went and refocus your attention back to the body area we're working on.
Let's begin by breathing in and clenching your hands into a fist,
Bending them back at the wrist.
Noticing the tension in your hands,
Your wrist and your forearm.
And now relax your hands and wrist as you breathe out.
Notice any loosening in these areas.
And now repeat this on your own,
On your next breath in.
Breathing in again and bending your elbows and tensing your biceps.
Noticing the areas of tightness.
Drop your arms on the out breath and relax.
Again,
Noticing the tension dissipate.
Repeat this one more time,
Feeling the difference.
Your arms and hands might feel heavier or lighter than before.
Drawing your attention up to your head and breathing in and scrunching your face and squeezing your eyes closed.
Feeling that tension spread around the back of your scalp and your neck.
And on the out breath,
Relax,
Smoothing out these muscles.
And one more time,
Breathing in and out,
Sensing your face and scalp becoming soft and smooth.
As you start to unwind.
Breathing in and shrugging your shoulders up towards your ears and holding.
Feeling the tightness in your neck,
Throat and shoulders.
Dropping your shoulders as you breathe out and let go.
And repeat this one more time.
Breathing in and breathing out,
Letting all the tension dissolve away.
Now focusing on your chest area.
Take a deep breath in and hold it.
Feeling the fullness in your chest and upper back.
Opening your mouth gently and exhaling,
Letting go of all that pressure.
Breathing in again.
And releasing on the exhale.
Feeling yourself letting go more and more.
Taking another deep breath in and feeling the expansion in your belly and lower back.
And let it all out on the out breath.
And repeat breathing in and breathing out.
Feeling the relaxation growing as the air rushes out.
Breathing in and arching your back without straining.
Feeling your muscles constrict.
And then breathing out and releasing your back.
One more time.
Allowing yourself to melt into the chair,
Bed or floor.
And letting all the tension dissolve away from you.
Focusing on your hip,
Lower abdomen and pelvic area.
Drawing the muscles in and out as you breathe in.
Feeling the tightness.
And letting all the muscles fall as you breathe out.
Repeating one more time.
Breathing in.
And exhaling.
Feeling yourself uncoiled from the inside out.
Breathing in and squeezing your buttocks and thighs.
Feeling the increased pressure against the chair,
Bed or floor.
And on the out breath,
Letting these muscles fall into the chair,
Bed or floor.
And one more time.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Feeling yourself fall deeper and deeper into relaxation.
Breathing in and straightening your legs.
Bend your toes towards your face.
And noticing any tension.
On the out breath,
Release your toes,
Shins and calves.
And one more time.
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
Letting go of all the stress in your body.
Noticing sensations of relaxation in your feet,
Ankles,
Shins,
Calves and thighs.
Thinking into the feelings of relaxation in your hips,
Stomach,
Back and chest.
Noticing a sensation of restful calmness in your shoulders,
Neck,
Face and scalp.
And allowing your entire body to melt into the chair,
Bed or floor.
Continuing to breathe slowly and deeply in a way that's comfortable for you.
Feeling a sense of peace as you fall deeper and deeper into relaxation.
Letting go.
Letting go more and more.
Allowing your entire body to feel loose and rested.
Basking in feelings of relaxation and calm.
