This is the progressive muscle relaxation meditation.
In this meditation,
We will make our way through the body and squeeze and then release.
Part of the intention behind this is to make a form of relaxation happen for the muscles.
So you might include some mindfulness when you are paying attention,
But if you're not paying attention that much and you're just squeezing and releasing,
It can be really fun.
During this experience,
We will be starting with the feet and moving up through the body and at each place,
Squeezing and then releasing.
So if you'd like to play along with this experiment,
It can be done in a standing position,
It can be done in a seated position,
On a chair or on the floor.
Many times I prefer to lie down myself,
But choose the position that you'd like.
And once you're there,
Taking a moment to settle in to whatever position you're in.
Maybe taking a few deep breaths.
And then we'll start with the feet.
Tuning into your feet and seeing if you can squeeze them.
It's kind of like if you were to make a fist,
But only with your feet.
Squeeze,
Squeeze your toes,
Squeeze your feet,
Squeeze.
And then let go.
And as I demonstrated,
It's great to let out a big breath or sigh every time you let go.
Squeeze the legs as if you're lifting the kneecaps.
Squeeze the lower legs,
The calf muscles,
Ooh,
And then release.
Ah.
And we're really making a let go happen.
That's part of the point of this particular experiment.
So on the squeeze,
We make a real tension.
And with each let go,
We really make a total relaxation emerge.
Squeezing the feet,
Squeezing the legs,
Squeezing the knees up,
Squeezing the thighs,
Maybe even squeezing the hips and the buttocks.
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze.
And release.
Ah.
And take a moment to feel.
Some meditators report that there's kind of a wave of relaxation that rolls down the body,
Seeing if that's happening for you.
And as you're ready,
Squeezing the feet,
Legs,
Knees,
Thighs,
Buttocks,
Belly,
Maybe even squeezing the chest,
Squeeze.
Squeeze and release.
Squeezing the feet,
Squeezing the legs,
Squeezing the thighs,
Squeezing the knees,
Squeezing the hips,
Squeezing the thighs,
Squeezing the thighs,
Squeezing the buttocks,
Squeezing the belly,
Squeezing the chest,
Squeezing your shoulders up towards your ears,
Squeeze tight.
And let go.
Ah.
Ah.
Ah.
Squeezing the feet,
Squeezing the legs,
Squeezing the thighs,
Squeezing the buttocks,
Squeezing the belly,
Squeezing the chest,
Squeezing the shoulders up to the ears,
Making fists with your hands,
Squeezing your arms,
Squeezing,
Squeezing,
Squeezing,
Squeezing,
Squeeze.
Ah.
And then,
Brrr,
Let it all go.
Brrr.
If you're in a chair,
Letting yourself sink into the chair.
If you're lying on the floor,
Letting the floor receive your weight completely.
Ah.
And then we'll go through one last time.
Squeezing the feet,
Squeezing the legs,
Squeezing the thighs,
Squeezing the hips,
Squeezing the belly,
Squeezing the chest,
Squeezing the shoulders up to the ears,
Making fists with your head,
Squeezing the arms,
Squeezing the neck,
Squeezing the face into a monster face,
Squeeze your brain,
Squeeze everything you've got.
Tight,
Tight,
Tight,
Tight.
And then let everything go.
Relaxing the head and the face.
Ah.
Relaxing the neck,
Relaxing the shoulders.
Feeling waves of relaxation rolling down the arms and out the hands and fingertips.
Feeling waves of relaxation going down your spine through the whole trunk of your body,
Through the hips.
Feel waves of relaxation rolling down through the thighs,
Knees,
Calves,
Ankles,
Along the soles of the feet and out your toes,
Allowing yourself to be melted.
And as this recording comes to an end,
Feeling free to continue to simply let yourself relax in this position for as long as works for you.
