This exercise combines elements of progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness to help you release tension and cultivate awareness in your body and mind.
Find a comfortable seated position where your head is supported or simply lying down and let's begin.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath in.
As you exhale,
Allow your body to relax naturally.
Invite your jaws to part,
Your shoulders to drop,
Your fingers to spread out.
With each breath,
Imagine your body becoming loose and limp.
Letting go of any effort to control your muscles,
This is a time to simply be present with your body,
To relax,
To let go and do absolutely nothing.
We'll start by gently tensing and then releasing each muscle group in your body.
As we do so,
I invite you to bring your full awareness to the sensations in your muscles.
As you inhale,
Focus your attention to the body part.
Then you will hold your breath and you will squeeze and contract the muscle.
As you exhale,
You release and relax with a long and slow breath out.
Let's begin by simply breathing together.
We will begin by inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
Inhale through the nose,
Hold your breath as you inflate your belly.
Exhale slowly through the mouth,
Through pressed lips as if you are breathing out through a very tight straw.
One more time,
Inhaling through the nose,
Hold as you inflate your belly.
And exhale slowly through the mouth,
Through pressed lips as if you are breathing through a straw.
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
On your next breath,
Take a deep breath through the nose as you focus your attention on your toes.
Hold the breath as you curl your toes tightly just for a few seconds.
Notice the tension.
Now exhale slowly,
Long and slow breath through pressed lips.
Release and feel the relaxation spread through your feet.
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Take a deep breath through your nose.
Focus your attention on your calf muscles.
Hold the breath as you tighten your calf muscles by pointing your toes upwards.
Hold the tension.
Then exhale a long and slow breath out as you release and feel the muscles soften.
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Take a deep breath in now,
Once again as you focus your attention to your upper legs.
Hold your breath as you squeeze your thigh muscles together.
Hold and feel the tension.
Then exhale a long and slow breath out.
Letting go and notice the relaxation.
Take a pause here and breathe normally.
Take another conscious breath in now,
This time focusing on your lower abdomen.
Hold the breath as you tighten your stomach muscles as if preparing to do a sit-up.
Then you hold.
Then exhale slowly and releasing.
Inviting your belly to soften.
And then allowing your breath to return to its natural flow.
On the next inhale,
Focus your attention on your chest.
Hold the breath as you focus your attention on the sensation of holding your breath.
Then gently pressing your lips together and you exhale as you blow out.
Pretending to blow out of a straw.
Slow and long breath out.
Take another pause here,
Catching the natural rhythm of your breath.
As you inhale,
Focus your attention on your hands.
Hold the breath as you make a fist with both hands and hold tightly.
Notice the tension.
Hold.
And then exhale slowly,
Releasing and feel your hands relax.
Noticing the relaxation of each finger,
One at a time.
Letting go,
Opening out.
And then you take a pause.
Noticing the natural rhythm of your breath.
Now take a deep breath in as you focus your attention on your arms.
Hold your breath and bend your elbow,
Tensing your biceps.
Hold the tension.
Notice the tension in your muscles.
And then exhale as you release and you let your arms relax completely.
Focus your attention now on your shoulders.
As you take in your next breath,
Hold as you raise your shoulders up towards your ears.
Holding and scrunching them up just for a few seconds.
And then release.
Breathing out,
Relax and feel your shoulders drop and soften.
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Now on your next inhale,
Bring your awareness to the back of your head.
Hold the breath as you gently press your back of your head against whichever surface it is resting and tense your neck muscles.
Holding.
And then release.
Exhale as you relax the muscles and feel the relaxation spread through your neck and your shoulders.
And you pause.
Once again,
Allowing your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Inhale once again as you bring your awareness now to your face.
Hold your breath as you scrunch up your facial muscles,
Including your forehead,
Your eyes,
Your mouth.
Hold.
Hold.
Hold.
And then exhale as you release and as you feel your face as it softens.
Now that your body is more relaxed,
We'll integrate some mindfulness into our practice.
Bring your awareness to your breath.
Notice the sensation of the air entering and leaving your nostrils.
Feel the rise and the fall of your chest and your abdomen.
Simply taking this moment to focus on your breath.
Each inhale and exhale is an opportunity to be fully present.
If your mind wanders,
Which it will and is completely normal,
Gently bring your attention back to your breath.
Simply breathing.
Just this.
Being in the here and now with your breath.
Inhale and exhale.
Now starting from the top of your head,
Slowly scan down through your body.
Notice any areas of residual tension and breathing into these areas,
Inviting relaxation with each exhale.
As we end this practice,
I invite you to take a moment to feel gratitude for your body and the effort it puts in every day.
Also appreciation for this time that you have taken for yourself.
And take a few moments to feel into that sense of relaxation and peace.
Being at peace means that you are open to all experiences,
Just as you have been in this practice.
Noticing moments of tension and noticing moments of ease in life and relating to them from that space of awareness and acceptance.
When you are ready,
Begin to bring your awareness back to the room.
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
Stretch them out gently and open your eyes.
Carrying the sense of mindfulness and relaxation as you continue with your day.
