Release Muscle Tension & Fall Asleep

If your body feels tight, stressed, or restless, this meditation will guide you through gentle relaxation techniques to ease muscle tension and promote deep relaxation, helping you to let go of the day’s stress and fall into a restorative sleep.

Transcript

Hello,

My name is Jason Stevenson and welcome to this guided meditation to help you release all muscular tension and to help you fall into a deep and peaceful sleep.

Over the course of this meditation,

You will be guided to bring your awareness to each area of the body,

To feel into it,

To tighten it and then to release it completely,

Allowing the entire body to come to a state of total relaxation.

So before we begin this journey,

Just ensure that all end of day matters are taken care of,

If you require an alarm to be set,

Just quietly set it now,

If there are blinds that need to be drawn or bright lights that can be turned off,

Just take care of these small matters before settling into a comfortable lying down position.

Wherever you are,

Ensure that the spine and neck are straight but relaxed and that you are supported in any way that you need.

Take your time to adjust any cushions or blankets so that you are as comfortable as possible in this very moment.

Set an intention now to fully let go,

Through both body and mind,

As we enter a process of complete release.

Now let's begin by becoming more mindful of this exact moment in time and space.

Begin by drawing your awareness to your ears and to all the sounds that you may currently be infiltrating through them.

As you open your hearing,

Simply observe all the sounds that come,

From subtle hums to more prominent noises outside.

Without judging or labelling these sounds,

Practice remaining in a state of deep awareness as vibrations filter into your eardrums,

And as they disappear,

Allow the mind's tendencies to categorise,

To label and to judge,

To step aside as you simply witness these noises as dynamic expressions of life,

As simple and subtle vibrations of energy.

Now expand your awareness of this present moment by beginning to observe the physical space you rest in.

Notice the air that touches your skin,

And the material world that supports and surrounds you.

Take a few moments to observe each inch of your body that is in contact with the physical world.

You might come to notice the temperature of your body and surfaces around you.

You might observe the textures of blankets and pillows that brush against your skin.

And you might even observe a barely describable feeling of support,

Of safety or of heaviness as you sink further into the surface beneath you.

Notice if the body's formation or sensory experience changes in any way as you become more mindful of this physical space you are in.

Become more mindful now of your breath,

Quietly observing the rhythm and depth of its present form.

To be mindful does not mean to change or to manipulate the present moment in any way that the mind deemed to make better or worthy.

To the contrary,

Mindful awareness asks us to open to and to accept this moment exactly as it is.

So with this in mind,

See if you can open to your breath exactly as it is right now,

Releasing any judgement or expectation for it to feel any differently than it presently does.

If a natural deepening occurs,

Allow this,

Simply noticing it as a natural movement of energy further into your being.

Continue to observe the breath for a few more moments,

Feeling into the expression of each inhalation and each exhalation.

Notice the feeling of air entering through your nasal cavity,

Filling your lungs and pressing upward against your belly,

And then notice the same dynamic movement in reverse,

Observing any sensations connected to your full exhalation.

Just breathe here in mindful awareness for a few more silent moments.

If the mind wanders at any point during this meditation,

See if you can refrain from judgement as you compassionately call your attention back to the present moment.

It is in the mind's nature to wander,

But with that said,

We can use the power of our intention to refocus our attention back on this present moment.

This refocusing is what helps us to enter an expanding state of complete relaxation.

In just a few moments we will enter into a full body scan,

Through which you will become deeply aware of the presence of tightness in the body and then of the feeling of complete relaxation.

You will be guided to witness,

Tighten and release each area that we pass,

Allowing each part of the body to come to deep rest and complete ease,

In preparation for a peaceful night's sleep.

As much as possible,

See if you can align tightening movements with your inhalations and all movements towards release with your exhalations.

Just breathe naturally in between each muscle group that we work on.

So,

Before we begin into this body scan,

I invite you to make any adjustments now that will help you to feel into the entirety of your body.

You might find that it is easiest to access each muscle when in a straight,

Lying down position on your back.

However,

If this is not comfortable for you,

Come into a position that is as neutral as possible while remaining comfortable.

Ensure that the chest is open with shoulders drawn away from the ears.

Allow your breath to continue to be in the background of your awareness.

Secondary only to your gently shifting awareness of the physical body.

So,

Begin by noticing your toes,

Feeling into them exactly as they are in this moment.

Notice if there are any sensations present.

Any tightness or softness.

And now consciously tighten just your toes on your next inhalation,

Observing what it feels like for them to be pulled inwards completely.

And then exhale,

Letting them go and allowing all tension melting away with ease.

Now,

Bring your awareness towards both feet,

Toes and ankles included,

Observing them exactly as they are in this moment.

On the next breath in,

Tense all muscles in the feet area,

Holding tightly for just a brief moment and then release all of the tension on your exhalation,

Allowing your feet,

Toes and ankles to rest back down completely and breathing normally for a few moments.

Observe now the presence of both of your legs,

Drawing your awareness all the way from your heels up to your hips,

Noting any sensations you pass along the way.

Hold the entirety of both legs in your awareness and then inhale as you tighten these muscles,

Squeezing them in towards your midline.

Hold there for a moment and then exhale,

Releasing them completely into the surface beneath you.

Moving to the area between the hips,

Draw your awareness to your pelvis.

On your next breath in,

Tighten all of these muscles,

Holding them for just a brief moment and then release them completely on your next breath out.

Just feel into this complete release from your pelvis downward,

Letting each of these areas sink further into the support of the physical world.

Observe the stomach region now,

Becoming aware of its present state,

And then as you inhale,

Tighten all of these core muscles,

Holding them in tightly for just a moment as you hold the breath in,

And then release entirely as you exhale,

Softening all muscles around the belly.

Return to your natural breathing rhythm as you relax the stomach completely.

Now,

Expand your awareness of the stomach to encompass the entire torso,

From lower back to upper and from belly up to the shoulders.

Take a moment now to observe each muscle group in the core of your body.

Now,

On your next inhalation,

Tighten them all towards the midline of your body,

Feeling them in a contracted state,

And then release heavily with a sigh,

Allowing your entire torso to relax completely.

Take a moment here to reconnect with your breath,

Mindfully observing its present form.

Bring your awareness now to your hands,

Fingers included.

Observe the way they are resting in this moment,

Noticing if they are relaxed or tense or somewhere in between.

As you inhale,

Allow all of these muscles in the hands and fingers to tighten,

Coming into a compressed fist.

Hold for a brief second or two and then exhale as you release,

Allowing both hands to rest completely relaxed.

Draw your awareness now from your wrists all the way up to your shoulders,

Encompassing all the muscles and areas in between.

So,

Inhale as you contract all of these muscles,

Perhaps pulling them up towards your ears,

And then soften,

Releasing all of these muscles in the limbs back down,

Shoulders falling back down gently as well.

Notice how different it feels,

In both body and mind,

Between your contracted states and your softened ones.

Now,

Begin to observe all of the intricate muscles in your face,

Noticing if there are any sensations present here.

Consider the muscles in your jaw,

Your cheeks,

Your eyebrows,

And your forehead.

Now,

Inhale as you contract all of these muscles,

Squeezing your entire face together.

Hold for just a moment,

Observing the sensation,

And then exhale as you release all of these muscles completely.

Let go of each muscle,

Allowing all tension to drain away.

Take a moment to come back to your breath for just a moment,

Observing the entire body right where it is,

And right as it is.

Observe this neutral state just for a moment,

And then on your next inhalation,

Contract every muscle group accessible to your awareness,

Squeezing the entirety of your body towards your midline.

Hold everything together with the breath held in,

And then release completely,

Letting a deep sigh escape from your lungs as all remaining tension and stress falls away.

Allow each muscle to melt into the surface beneath you.

Allow your breath to return to its normal rhythm as you sink further and further into the experience of this complete relaxation.

Continue to breathe naturally,

Mindfully observing the flow of air into and out of your being.

In this state of deep relaxation and release,

There is absolutely nothing to do but be entirely present,

With every muscle group relaxed completely.

You are moments away from drifting into a peaceful sleep that is in alignment with your present state of tranquility.

Allow your breath to become like waves,

Your body as soft and gentle as the water beneath the surface.

As you breathe,

Notice yourself being rocked gently into an even deeper state of tranquility.

The mind follows the body's lead,

Quietening,

Softening,

As you come into harmony with everything within and around you.

With every inch of your being having been consciously relaxed,

Allow yourself to float effortlessly into a deep slumber.

Allow your breath and the sounds to soothe your entire being as you slowly,

But surely,

Descend completely into restorative and peaceful night's sleep.

And allow these affirmations to sink into your subconscious mind.

Even if you do fall asleep,

Trust that these affirmations will assist you as you drift deeper,

Deeper into sleep.

I am relaxing deeper and deeper.

My mind is slowing down.

All tension is melting away.

I let go of all my worries.

My body is relaxed and at peace.

My mind is calm.

I am centered and quiet.

My muscles are soft and relaxed.

I allow any thoughts to drift by with ease.

I release all concerns for the time being.

I am relaxing deeper and deeper.

My mind is slowing down.

All tension is melting away.

I let go of all my worries.

My body is relaxed and at peace.

My mind is calm.

I am centered and quiet.

My muscles are soft and relaxed.

I allow any thoughts to drift by with ease.

I release all concerns for the time being.

And until next time,

Goodnight my friend.

Goodnight.