Meditation For Calm And Relaxation

This is a meditation practice for cultivating calm and relaxation. The quality of relaxation is a capacity we can all develop, and relaxation practices provide us with a skill to hone and support us in doing so. This practice will focus on releasing physical tension, soothing the nervous system, promoting a sense of ease, and ultimately managing stress.

Transcript

Hi, It's Joe Wilner and welcome to this meditation practice for cultivating calm and relaxation The quality of relaxation is a capacity we can all develop and relaxation practices Provide us a skill to hone to support us in doing so. This practice will use deep breathing mindful breathing and visualization to help release physical tension soothe the nervous system Promote a sense of ease and ultimately manage stress To start find a comfortable position seated or lying down Whichever feels most comfortable for you If you're sitting allow the spine to lift and expand the shoulders a bit And as it feels right gently close your eyes taking a deep breath through the nose and exhale slowly Allow yourself to let go of any thoughts or concerns so you can be fully immersed in this practice Bring awareness back to your breath and see if you can breathe just a little deeper and slower than usual Allowing your body to relax and settle into the present moment Breathe in through your nose feeling your belly expand and Exhale noticing the air leave the belly and lungs Again, Taking a deep breath in through the nose Slowly exhaling through the mouth Letting go and releasing any tension in the body Settle into a comfortable pace of breathing And with each breath allowing yourself to relax just a little bit deeper and now we will utilize some visualization along with the body scan to further help us Shift your attention to your feet and imagine a warm soothing light gently Enveloping them feel any tension or fatigue melt away as this light washes through the legs through the calves thighs and hips Allow this light to relax and rejuvenate each part of the body as it moves upward As the warm light reaches your stomach and lower back feel the muscles loosen and tightness dissolve But the sensation of relaxation spread to the chest shoulders and arms All the way to your hands and fingertips Feel the weight of any worries or stress being lifted up your shoulders bring attention to the neck and head And imagine the soothing light gently massaging your neck Releasing any tension or stiffness Feel it washing over your face Relaxing the forehead temples and jaw Go of any tension and tightness Allowing the facial muscles to soften and completely relax Take a moment to scan the full body and notice if there's any areas That still noticeably hold tension wherever you notice areas that still hold tension Relax back into the breath Breathing in through the nose and slowly exhaling through the mouth Relaxing into the seat you're in as you do so imagine that warm soothing light asking any area of tension and Blanketing you as you continue to drop into a deeper state of relaxation Breathing in allowing yourself to relax a little bit more with each breath Now go ahead and check in And be aware of the state of your mind Notice any stream of thoughts taking place Practice taking that observer or Witnessing perspective Sort of stepping back and seeing if you can create a little more space And shift your mindset a little by another visualization practice See if you can imagine The mind is a clear calm lake Any thoughts or worries that arise are like ripples on the surface of the water Acknowledge these ripples without judgment and allow them to naturally fade away and run their breathe mindfully and return to This example of an image or any other imagery that reflects stillness and tranquility for you as we near the end of this relaxation practice Take another deep breath in fill in your lungs with fresh or vitalizing air and Exhale releasing any remaining stagnant air and energy from your body in mind Remember that you can return To this state of relaxation at any time Whenever you need a break from the busyness of life Take a few moments to reconnect with the breath Try to relax tension in the body And find that place of inner stillness As you're ready slowly begin to bring awareness Back to the present moment and the environment around you wiggle your fingers and toes Gently stretch the body and open your eyes. I hope this guided relaxation practice Brought you a little greater sense of tranquility and rejuvenation Remember, You can always come back to this practice if you need a moment of calm and peace Thank you and take care