Tension Release Full Body Practice

A guided practice in the form of a body scan, designed to release stress and tension and bring the listener to a state of deep relaxation.

Music Credit:
"Relaxing Piano Music" Kevin MacLeod

Transcript

Welcome to a meditation designed to help you release stress and relax.

Please find a comfortable position either sitting or lying down.

Closing your eyes,

Begin to draw your attention to your breath.

Recognize the rise and fall of your stomach as you inhale and exhale.

Begin to slow down on each exhale.

You will use your exhale throughout this meditation as a means of releasing stress.

At some points,

Your body may require a longer exhale.

Feel free to listen to that impression and do so.

Lengthening out your exhale tells your brain that you are in a safe and low stress environment.

As a short exercise,

Begin by lengthening out your exhale to four counts.

ThisOkay Moving your attention from your breath we will now start to focus on your body.

The purpose of this part of the meditation is to simply observe.

As you scan through your body there is no need to pass judgment.

Just acknowledge this state that it is in at this moment.

Beginning with your feet,

Notice any sensations that might arise in your toes,

In the soles of your feet or in your ankles.

Notice any areas that might be warm or cold.

And notice any tingling sensations.

Moving your way up to your calf and thigh area as well as your knee.

Pay attention to any areas where you might have soreness or excess energy.

Again simply observing,

No need to pass judgment.

As we move up your body draw your attention to your hips and pelvic area.

Simply observe.

Taking your focus up towards your lower back and stomach area.

You may notice this light movement that is occurring connected to your inhale and exhale.

Are there any areas of soreness or pain?

Does it feel warm or cold in any specific area?

Take note.

Drawing your attention now to your chest and upper back.

This is an area that tends to hold a great deal of tension in most people.

Although you are not passing judgment,

You may observe that in your own body.

Moving up to your shoulders and neck.

Are there any tingling areas or is it warm or cool?

Coming now to your head which encompasses your ears or scalp,

Your forehead and eyebrows as well as your mouth and jaw.

Simply pay attention to any sensations of tension,

Of heaviness,

Of warmth or of coolness.

In this method of observation you are allowing your body to just be in the state that it is in.

You are accepting that state and you are listening to your body.

Making sure your attention has reached the very top and crown of your head.

Take a moment now to scan through from the top to the bottom and listen to any other areas of your body that desire your attention.

Your body may be communicating through sensations or desire to move or twitch.

Try to maintain a still posture while still acknowledging that desire.

Often times our bodies have a desire to move while we are in meditation simply because that specific part of our body just wants to be heard.

You might draw your attention to a particular part of your body and then say in your mind,

I hear you.

Now that you have observed every part of your body it is time to release.

Although tension does manifest itself physically it is most often connected to something that is occurring in our mind or spirit.

Just as our mind has created the tension it can also release the tension.

As we begin this release it is important to give yourself permission to release the tension or stress.

To acknowledge that it is no longer serving you and it is not needed and to give yourself permission to be free of tension or stress and enter into a state of relaxation.

We will begin at the top of your body,

The crown of your head.

Drawing your attention to that area.

Take a moment to imagine any stress or tension you are holding there to suddenly become as liquid and drip off of your body.

Sinking into whatever surface you might be sitting or laying on.

This happens with ease.

You might feel a tingling or melting sensation dripping down your head and rolling down your neck and shoulders.

Allow that sensation to travel.

Find any tension you might be holding in your neck or shoulders to also soften,

Liquefy and slide off of your body.

You might sense as if a weight is being lifted.

Embrace that feeling of lightness.

Moving down to your chest and upper back.

Allow any sensation of heaviness to suddenly transform into a light,

Flowing feeling.

And give that energy permission to slide right off of your body.

You may feel a lightness as well in your chest area.

It may suddenly become easier to breathe.

Working your way down your arms and hands.

Allow that tension to flow freely down your fingertips and out the ends of your fingers.

Those feelings of stress or anxiety simply melting away.

Continuing down the body to your stomach and lower back.

Imagine once again any feelings of tension or heaviness suddenly convert into a light,

Liquefied energy that easily flows off of your body and drips down.

Take a moment now and notice the sensations you are feeling in the upper part of your body compared to the sensations you have in the lower part of your body.

Can you feel the lightness?

Do you notice the contrast?

Moving down the hips and thighs.

You once again allow that tension to soften and be released.

That feeling of release extends down your knees,

Your shins and calves,

Down your ankles,

Through your heels and feet.

You might visualize that stress releasing out the bottoms of your feet and the tips of your toes.

Sensing that you are draining tension and stress from your body through your feet.

Allowing that flow to occur and noticing how natural and normal it feels.

Take a moment again to draw your attention to your entire body.

Noticing the lightness.

The relaxed and softened state of each and every part of your body.

Express gratitude to your body for allowing you to release that tension.

As well as acknowledge the gratitude that your body is expressing to you for your part in this release.

Bring your attention back to your breath.

And once again,

We end where we began.

You might sense the ease with which you are able to inhale and exhale now that the tension has been released.

And lastly,

Remember that you are just one meditation away from this feeling anytime.

Reviews

Beautiful and soothing. Eased morning anxiety and helped me fall asleep again. 🙏🏼🌼💗

helped release tension in my shoulders. thank you!

This body scan is wonderful, thank you!