Rapid Relaxation

This is a mindfulness practice, promoting mindful body awareness and relaxation. Maria Pellicano will gently guide you towards a sense of presence within the here and now, fostering a passive, alert, receptive, non-judgmental attitude. As you continue working within this practice, you will find that you will notice more awareness, acceptance and compassion towards yourself and those around you, as well as a daily sense of calm and peace.

Transcript

Relaxation exercise is best done with your body fairly upright.

So just take a moment to adjust your position ensuring your back is as upright as is comfortable.

Place your feet flat on the floor a little apart and then find where your hands are most comfortable.

Probably just resting on your thighs or cupped in your lap.

Just notice what works best for you and then when you're ready let your eyes gently close.

Now take a deep breath in and gently sigh the breath out.

You will probably notice a wave of relaxation flowing down through the body.

The muscles softening,

Loosening,

Relaxing,

Releasing,

Just simply letting go.

Do that once again.

Another deeper breath in,

Gently sighing the breath out and then just allowing the breath to take up whatever rhythm feels comfortable for you at that moment.

Quite effortlessly,

Effortlessly just feeling the ease of it all.

Now notice the feeling of letting go a little more with each out breath.

Just simply letting go and now move your back a little from side to side in a gentle swaying motion.

Just enough to feel your spine moving across its point of balance and as you do that feel the muscles along either side of your spine softening and loosening,

Relaxing,

Releasing and then the spine coming to its rest in its point of balance.

Just resting in its point of balance.

Another deeper breath in and gently sighing the breath out.

Just simply letting go.

Then move the head a little from side to side again.

Just gently swaying motion.

Just enough to feel the head moving across its point of balance and as you do that feel the muscles along either side of the neck softening and loosening,

Relaxing,

Releasing,

Just loosening and the head coming to its rest in its point of balance,

Its natural point of balance.

Another deeper breath in and gently sighing the breath out and now moving the head a little from front to back.

Feel the ease of the movement almost like a head.

Your head is a helium balloon just floating there and the neck like a string gently holding it in place and then the head coming to rest in its point of balance.

Simply resting now in that point of balance.

Quite effortlessly.

Just feeling the ease of it all.

Just going with it.

Simply letting go.

Just letting go.

Again,

Sit quietly for as long as you choose.