Welcome to Mind With Hearts progressive muscle relaxation.
This exercise helps us to relax and let go of tension in body and mind as we progressively tense and release different muscles in the body.
We tense a muscle group on an in-breath.
We notice how that feels as we hold it for about five seconds and then we release the muscles on an out-breath and again notice how that feels.
The muscle tension is deliberate and firm,
We can feel the squeeze but if you experience pain or strain when tensing a muscle group then easing off or stopping and relaxing and skipping this muscle group.
First choosing a sitting or lying down position that's comfortable for you and either gently closing the eyes or looking downwards with a soft gaze.
If we are sitting our back is straight with the body relaxed and at ease,
Stable like a mountain.
Feet are resting on the floor and hands are resting lightly on the knees.
Or if we're lying down then lying flat on the back letting the arms and legs relax out to the sides,
Releasing all the muscles and giving the whole body to gravity.
If the lower back is sore then folding the legs at the knees and letting yourself sink more deeply into the ground with each out-breath.
Holding the whole body in our awareness,
Feeling the weight of the body,
Pressing down on whatever is supporting us.
The sensations of touch or pressure where the body makes contact with the chair or floor.
And now spending a few moments tuning into our mood,
Noticing how we feel.
There's no right or wrong way to feel.
However we are is completely fine.
And if we wish we can set an intention for this mindfulness exercise by bringing to mind whatever it is we wish for ourselves and for others.
And now taking three long breaths,
Deep in-breaths and long slow out-breaths.
And then letting the breath settle into its own natural rhythm.
And we'll start the sequence of tensing and releasing with the right arm and hand.
On the next in-breath clenching the right hand and making the whole arm tense,
Noticing how it feels as we squeeze from the tips of the fingers up to the armpit.
Then on the out-breath releasing letting the whole arm go limp and loose and noticing how that feels.
And resting for a full in and out-breath.
Then repeating for the left arm.
On the next in-breath deliberately tensing all of the muscles in the left arm and hand.
And again feeling the squeeze from the fingertips up to the armpits.
And on the out-breath softening,
Releasing and letting all the tightness flow out of the tensed muscles.
Noticing the difference between tension and relaxation.
And resting for a full breath cycle.
Now the neck and shoulders.
Breathing in,
Squeezing the shoulders up towards the ears.
Continuing to squeeze without hurting ourselves and noticing the sensations.
And breathing out,
Releasing,
Noticing how it feels as the tension leaves our body.
And resting again for full in-breath and out-breath.
Turning your attention now to the head and face.
Breathing in and scrunching all the facial muscles up.
Noticing how we feel as we squeeze our eyes closed tightly,
Wrinkle our nose and our forehead,
Clench our jaw.
And breathing out,
Softening,
Letting go and noticing how that feels.
And resting for one whole breath in and out.
And whenever the mind wanders during this exercise,
Gently bringing it back to sensations in the body without judging or criticizing.
Mind wandering is completely normal.
Next the chest,
Upper back and stomach.
Breathing in,
Filling up the lungs completely and noticing how that feels as we hold the tension.
And releasing and letting go as we breathe out.
Noticing how we feel now in the chest and upper back.
And at the end of the next out-breath,
Sucking the stomach in towards the spine and holding it tight,
Feeling the tension in the muscles.
And then releasing,
Relaxing,
Letting go and noticing how that feels.
And resting for a full breath.
Now the hips,
Buttocks and lower back.
Breathing in,
Squeezing the butt hooks together and holding them tight,
Noticing how that feels.
And letting go,
Breathing out,
Feeling the release in the buttocks and lower back.
And resting.
Moving on to the right leg and foot.
As we breathe in,
We deliberately squeeze the thigh and calf muscles,
Tense the whole leg,
Flexing the foot back and curling the toes,
Noticing how it feels.
And releasing,
Breathing out,
Feeling the difference between tension and relaxation.
And resting.
Now repeating with the left leg and foot,
Breathing in,
Tightening up the thighs and calves,
Flexing the foot back,
Curling the toes,
Feeling how tight and tense the leg muscles are and softening,
Releasing as we breathe out.
Noticing how that feels and resting.
Now one last time,
As you breathe in,
Tightening and tensing up the whole body all at once.
The hands,
The arms,
The neck and shoulders,
The face,
The chest and abdomen,
The buttocks,
Legs and feet,
Squeezing all the muscles,
Noticing how it feels as we hold.
And breathing out,
Softening,
Releasing and letting go of any last bit of tension and noticing how you feel now.
Resting for a few moments,
Continuing to release and let go more deeply with each out breath.
Then starting to gently move the body,
Perhaps rolling the head from side to side,
Starting to wiggle the fingers and toes,
Taking a big stretch if you like,
Noticing the sounds around you and opening the eyes if they were closed.
