Hello,
This is Erica Garcia and welcome to this nice,
Relaxing tense and release exercise.
This exercise is excellent to practice before a meditation or before a yoga nidra.
It is simple to do and will probably only take a few minutes.
And the basic practice is that you simply inhale and tense the muscles or the muscle groups,
And then exhale and release the tension.
You may find it comfortable and beneficial to do while through a sequence,
Maybe just once,
Or sometimes you may want to do it twice and just play and repeat.
Do both the tensing and releasing with full awareness.
And there's no need to tense at 100% capacity.
Anything about 60-70% capacity to tense the muscles will be sufficient in allowing for a relaxation release.
So let's all get together and let's settle into the space and the pose that will be best.
And I would say lay down on your backs.
You can lay down on the ground in a shavasana where you have a bolster perhaps underneath your knees or thighs,
Or if you want to lay back in a recliner chair if you're laying at home or in a bed in a hospital or if you want to just lay down in your bed first thing in the morning.
Or this is also wonderful to do before sleep to help relax you.
It's best to maintain breath awareness and allow the breath to be smooth,
Slow,
And with no effort to be controlled in between the tense and release exertions.
You'll come to experience the way in which the breath is a manifestation of energy and how that energy can and will flow throughout the body.
So let us begin.
Be aware of the nostrils and at the tip of the nose let's take several breaths.
Naturally in and out.
Become aware of the entire body on the floor or bed or recliner.
Now inhale and tense all of your muscles in the face including the forehead,
Cheeks,
Mouth,
And upper neck.
And then just exhale with full awareness and notice the release.
Gently roll the head from side to side with awareness.
Notice if there's any tightening in the muscles and see if you can release those muscles.
Inhale and tighten the shoulders,
Maybe pull them up both up and forwards and then exhale release.
We'll do that one more time.
Inhale and tighten the shoulders,
Pulling them both up and forwards and then exhale and releasing them.
Then inhale and tense the entire right arm from the shoulder all the way down through to the fingertips.
Squeeze and bring attention to the deep inside part of the arm.
And then when you're ready,
Exhale and release the arm.
Now let's inhale and tense the entire left arm from the shoulder all the way down through the fingertips.
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze.
Bring your attention to the deep inside part of the arm.
And then exhale and release.
Now let's inhale and gently tense the muscles in the chest and the abdomen while you continue to breathe without holding the breath.
Just tense those muscles and then soften,
Exhale and release.
Now let's inhale and tense the right hip and buttock.
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze.
And then exhale and release.
Now let's inhale and tense the left hip and buttock.
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze.
And then exhale and release.
Now let's inhale and tense the entire right leg from the hip all the way down to the feet and the toes in the same way you did that arm.
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Scrunch those toes,
Squeeze those muscles.
And now exhale and release the entire right leg.
Now let's inhale and tense the entire left leg from the buttocks and the hip all the way down to those toes,
The feet and toes.
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Scrunch those toes.
Hold it.
And then exhale and release that entire left leg.
Now let's inhale and tense the back muscles,
Pulling the shoulders down and away from the ears,
Squeezing the shoulder blades together.
Squeeze all of those back muscles.
And then now exhale and release.
Let's do that one one more time.
Pull the shoulders back and down.
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze all of the back muscles from the lower back all the way up to the middle back and the shoulders.
Create more space in the neck.
And then exhale,
Release it all down.
Now while no longer tensing any of the muscles,
Allow your attention to drift back up and down the legs,
Through the abdomen and the chest,
Through the arms,
Back to the face,
Soften the face.
Breathe softly into the heart center.
Settle into your slumber.
If you're ready to go to bed,
If you haven't already,
Close your eyes.
That would be the time to close your eyes and settle in.
If you're just laying down and re-energizing,
This would be the time to just stay smooth and still.
Let's take a few moments here.
Thank you so much,
I hope you enjoyed this relaxation and tension exercise.
Like I said,
It's wonderful to do before bedtime to help really soothe your mind and your body for a beautiful sleep or before a yoga nidra or after a yoga class.
Please take any of my other beautiful meditations or yoga classes.
I look forward to continually serve you and guide you.
Have a great day.
