Deep Relaxation

A relaxation to take us into sleep or to allow us to connect deeply with our body, inviting it to rest, release tension and be nourished in this moment. This is a detailed, guided body scan that moves through our body, allowing it to fill with a heavy, relaxed energy. As we explore, we may naturally experience a feeling of gratitude for all the experiences that our body has made possible. We can know that we are truly supported in this moment and that it is safe to rest.

Transcript

Creating space to intentionally rest our bodies and minds is a very important part of our practice and something that we really need every day.

So this is a longer deep relaxation that we can use when we want an extended period of rest or we can use it as a transition into bedtime and sleep.

So allow yourself to have a really comfortable position.

Start simply by checking in with your body to see what is an easeful position for it right now.

And really take a moment to arrange your limbs,

Arrange any cushions or pillows around you to bring you the maximum comfort.

Quite deliberately creating the space and time for yourself.

And then allow your thinking,

Allow your mind to become slowly drawn back to your body.

So we can release our thoughts about the past and we can unclip our thoughts about the future.

And we know that this moment is where we choose to live our life.

Just for this time and that it is a gift to our mind,

To our heart,

To our body.

By making this gift to ourselves we offer a gift to everyone else in our life.

Because we know we'll have more freshness and more kindness,

More wisdom to offer them when we take care of ourselves very deeply.

So allowing your body to just rest where it is.

And sensing kind of the body print of your body,

So not a footprint but your entire body's imprint against the bed or the sofa or the floor.

Just sensing where that contact resides.

Sensing where you're being held and supported.

Aware of the weight of your skull resting.

Your torso.

Your two arms.

And sensing your hips and pelvic area and washing down with an awareness of your right leg,

Your left leg,

All the way down to your right foot,

Your left foot.

And we'll begin by allowing ourselves to connect deeply with our feet.

So we can start with our right foot.

Really allow yourself to sense it from the inside out.

You can begin by seeing what information is coming back from your foot about what it's touching.

Might be aware of sock,

Touching other materials maybe.

And if you did a thermal scan on your right foot,

Can you sense which part would be the coziest part?

Which part would be orangey red on the thermal scanner?

Just sensing the living warmth of your right foot.

And then we'll focus our attention and allow it to kind of lay it along the top of our foot.

So can you be aware of just the top of your right foot,

Just the top of your toes?

Just drawing in our awareness to that landing strip at the top of our foot.

And pulling it down to the sides,

Can you sense the two edges of your right foot?

Right side and the left side.

And drawing it back to the heel.

Can you just isolate just the heel of your right foot?

And then decadently slowly,

We allow our attention to begin to draw along the sole of our right foot.

Very slowly mapping along your footprint as though you would draw this afterwards,

Like you're mapping out a landscape.

Aware of the curve of your arch.

Filling out your footprint and coming into your toe pads to finish off your footprint.

You can press or wiggle your toes to see if you're really there.

Beautiful.

And having created this connection with our right foot,

We allow it to fill with a heavy,

Relaxed energy.

And this deeply easeful,

Heavy,

Relaxed energy can begin to pour into our right foot.

Saturating bone,

Muscle,

Connective tissue,

Skin,

Saturating every cell of our right foot.

And it's this deeply heavy,

Weighted energy,

Almost as though someone poured molten metal.

This real weightedness in your right foot as it understands that it's okay to let go.

This is an appropriate time to rest.

And then allowing your awareness to discover where your left foot is right now.

Sensing its position,

Its mass.

Aware of what it's touching.

Different things it's in contact with right now.

If you did a little thermal scan,

Can you find the coziest part?

And drawing our awareness up to the top of our left foot,

Top of our toes,

Sliding down to the two sides.

Drawing back to the heel.

And letting our awareness move really slowly along the sole of your left foot.

Just decadently slowly.

Aware of the elegant curve of your arch,

The undulations of the shape of your foot.

Coming into your toe pads to finish off your left footprint,

Compress or wiggle them to really make sure you're fully connected.

And then we make a gift of this moment to our foot and invite it to fill with a heavy,

Relaxed energy.

This deeply easeful energy beginning to saturate every cell of your left foot.

So that it can really rest more heavily against the ground or the bed.

Knowing that it's okay to let go.

Your two feet make a deep imprint.

And this heavy,

Relaxed energy from your two feet will slowly start to infuse through your whole body.

So allowing this heavy,

Relaxed energy to fill your right ankle,

Your left ankle.

Imagining it unfolding every nook and cranny of the joints.

Penetrating deeply so that it can bring whatever the joints need.

If it's a quality of spaciousness.

Maybe a soothing energy.

So that your two ankles know that they have this time where there's nowhere to go and nothing to do.

And they can rest very deeply.

And this heavy,

Relaxed energy beginning to soak into your two calves.

So aware of the bones in your calves,

Your strong muscle.

Connective tissue,

Warm blood moving through.

And the skin of your calves in contact with different materials and textures.

So really holding this awareness of your entire right calf and your entire left calf.

And then allowing them to draw in this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

As it soaks through,

Infusing the entirety of your two calves.

So that your right calf can let go.

And your left calf can let go.

It's okay to rest.

Your two calves becoming saturated with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

It's releasing their weight more deeply.

Letting themselves be even more fully supported.

And from your calves this deeply easeful energy can begin to move into your two knee joints.

Swirling around every nook and cranny in your knees.

And soaking very deeply into the very heart of the two joints.

Bringing a ease.

Healing.

Deep nourishment.

So your two knees fill with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

And beginning to soak now into your two thighs.

These longest bones in your body.

Soaking into your right thigh bone,

Your left thigh bone.

Aware of your strong muscle in your thighs.

Warm blood moving through.

Connective tissue that enables so much agility and movement.

And the skin of your thighs.

Allowing these two entire parts of your body to fill with a heavy,

Relaxed energy.

And then go.

So you can sense the weightedness of your right leg and your left leg.

Our healthy legs are such a wonder.

They move us through so many different spaces every day.

We can feel them more quickly if we're under pressure.

They have climbed and skipped and danced.

They've played.

Walked along seashores or hillsides.

A lot of wonderful moments have been possible because of our healthy legs.

So we can really give them as a gift this moment to take their ease.

Enfold it in our gratitude.

So that our two legs rest very deeply.

And then this heavy,

Relaxed energy soaking from our thigh bones to begin to move into our pelvic area.

Aware of this little cradle of our body.

This grounded seat.

Aware of our hips,

Our lower back,

Our buttocks,

Our lower tummy.

Really allowing this whole cradle to fill with a heavy,

Relaxed energy.

Bringing this quality of deep ease to our pelvis.

Almost as though it can expand out a little bit.

Just take its ease.

And then exploring where our spine begins from.

So just sensing the very lowest part of our spine.

Allowing that heavy,

Relaxed energy to curl into the first,

Lowest vertebrae.

Bringing with it a sense of deep ease and also spaciousness.

That each vertebra has the space it needs to really thrive.

Allowing the lowest part of our spine to really catch this powerful,

Heavy,

Relaxed energy.

Really potent in its ability to unfold into ease.

And then spanning out from that part of our spine to just stretch across the landscape of our back.

This heavy,

Relaxed energy just infiltrating every cell.

Aware of the musculature of our lower back,

Protecting our kidneys.

It's a kind protector,

This lower back of ours.

So we allow this energy to drape across our lower back.

Filling with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

And then we'll move up another few vertebrae.

Really allowing this heavy,

Relaxed energy to deeply penetrate each vertebra.

Sensing them respond when they are invited to take their ease.

That our spine sometimes stretches out a little bit.

It discovers what it needs to be well.

And then allowing that heavy,

Relaxed energy to span outwards from our spine.

Just traversing the landscape of our back.

Bringing this heavy,

Relaxed energy to our lower back.

So that our back can know it's okay to rest.

And then moving up again to allow this heavy,

Relaxed energy to begin to infuse through more vertebrae.

Coming up now to the level of our rib cage.

So deeply unfolding each vertebra.

And then beginning to stretch out,

Following our ribs out in their lovely curved motion across our back.

These bones that protect our most precious internal organs.

And then they move every time we take a breath to allow our lungs to thrive.

These are kind ribs.

So we allow this whole area to fill with a heavy,

Relaxed energy.

Just letting go.

And moving up again,

That heavy,

Relaxed energy saturating higher up in our back.

We allow ourselves to be at the level of our shoulder blades.

And allowing this heavy,

Relaxed energy to span out across our two shoulder blades.

Where your right shoulder blade,

Your left shoulder blade.

And soaking even further out the very edges of your back.

Soaking upwards to take in the top of your shoulders.

As though someone rested a hand there very gently for a moment.

Allowing this whole area to fill with a heavy,

Relaxed energy.

Sensing the bone and muscle.

Connective tissue.

The skin of your upper back.

Allowing it all to become saturated.

This deeply easeful energy.

We can take a moment with our shoulder blades to tour the perimeter.

Can you bring your awareness around the edges of your shoulder blades?

Just sensing.

And if you come across a sense of tension.

Maybe a knot or a numbness.

Can really draw our awareness in close so that we offer this kind,

Careful attention to this part of us.

Really holding that sense of tension or numbness in your mind.

And then imagine it as being formed of ice.

Really hold it as formed of ice.

And then think ice to water.

It's possible to have a sense of melting,

Liquefying.

Water to vapor.

It's possible to have a sense of spaciousness,

Of lightness,

Where there was once tension.

And then we can re-invite this deeply easeful,

Heavy,

Relaxed energy to soak across.

Maybe filling in a little more space along the way.

So that our whole back can rest very deeply.

As the tops of our shoulders fill with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

It can begin to soak very naturally down our two arms.

Your right upper arm,

Your left upper arm.

Sensing the bone and muscle,

The connective tissue,

Warm blood moving through,

Nourishing every cell.

And the skin of your two arms.

And allowing all of this to be infused with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

So that your upper arms can simply let go.

No jobs to do at the moment.

Soaking into your two elbows now.

And soaking into your forearms.

Your right forearm,

Your left forearm.

Bone and muscle.

Connective tissue,

Warm blood moving through.

And the skin of your arm in touch with so much.

All of this can rest.

As this heavy,

Relaxed energy saturates every cell.

And soaking into your right wrist,

Your left wrist.

These little joints filled with some fine bones,

Easily constricted or compressed.

So we invite this heavy,

Relaxed energy to infuse our two wrists.

Offering them a soothing spaciousness.

Sense of profound ease.

And then beginning to soak in towards the very center of the palms of our hands.

Sensing this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

Soaking the palm of your right hand,

Your left hand.

And then soaking all the way to the back of your hands.

Expanding out to fill the whole palms of your hands.

Soaking into your thumbs.

So that you can fill your thumb with this heavy,

Relaxed energy,

Segment by segment.

Sensing your thumb prints,

Your thumb nails.

All of it able to let go.

And then finding where your knuckles are.

And from your knuckles beginning to soak into your fingers.

Segment by segment.

Moving up through your fingers.

All the way.

Sensing your finger prints,

Your finger nails.

Moving up between them.

To find the very tips of your fingers.

Allowing this deep ease to infiltrate your whole hands.

Your entire right hand and your entire left hand are filled with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

And they know it's okay to let go.

Your hands do so much.

Even just today,

Your hands have done so much for you.

From pushing back the bedclothes.

Maybe putting on a dressing gown.

They've brushed your teeth.

They've washed you,

Brushed your hair.

Then they've picked up clothes and dressed you.

Buttoning and zipping.

They've prepared food and drink.

And they've fed you.

Just like your parents did when you were a baby.

These are kind hands.

They take such good care of you.

And as the day progressed,

They've done so many things with such ease and skill that have made your life much easier.

So we can allow this moment to be a gift to our two hands.

No jobs for them to do at the moment.

They only need to rest.

And we'll move our awareness again and draw it down into our tummy below our belly button.

So sensing this lower part of our torso.

We know that our internal organs are working away.

So we allow this area to fill with a heavy,

Relaxed energy.

So that our organs don't need to be under any pressure.

No sense of constriction or tightness.

Really allowing this area to flood with this deeply easeful energy.

Which brings with it a quality of soothing and spaciousness that allows our organs to really thrive.

This heavy,

Relaxed energy can move up now through our torso.

Taking in our liver.

Does such diligent work every day for us.

Thank you dear liver.

Our pancreas,

Our tummy.

Just allowing these organs to be bathed in this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

Deeply soothing and healing.

Bringing our awareness to our lungs now.

Constantly moving.

Like waves coming in along a seashore.

This beautiful breath being drawn in and released.

Over and over.

And what a delight to witness our lungs at peace.

We know that sometimes we've had colds or flus.

Or we've been in places where the air hasn't been so clean.

So how wonderful to appreciate this moment.

Allowing our lungs to breathe at their ease.

With no extra challenges or impediments.

We're so grateful for our healthy lungs.

And then moving our awareness again to rest in the area of your heart.

This sensing where your heart resides.

The left side of your chest.

You might sense a beating or a pulse.

Maybe a sense of warmth or energy.

And you may not.

Your heart is still beating for you.

Your heart has been beating for you since before your lungs could breathe air.

It's been beating for you for such a long time.

And even when you sleep at night,

Your heart stays awake and beats through the night.

Making every moment of your life possible.

It's your truest friend.

Your greatest ally.

And we know at times our lives have taken a toll on our heart.

Physically or emotionally.

It's had a lot to cope with.

So we can make a gift of this moment and allow our heart to beat so steadily,

So freely.

Enfolded in this deeply easeful,

Relaxed energy.

That it may be nourished.

Refreshed.

Can beat in such freedom.

As it beats,

It pulses that freedom through our whole body.

In this practice we can become free.

And allowing our awareness to move again and settle in our upper chest.

Sensing your collarbones.

Sternum.

It's part of our body that when we feel a strong sorrow or depression kind of caves inwards.

Really allowing this moment for it to feel open and expansive.

This heavy,

Relaxed energy coursing through every cell catching the nourishment of this healing energy.

That it's able to stretch open and rest deeply.

And we can allow this heavy,

Relaxed energy to soak into our neck.

We know that we associate our breathing with our lungs.

But actually our skin is the largest organ that breathes.

We can imagine the skin of our neck just drawing in this breath all around our neck and throat.

Drawing in this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

Where of the small vertebrae in our neck.

Our airways.

Our throat swallowing from time to time.

The strong muscles that strap around our neck.

The skin of our neck.

Allowing all of this,

This rich landscape to become infused with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

So that our neck can relax very deeply.

Deep right into our larynx.

And then coming around to the nape of your neck.

We allow our awareness to be drawn slowly up the back of our head.

So aware of your hair resting in your scalp.

Resting on your skull.

And your brain resting inside.

Curving up around the back of our head all the way to the crown of your head.

Allowing this deeply,

Easeful energy to just soak.

And poised at your hairline now,

The very top of your forehead.

We allow our awareness to wash over our face.

Very gently.

As though someone pulled a silk scarf across our face.

This light,

Delicate attention.

Aware of your forehead.

So sensing it from your hairline down to your eyebrows.

And then can you sense it from the inside,

From the part of your forehead that rests against your skull.

Sensing that muscle and allowing it to fill with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

And your forehead smooths out,

Drapes along the skull.

Aware of your eyes resting,

Covered by your eyelids.

Aware of your eyelashes,

Your eyebrows.

And so many wonders have been possible to us because of our healthy eyes.

Faces of our loved ones.

Beautiful sights in nature.

Stunning colours.

Wonderful art.

Fabulous books that we've been able to read.

Our eyes have offered us countless miracles.

So we allow our two eyes to be infused with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

It can offer such healing.

Such a quality of deep ease.

Our eyes can let go of any tension,

Any strain.

And allowing that heavy,

Relaxed energy to radiate out,

Soaking into our cheeks,

Our temples,

Our nose.

Which has offered us amazing scents in our lifetime.

Beautiful food.

Flowers.

Fresh grass.

The sea air.

Many gifts from our nose.

And then soaking,

Radiating further to envelop our ears.

Just becoming saturated with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

And we know the many wonders that our ears have offered us.

Being able to hear the voices of our loved ones,

Our friends.

Being able to hear a song,

Bird song.

Many riches of nature,

Different environments that we've been in.

Our ears have given us many treasures.

So we allow them to fill with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

And then sensing in front of our ears until we sense the joint of our jaw.

Sensing our jaw.

Allowing this to be very gentle.

Sometimes our jaw can hold tension very easily.

So we want a very gentle but potent infiltration of our jaw.

Sometimes it has to happen cell by cell,

Just by osmosis.

So there's no sense of forcing.

This is a beautiful invitation to relax deeply and let go.

So this heavy,

Relaxed energy filling your jaw.

Soaking down all the way to your chin.

So that your jaw kind of opens a little.

There's nothing it needs to hold at the moment.

Sensing your lips.

And then sensing the inside of your lips.

The side that rests against your teeth,

Your gums.

And moving to the interior of your mouth.

Sensing the space there.

Your upper palate.

Your gums holding your teeth.

Your little cheeks on the inside.

And then finding the tip of your tongue.

And beginning to relax backwards.

As your tongue grows thicker and wider.

Filling with this heavy,

Relaxed energy.

Can you find the origin point of your tongue?

And can you release there?

True ease.

And widening now to take in your whole mouth,

Your whole head.

Your neck and torso.

Washing down your arms all the way to your fingertips.

And from your lower part of your torso,

Washing over your hips.

Thighs,

Knees,

Calves,

Ankles.

Your two feet all the way to your toes.

So you sense your entire living presence.

Which is your body and also more than your body.

Sensing the air around your body.

Allowing your body to rest in this field of loving awareness.

Deeply easeful,

Relaxed energy.

That can penetrate and soften old tightness,

Old tension,

Old knots,

Old habits.

Anything can soften.

We release ourselves.

And allow ourselves to be entirely supported for a moment.

Almost as though the earth pushed up a little bit to catch us.

To hold us a little more safely,

A little more fully.

Can allow yourself to be held.

May we always know our way home to our body.

May we always know how to offer it care,

Kindness.

May we know the many treasures that it brings us in every moment of our life.

Thank you for taking good care of yourself.

Reviews

This is a beautiful practice full of love and care. I feel soo much better now

So good! I loved your guidance. Feeling very grateful for my body now

This really helped make it back to sleep after waking the in the middle of the night. It was well written and paced. Your intention of love and kindness is very present in your beautiful voice. Thanks for sharing your gift. ✨🙏🏼💜✨

Detailed body scan and soft soothing voice .. perfect! Thank you 💜

Amazing I fell right asleep, the best

Beautiful

Absolutely beautiful 🙏

I fell asleep so it must be good!

Amazing bodyscan! Thanks 😊

Very relaxing. Thank you.

Lovely. So relaxing and helpful. 🙏🙏🙏

A maxing. Woke up refreshed with a smile on my face loving all things on my beautiful planet.

Lovely! Very thorough and gentle

Best body scan ever. Wonderfully gentle and soothing guidance. So restful. Thank you so much for this loving offering 🙏🏻💕

Thank you! So beautifully and lovingly led. Many blessings.🙏