Letting Go Meditation

This meditation is designed for anyone feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or physically tense, and aims to help you “let go” of tension in the body and worries in the mind so you can feel calmer, grounded, and more stable.
It includes a technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation, which gently releases built-up tightness in the body and helps settle your nervous system. As your body relaxes, your mind can begin to quiet and become more still. You will then be guided through a simple mindfulness practice centred on the idea of letting go.

Transcript

Make your way into a comfortable position, Either seated or lying down. When you're ready, And if it feels safe, I invite you to close down your eyes. You can place the hands on the body or by your side, Wherever feels most comfortable. We are going to begin this meditation by taking three slow exhales out the mouth through pursed lips, Like you are blowing through a straw. When you are ready, Inhaling through the nose for 4, 3, 2, 1, And exhaling out the mouth through pursed lips for 4, 3, 2, And 1. Breathing back in for 4, 3, 2, 1, And exhaling out 3, 2, 1. Third and final time, Breathing in for 3, 2, 1, And letting go for 2, 1. Returning to your natural rhythm, Spending a moment with the body, The mind in utter presence. We are going to start to pair the body with the breath and move through a progressive muscle relaxation technique. How this works is on the inhale, I will prompt you to tense a part of the body, And on the exhale, You will release that tension. I want you to start by bringing your attention to your feet and lower legs. As you inhale, Gently scrunch the toes and engage the feet, Holding that tension at the top of the breath, And exhale, Release completely, Letting the feet soften and spread. Moving to the legs, On the inhale, Engage the calves and the thighs, Breathing in, Tightening the muscles, Feeling the strength in the legs, Holding at the top. Exhale, Release, Letting the legs grow heavy, Feeling grounded beneath you. Moving up into the hips and the glutes, On the inhale, Gently engaging through this part of the body, Tightening, Holding just for a moment, And exhale, Soften, Allowing the pelvis to sink and be supported. Moving your attention up into the belly, On the inhale, Draw in the belly slightly, Creating that gentle pulse of tension, Pause, And exhale, Let it soften completely. Moving up into the hands and the arms, Inhale, Clench the fists, Engage the arms, Feeling that activation in the body, Holding, Exhale, Release. Let the fingers uncurl and the arms grow heavy. Moving your attention up into the chest and the shoulders, On the inhale, Draw the shoulders up to the ears, Tense the chest, Holding, Holding, And let go. The shoulders drop, The chest expands, Tension dissolves. Moving up into the face, On the inhale, Clench the jaw, Scrunch the eyes, Squeeze the cheeks, Holding, Holding, Exhale, Soften. Allow the muscles to relax, The jaw to unclench, The forehead to soften. It's time to integrate the whole body, So on the inhale, Gently tensing every part of the body, Toes, Hands, Chest, Belly, Face, Holding, Holding, Release. How does it feel to let the body go completely soft? When our body is relaxed, Our mind is quiet. Now that your body has softened, Bring your attention to your breath, Breathing in and breathing out, Nothing to change, Just noticing. Each breath in gently arrives and each breath out is an opportunity to release, To let go. Breathing in, Belly expands, Breathing out, Belly lowers, Breathing in, Air filters through the nostrils, Breathing out, Air caresses the top lip. Feeling the inflow and the outflow of prana, Of life force energy. Bring your awareness to your mind, You may notice thoughts appearing, And that's okay, There is nothing that you need to stop. If you're trying to meditate, If you're putting pressure on yourself to relax, Just stop. Just allow yourself to be, To experience the moment for exactly what it is. Imagine each thought is like a cloud in the sky, As it appears, You notice it, And then you let it drift, Not holding on, But also not trying to push it away, Just letting it go all on its own. Another thought comes, You notice it, And you let it pass. If you find yourself following a thought, Gently come back to the breath, Breathing in, Breathing out, Letting go. You may notice that holding on to a thought takes effort, A kind of mental gripping, See if you can feel that. Now instead of holding, Let the thought move on, Like a cloud carried by the wind. I want you to ask yourself the question, Am I holding on to anything right now? Let the answer arise naturally, No force, No pressure, And if something comes up, I just want you to notice it without judgment. Now imagine holding whatever it is that you can't let go of in your hands, Feel the weight of it, The effort of carrying it. And as you breathe out, Soften your grip just a little, Breathing out, Loosening the hold, Breathing out, Releasing. And when you feel ready, I want you to exhale and just let it go. Let it move out from your hands, Away from your body, Into the world. Let it drift away, Fade into the distance. And if it comes back, That's okay, Just notice it and then let it go again. Returning to the breath, Each inhale steady, Each exhale soft. Nothing to control, Nothing to hold. Allowing this moment to be exactly what it is. Learning to let go from the body and the mind. Control makes us feel safe, But letting go allows us to be free. When you're ready, Start to bring your awareness back to your body, Noticing the surface beneath you, The points of contact that your body has with the floor. And then begin to gently move your fingers and your toes and slowly flicker open the eyes, Carrying with you this sense of space and the ease of letting go. Thank you for joining me today. With love, Soph.