Progressive muscle relaxation.
You can either sit or stand for this practice.
Maybe get a sense of gratitude for this body that has been with you from the first day you were born.
All of the experiences that it's been through,
The tough times and the triumphs.
You may like to say thank you in your mind and getting a sense of the fact that in doing this you are caring for yourself.
This practice today of progressive muscle relaxation is an act of self-care.
Before we begin start to become familiar with your out-breath.
Progressive muscle relaxation is so much more effective when we drop anchor and connect to our breath.
So in this moment become aware of your out-breath.
Just the out-breath.
Bringing your awareness up close so as to tune into this movement of how your out-breath speeds up,
Slows down and comes to a pause.
Let's track this movement right now.
Becoming more and more familiar with this experience of your out-breath.
Your newfound anchor to this moment.
Connecting gently to its rhythm and as you do this allow the following words about what progressive muscle relaxation is to flow through you.
Then we'll get straight into the exercise.
Progressive muscle relaxation is an exercise that relaxes your body and mind as well as soothes your nervous system.
So we'll do this by progressively working through certain muscle groups of the body by tensing and relaxing these muscles.
We will tense each muscle but without too much of a strain for around five seconds.
We then release that tension appreciating what it feels like to relax.
Please be mindful of injuries or parts of your body that are in pain or susceptible to pain.
Know that you can visualize certain parts of your body relaxing and that can be just as effective.
Be aware of the you that notices how you are holding your body.
The you that is aware of you.
Continuing to notice your out-breath.
Noticing how the rhythm becomes more and more natural.
Knowing that the more time you spend with this the more it soothes your nervous system.
Now we're ready for progressive muscle relaxation.
Start by curling your toes under and tensing your feet and your calves.
Curling your toes under.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release the tension.
Now flex your feet by pulling your toes upwards towards you.
Feel the tension in your calves.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release the tension.
Now tighten your left thigh by straightening your left leg and pointing your toes so that your left thigh muscle feels stiff.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release the tension.
Now tighten your right thigh by straightening your right leg and pointing your toes so that your right thigh muscle feels stiff.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release the tension.
And now in this relaxed state appreciating what it feels like with your legs,
Your feet,
Nice and relaxed in this moment.
And continuing.
Now tightening your buttocks.
Feel the tension in your hips.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release the tension.
Feel your hips relax.
Now gently arch your lower back.
Feel the muscles in your spine tighten.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release the tension.
Feeling that relaxation and the tension dissolve.
Now tightening the muscles of the stomach by sucking your stomach in towards your spine.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release the tension.
And now tightening your chest.
Do this by taking a very deep breath in and hold this breath.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release.
Now tense your upper back.
Do this by pulling your shoulder blades back.
Try to make your shoulder blades touch together.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release.
Now lift your shoulders up as high as they can go.
As though they are touching your ears.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Let your shoulders drop.
Release the tension.
Nice and loose.
Nice and heavy.
Now tighten your triceps,
The back of your arms,
By extending your arms out and locking your elbows.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release.
Now flex your upper arms,
The biceps,
Both together.
Ready?
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Relax.
Appreciating relaxation in your arms in this moment.
Now tightly clench both fists.
Ready?
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release.
Connecting to your out-breath.
Beautiful.
Noticing what it feels like.
Any sensations in your arms.
Appreciating the relaxation in your back,
Your chest,
Your belly.
Nice and soft.
Nice and relaxed.
Okay,
Now gently pull your head back as far as comfortable.
Looking up to the ceiling.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and feel the weight of your head and neck as you relax.
Now tighten your eye muscles by squinting your eyelids tight.
Ready?
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release.
Now smile as wide as you can.
It's okay,
No one can see you.
Ready?
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Feel the softness in your face and now raise your eyebrows as high as you can.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five and release.
Softness around your forehead,
Your face.
Nice and relaxed.
Noticing how your body is gently held by the flow of gravity in this moment.
Noticing the parts of your body where you feel the residual effects of the tension as your body is now more relaxed.
Now gently connecting to the out-breath as well as noticing how gravity gently holds you in this position.
And with your attention here,
Whether you prefer to be with the experience of the different areas of pressure and weight from gravity or whether you prefer the experience of your out-breath or maybe both at the same time,
It's up to you.
Choose now what you prefer.
Gently recalling that sense of why you came to this practice.
As I asked you at the beginning,
You care about something.
What do you care about in this moment?
And now getting a sense of the fact that in practicing this,
This was an act of self-care.
