Progressive Muscle Relaxation (Full Version)

Progressive muscle relaxation is an exercise that relaxes your mind and body, as well as soothes your nervous system. We will 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 5 seconds. We then release that tension, appreciating what it feels like to relax.
Please be mindful of any injuries or parts of your body that are in pain, or susceptible to pain.

Transcript

Progressive muscle relaxation.

Get comfortable.

Allow yourself to relax.

You can either sit or stand for this practice.

Becoming self-aware.

One way of doing this is to notice how you are holding your body in this moment.

As you do this,

Maybe get a sense of gratitude for this body that has been with you from the very 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.

Now getting a sense of why you are here.

You care about something.

What do you care about in this moment?

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 new found 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.

Take attention to how you're holding your body.

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 imagine that there is a big magic jug hovering in the air in front of you.

This jug has only your best interests at heart.

It has the word relaxation written upon it.

And inside this jug is,

Yes,

You've guessed it,

It's full of relaxation.

So let's start this exercise by imagining this friendly jug pouring relaxation all over your body in your own time.

Connecting to your out-breath as you do.

Every part of your body is touched by this relaxation.

Give this jug a little help to purposefully bring relaxation to your body in this moment.

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 imagine that big magic jug again.

There it is,

Hovering in the air in front of you.

Remember,

This jug has only your best interests at heart.

So,

Imagine this friendly jug once more pouring relaxation all over your body in your own time.

Imagining this jug pouring relaxation all over your body and then more so upon parts of your body where intuitively you know your body needs it.

Finally,

You may like to further this with an imaginary wave of relaxation that passes through your body,

Starting from your head and coming all the way through you,

Down and throughout your feet.

Imagining this wave happening right now.

Nice and relaxed.

Where's that out breath?

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 for our final moment together of relaxation and stress release.

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.

Gently recalling that sense of what you care about in this moment.

Gently recalling that sense of what you care about in this moment.

Gently recalling that sense of what you care about in this moment.

Reviews

Very gentle and soothing. Also I liked the voice. Thnx!

You are an angel dear Reuben. Thank you so much for your lovely, helpful meditations. So valuable. With love and gratitude 💚🙏💚

Extremely helpful for dealing with anxiety tremors.

Simple yet helpful!

Loved this, the visualizing helped the process go along nicely

Strengthened and empowered me when I was feeling bad. Thank you

Absolutely needed this... i credibly relaxing for me. Thank you

I've enjoyed this path to active selfcare relaxation. Thank you 🙏

This was wonderful Reuben, so relaxing. Thank you. 🙏🏼 💖✨✨

Very lovely in the standing position! Thanks Reuben🕉

17.12.21 Midday
Reuben. That was great and enormously effective 😊!
Thank you. Thank you very much.
🔵
Orly

Great for connecting with the body and present moment. Voice and music well balanced. Thank you 🙏