IRest Practice 9: Peeling Away Tension

This practice invites you to explore your body as sensation. It is a body sensing, yoga nidra technique that invites you to begin exploring sensation in your body, starting with your jaw. It also invites you to notice the progressive relaxation response that takes place when you bring awareness into your body.

iRest helps you take advantage of brain-body connections to achieve deep states of relaxation and physical release from tension, stress, and negative ways of thinking, feeling, and reacting. By regularly practicing, you create changes that soothe your nervous system and grow your capacity to respond rather than react.

iRest Practice 9: Peeling Away Tension from the iRest Program for Healing PTSD: A Proven Effective Approach to Using Yoga Nidra Meditation & Deep Relaxation Techniques to Overcome Trauma. Written by Richard C. Miller, PhD. Recorded by Erin Finck, TCTSY-F, RYT 500, Level 1 iRest Teacher

Guided Meditation, Relaxation

Transcript

With your eyes open or closed. Sense and feel your jaw. Don't go into thinking. Just sensing and feeling your jaw. Notice how your jaw and other parts of your body. Soften and relax. As you continue sensing and feeling your jaw. Notice how, As one layer of sensation is experienced, It dissolves and a next layer is revealed. Keep attention in your jaw. As you do this Feel the progressive relaxation response that deepens over time. Notice how this relaxation response then migrates to other parts of your body. Now sense your shoulders. Without thinking. Just sensing and feeling your shoulders. Notice how your shoulders soften and relax. As you stay with sensation. Without going into thinking. Just as before. As one layer of sensation dissolves, The next layer of sensation is revealed. Keep attention in your shoulders. As you do Feel the progressive relaxation response that deepens over time. Feel free to continue engaging in this practice with other parts of your body. Your face arms. Torso. Pelvis. Legs. Or with your entire body as a field of sensation. Don't try to relax or dissolve tension. Simply stay with sensation and experience how your body naturally lets go into an ever-deepening relaxation response. When you're ready, Return to your normal waking state of consciousness. Allow your eyes to open and close several times as you begin stretching and moving your body. Noticing the environment around you while continuing to feel your body. Before returning to your daily activities. Take a few moments and reflect on your experience of the practice you just did.