Neck & Upper Body Tension | Somatic Release

Release stress and tension through the neck, shoulders, and upper back with this gentle somatic practice. Combining soothing self-touch, vagus nerve stimulation and slow, intuitive movements, we'll help unwind tension, soften habitual bracing and encourage your body to shift into a deeply relaxed state. You'll reconnect with your body, create more space through the neck and shoulders, and allow natural releases such as yawning, sighing and deep relaxation to emerge. If you liked this practice, please check out my Ultimate Guide To Somatic Release course here on Insight Timer.

Transcript

Take a comfortable seated position. Either on the floor, On a yoga pillow. Or on the sofa or edge of the bed. Relax your face. Let the shoulders drop down to the floor. Let the belly relax. And allow it to expand. To the front and sides as you breathe. Consciously relax every muscle in the body. Remove any bracing you're experiencing. And we're going to begin. With stroking down the body. Bring the palms of your hands up to the top of the head. And using firm pressure. Sweep down the back of the skull. Down the back of the neck. Through the front of the chest. All the way down. Through the abdomen. Into the hip. And down the sides. All the way to the knees. And then release the hand. Let's do this a few more times. Enjoying. The self-touch, Using this burn pressure. To let the nervous system know it's safe. Two more times. Moving slowly and intentionally. Getting out of your head. And into your body. Physically pulling the energy. Down from the head. And into the lower energy centers. Bring the head to one side. And alternating hands. Start to stroke down the side of the neck from the ear to the collarbone. This is the pathway of the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve. Lets the brain and body relax. Into that rest and digest state. Continue breathing deeply into the belly. And you may experience your body wanting to release. Through yawns, Sighs or tears during this practice. Allow any releases to come forth. And let's change sides. And bring the head back to centre. Take hold. Of the sides of the ears. Right in the center. And start to pull the ears back and down. Making circles. This one always makes me yawn. Again. Stimulating the vagus nerve. Bringing the body into a completely relaxed state. And release the ears and once again sweep down the neck. The chest. Abdomen. And the hips and thighs. And place the hands. On top of the sides. Breathing here. Noticing the shift in the state of your body. We're going to move into some movements that release through the mid-back. Very slowly. Draw the shoulders. Bat. And up. Diagonally backward. Activating the muscles in between the shoulder blades. And trap. And then at the same pace. Drop the shoulders back down. And fully relax them. Unwinding any tension in the shoulders. And again, Draw the shoulders back and up. And slowly release. Continue with this movement. Moving slowly and consciously. Really focusing. On the release. Allowing the shoulders to drop down to the floor further and further with every breath. Continue to breathe down into the diaphragm. And one last time. Drop the shoulders all the way down. Fully relax and release them. And notice how effective this movement was. Notice the big space between the ears and the shoulders. Notice the release of tension. Through the trap. And we're going to move into opening up through the chest. Bring the arms up to a cactus position. Gently arch the spine forward. Opening up the chest. Chin moves naturally up to the ceiling. And as you exhale, Curl the spine over. Bringing the palms in front of your face. Inhale. Cactus. Opening the chest. Exhale. Clothes. Inhale. Cactus. Exhale. Close. Continue breathing and moving. Allowing your breath to set the pace. With these practices. We never force or push through discomfort. If you experience any discomfort. Reduce the effort. To 50%. The aim is not to look good or to have perfect technique. It's to feel and listen to the body. Notice how the mind and body have moved into a meditative state. Completely present. No thoughts of the past or the future. Last one. And bring your spine back to center. Relax the arms and shoulders. And notice how the chest feels more open. How the shoulders are naturally sitting further backwards. And how the lungs and heart have more room. We're going to release through the sides of the ribs. Place one hand on the surface beside you. Bend the other elbow. And sweep the forearm up and down. Across the face. Pointing the elbow to the ceiling and look up. Underneath the arm. Feeling the fascia stretch through the sides of the rib cage. Sweep the arm back down. Place it by your side. And sweep the other forearm upward. Looking up to the ceiling. Stretching through the ribs. And bring it back down. Start to flow from side to side. In your own time. Moving in a way that feels good for your body. There's no right or wrong here. Releasing through the entire side of the body. From the ribs all the way up to the neck. And last one. And come back to center. And let that movement integrate into the body. Deep breathing down into the diaphragm. And notice how calm and relaxed. All the tissues are. From the head down through the neck. Into the shoulders and mid-back.

Reviews

Thanks Kim