Welcome,
Dear soul,
To Nervous System Regulation number six,
Unwinding Chronic Tension.
This is part of the Nervous System Regulation series.
I've created this series to help the body release long-term held tension without pushing or forcing.
In this class,
Through gentle somatic awareness,
The nervous system is invited to unwind and settle naturally.
Take a moment to get comfortable in your seated or lying down position for this meditation,
With no need to hold yourself upright.
Let your eyes close softly,
Or lower your gaze.
Take a slow breath in through the nose,
And release it through the mouth.
Again,
Breathing in,
And breathing out.
This is not about stretching or fixing the body.
This is about allowing tension that has been working too hard to finally let go.
Begin by noticing the places.
The places where your body tends to hold stress automatically.
Perhaps it's one of the common areas,
The jaw,
The neck,
The shoulders,
The belly.
Wherever it is,
You don't need to change anything,
Just noticing.
Noticing these patterns already begins the unwinding.
Bring your awareness to the jaw.
Notice if the teeth are touching,
Or the tongue is pressing upwards.
On the next exhale,
Allow the jaw to loosen slightly,
As if it no longer needs to brace.
Not all the way,
Just a little.
Breathing in,
And breathing out.
Now the shoulders.
Notice if they are lifted,
Pulled forward,
Or subtly tense.
As you exhale,
Imagine the shoulders melting downward,
As if gravity is gently reminding them they too can rest.
The arms follow,
The elbows soften,
The hands released and relaxed.
Chronic tension often stays,
Because it hasn't been told it's allowed to leave.
Today,
You're offering that permission now.
Now,
Bringing awareness to the belly.
This is a place that often stays guarded.
Notice the movement of the breath here.
On the inhale,
The belly rises naturally.
On the exhale,
Allow it to fall completely without holding.
Silently say inwardly,
I don't need to brace right now.
That's right,
You don't need to brace right now.
Let that message travel inwards.
Breathing in,
And breathing out.
Now imagine the body like a rope,
A rope that has been twisted too tightly over time.
You're not untangling it all at once.
You're simply allowing it to slowly unwind,
One gentle turn at a time.
As tension releases,
You may notice small shifts.
A sigh,
A deeper breath,
A feeling of warmth or heaviness.
These are signs of regulation returning.
Allow awareness to move through the whole body now.
From the crown of the head,
Awareness to your shoulders.
Awareness into your chest.
Awareness moving into your belly.
Your awareness into the hips and legs.
Let your awareness scan your whole body.
Notice anywhere where you're holding.
See if you can soften just with your breath.
By even a small amount.
Releasing,
Letting go.
That's enough.
Silently say inwardly,
My body knows how to let go.
That's right,
Your body knows how to let go.
Rest here for a few breaths.
For there is nothing else to do.
And when you're ready,
Begin to notice the space around you again.
The surface beneath you.
The sounds nearby.
Perhaps wiggling your fingers and toes.
When it feels right,
Open the eyes gently.
As we come to a close of today's meditation.
Take with you this sense of unwinding.
Knowing that your body can release tension without being pushed.
And you can come back to this meditation as often as you like.
Releasing,
Relaxing,
Unwinding,
Without being pushed.
Blessings to you,
Dear soul,
On this day.
Namaste.
