Deep Relaxation

Taking time to secure your space and letting others know you'd rather not be disturbed.

Turning off computers and phones and getting comfortable.

Preferably laying down and if you are,

A cushion under the back of the knees to take any strain from the lower back.

A low pillow perhaps to support the neck.

Letting the arms lie gently along the side of your body.

Palms open and facing up towards the ceiling.

Allowing the feet to fall away from each other.

It's just you now,

In this space.

Nowhere else to be.

This time is simply to be with yourself.

Using your body as an anchor to let go of some of the tensions it holds.

Just feeling what there is to feel.

No right or wrong way to do it.

Allowing your awareness to gently expand over your whole body.

Noting any areas of tension,

Particularly around the shoulders or eyes and softening them,

Relaxing them.

Letting my voice guide you and when thoughts,

Sounds,

Sensations,

Worries distract you,

See if you can let them go and when your mind wanders off,

Just gently bring it back to the part of the body we are focusing on.

It's simply the mind doing what it does.

There's no need to get involved right now.

Just letting any thoughts go and gently bringing yourself back to the present.

Aware of your body,

Aware of my voice as you move into a relaxed state.

And slowly now,

Bring your attention to the fact that you are breathing.

Simply experiencing the breath as it moves in and out of your body.

Taking a few deeper breaths,

Filling with air from the bottom of the belly,

Filling the stomach,

The abdomen,

The chest.

And then exhaling,

Letting go of the breath from the belly,

Collapsing the stomach,

Abdomen and chest.

Just a few more deeper breaths,

Breathing in,

A pause,

Breathing out completely and allowing the out breath to extend just a little longer than the in breath,

Allowing it to relax and soften the body each time you breathe.

Good.

And now letting the breath find its own rhythm,

Not controlling it in any way,

Just letting the body breathe naturally.

The air flowing in,

A pause and the air flowing out.

Relaxing consciously with each out breath,

All effortlessly.

And as you breathe,

Becoming aware of the space before your closed eyes.

A field of light and dark,

Maybe some muted colours,

Shapes.

Just resting your attention there,

Eyes relaxed,

Soft.

Noting any sounds in the room,

Outside the room.

Noticing that when there is sound,

Hearing happens automatically.

There's no need to strive,

There's no need to listen.

Just allowing any sounds to come and go.

And any thoughts or sensations appear and disappear.

Noting them and gently letting them go.

Returning your attention,

Returning your awareness again and again,

Without judgement,

Without minding in any way to the breath.

This is the nature of moment by moment experience.

Breathing in,

Breathing out and noting any movement of the body as you inhale and exhale.

Relaxing,

Still.

Becoming aware of the stillness in the body between the in breath and the out breath and the movement when the breath continues.

Allowing your attention to flow from the nostrils where the air comes in,

Through the chest,

Abdomen and belly.

Feeling the movement of the belly in particular.

Expanding and then falling away as you breathe out.

Allowing yourself to let the body relax with each out breath and with each out breath noticing the body becoming just a little heavier as it sinks more deeply into the floor.

Letting go of the tendency to want things to be different from how they are and simply allowing them to be exactly as you find them.

Experience in the moment as it is.

Accepting what is here now because it is already here now.

So when you feel ready let's continue deeper into the relaxation scan and we start with gently focusing on your left foot.

Maybe starting at the toes,

Your mind moving attention through the body,

Down the leg,

Through the foot and out to your toes.

Becoming aware of whatever sensations there may be in this party of the body.

Just experiencing it.

There may be no sensation.

There may be sensations of temperature,

Warmth or coolness.

There may be a subtle tingling or itching or perhaps just a sense of something.

Whatever you notice,

Whatever you become aware of,

It's not important in and of itself.

It's just you simply paying attention to yourself,

Being aware of your toes as they are.

And now as you breathe in,

Imagine the breath flowing through the lungs,

Through the belly,

Down the left leg,

All the way to your toes.

And then breathe out from your toes,

Up the left leg,

Through the belly,

The lungs and out through your nose.

Breathing in from the nose and down to your toes and then out from your toes,

Up and out through the nose.

And as you breathe out the next time,

Just letting go of your toes completely and moving your attention to the pad and the heel of your left foot.

Feeling the rise of the arch between them.

Noticing whatever feelings there are in this particular region.

Noticing any pressure you might feel on the heel as it rests on the floor.

Just being aware,

Breathing with the bottom of your foot and then widening your attention slightly to include the top of the foot.

The whole foot being felt for what there is to feel.

Noticing whatever sensation or lack of sensation may be present.

Not thinking about your foot,

Not thinking about your awareness,

Not thinking about anything.

Just being still and with it,

Aware in this moment and this and this.

Good.

And when you're ready,

Breathing in the air flowing through the body,

Down the leg all the way to your left foot and then on the next out breath,

Breathing out from your foot and just releasing it from your attention,

Letting it go and allowing your attention to come up to the left ankle.

Noticing any sensations there are to feel.

Letting go of any thoughts that arise and gently bringing your attention back to your left ankle.

Breathing with it,

Feeling what there is to feel.

Relaxing,

Breathing and then letting that awareness go as you slide your attention up to the left lower leg.

Feeling any sensations present.

Sensations on the surface of the skin.

Getting a sense of the bones deep inside the skin.

The bulk of the calf muscle in the back.

Just accepting any sensations present.

Awake and aware of this moment.

Allowing the breath right down into your lower left leg and as you breathe out,

Softening,

Relaxing and releasing as you let go of your awareness in the lower leg and dissolving it in your mind's eye whilst you move your attention up to the knee and the kneecap.

Sinking deeper into a relaxed state now.

Just accepting the feelings that you feel and breathing with them.

Feeling the back of the knee,

The sides,

The cup of the knee,

Deep into the joint.

Breathing with it and then on the out breath letting go of the knee and allowing your attention to move to the left thigh.

Feeling any sensations in the thigh all the way up to the groin.

Sensations on the outside,

Maybe where the thigh touches the mattress or chair or the touch of clothing.

Feeling deep inside the muscles now.

Breathing with your thigh,

Experiencing it as it is.

Allowing it to soften and relax as you breathe out,

Releasing any tension held there.

And taking your attention smoothly across the hips and down to settle on your right thigh.

Just feeling what there is to feel between the hip and the knee.

Registering and accepting sensations on the skin,

Inside the skin,

The muscles,

Tendons.

Breathing with your thigh and allowing it to soften and relax.

And then when you're ready,

Taking a breath down into the thigh and as you breathe out,

Just letting it dissolve.

Relaxing and softening even more as you let go and move the attention down to the right knee and the kneecap.

Allowing yourself to feel around the knee,

The back of the knee,

The cap of the knee.

Breathing with it,

Just being with whatever is there for you to feel or not feel.

And then on the out breath,

Releasing and relaxing,

Softening any tension held there and letting it go with the breath as you move your attention down to the lower right leg.

Noticing any sensations present.

Feeling inside the stretch of the tendons.

Just breathing with it,

Gently,

Effortlessly.

Not changing the breathing in any way.

And then on the last out breath,

Softening,

Releasing and letting go as you move your attention to the right ankle.

All the way round,

Noticing any sensations.

Aware of the tiny,

Tiny bones.

Letting the ankle relax and soften as you breathe into it.

Breathing,

Then letting your attention dissolve as you form it on the top of the right foot.

Breathing with the top of the right foot.

Aware and sensing.

Widening your awareness to include the underneath,

The heel,

The arch and the pad.

Noting any sensations,

Tinglings,

Relaxings.

Letting your attention expand and travel to take in the toes,

From the big toe to the little one.

Feeling the whole surface of the foot.

Any depressions or feelings from footwear or clothes.

Heat,

Coolness.

Ready with the next out breath to relax and release any tension from the whole ankle and foot.

Breathing now from your nose down to your right toes,

Then up your body and out from your nose.

And as you breathe out from your toes next,

Letting awareness of the foot go.

Just letting all awareness of the lower part of your body flow out and gently bring your attention up to the pelvis.

Settling there and allowing your breathing now to be directed into this region.

Just experiencing and registering any sensations present.

Just as they are.

Just as they appear right now.

Aware of the pelvis,

The buttocks,

The gentle pressure of the floor,

Chair.

Perhaps noticing the sensation of weight in this part of the body.

The bones connecting one hip to the other.

The reproductive organs.

The blood systems just there everywhere as you attend yourself,

As you nourish yourself with awareness and attention.

Breathing into the entirety of the pelvic region.

And when you are ready,

As you breathe out,

Just letting the whole area soften,

Relax and release any tension.

As you let go of the breath,

Relaxing more deeply into a state of stillness.

A relaxed awareness present in each moment.

Flowing that awareness up now to the lower back.

An area that can carry tension and give us discomfort.

Simply allowing to be there whatever is to be felt there.

Because it is there in this moment with you.

Not rejecting it,

Not welcoming it.

Just noticing and noting any sensations.

Letting your breath seep deeper into the lower back area.

Letting the breath penetrate your organs,

Livers,

Kidney,

Bones.

And then relaxing and releasing any tightness or tension and letting it go as you breathe out.

Softening and releasing with the out breath.

Good.

Moving your attention now to the upper back and shoulders.

Feeling the extra relaxation as your awareness opens to the feelings and sensations in this area of the body.

Feeling the pressure of the mattress,

Chair or floor,

The rub of clothing.

Moving inside and getting a sense of the lungs,

The muscles,

The shoulder blades and the bones that run up the back and along the top of your body.

Breathing into this whole area.

Letting any tightness,

Any tension simply dissolve as you breathe out.

Becoming still,

Calm.

And when you're ready moving your attention to the left upper arm.

Running your awareness down the left arm.

Noting the smooth muscles.

The skin under the arm and into the armpit.

Just feeling what there is to feel.

Just being aware.

Letting your attention flow down around your elbow,

Inside the bend,

Inside the cup.

A sense of the bones.

Extending further to include your lower arm.

Noting any differences or changes in temperature.

Sensations of lightness or heaviness.

Breathing into your arm.

And on the out breath,

Softening,

Relaxing and releasing as you take your attention down to the left wrist,

Around the wrist.

Getting a sense of the tiny moving pieces.

Aware of any sensations.

Maybe feeling your pulse as the blood is pumped around your body.

Then expanding awareness to include the left hand and its palm.

The temperature.

Sensations,

Tinglings.

And out along to include the thumb.

The forefinger,

The middle finger,

The third finger,

The little finger.

Just feeling what sensations there are to feel inside and outside of the thumb and fingers.

Breathing with it.

Taking your breath into your wrist and your hand and then softening and releasing with the out breath.

Letting it all go as you take your attention back up across the shoulders to the upper right arm.

And running your awareness down the right arm.

All the way to the elbow.

Under the arm,

Into the armpit.

Just feeling what there is to feel.

Just being aware.

Including now your elbow.

Awareness travelling around the elbow.

Inside the bend.

Noticing the bones.

And then extending that awareness out.

Flowing down to include your lower arm.

Feeling any sensations or changes.

Temperature.

Getting a sense of ligaments,

Tendons,

Muscles.

Breathing into your right arm.

Then releasing and relaxing on the out breath as you take your attention further down to the right wrist.

Moving your attention around the wrist.

Feeling what there is to feel as you circle.

Breathing with the wrist and expanding that awareness easily to include the right hand and its palm.

Noticing any sensations and tinglings.

Flowing more to include the thumb,

Forefinger,

Middle finger,

Third finger,

Little finger.

Just experiencing them as they are.

Feeling or not feeling.

No judgement.

No expectation.

Just scanning the body.

Relaxed.

Breathing into this whole area.

And on the next out breath,

Softening,

Relaxing and releasing.

Letting go and moving your attention back up the arm to your shoulders and down to your upper chest and resting there.

There's nothing to do right now except being here.

Sensing and accepting whatever it is that you are experiencing in your body at this moment.

Allowing any thoughts to be and then letting them go as you bring your attention back to the feeling and the rise and fall as you breathe and your lungs expand.

Oxygenating the blood.

Nourishing your body.

The whole area of the chest now rising.

A pause.

Stillness.

Then falling.

Releasing the carbon dioxide from the mouth and nose as you breathe in and as you breathe out.

Allowing all the toxins and all the tensions to flow out with the out breath.

Each breath a healing unto itself.

Opening now to the organs,

The heart,

Stomach,

Intestines.

Just breathing into this area.

This middle area.

Softening your being in a state of deepening relaxation.

Releasing with the next out breath and bringing your attention to the belly.

The rise and the fall with each breath.

Noticing without judgement any other sensations in this area.

Fullness.

Emptiness.

The feeling as the breath moves the body.

As the breath moves in and out.

Purifying moment by moment.

Relaxing.

Breathing effortlessly.

And now just as effortlessly releasing the belly from your attention with the next out breath.

Completely relaxing,

Releasing and moving the attention back up the body to the neck.

Pausing.

A deeper stillness here.

The body floating below relaxed.

Feeling the sensations of breath and swallowing in the neck and throat.

Wet and dry.

The bones strong and fragile.

Breathing with the neck just as it is.

And as you breathe out,

Softening,

Relaxing and moving up to the back of the head.

Feeling the weight,

The temperature.

The sides of the head.

The ears.

Noting any sensations,

Tinglings,

Curves,

Spaces,

Labyrinths.

Breathing into and out of this space.

Releasing on the next out breath and moving your awareness to the front of the head and the face.

The muscles at rest in neutral,

Not working any expressions.

Completely relaxed.

Being aware of the jaw and the jaw bones.

Loosening,

Softening,

Allowing them to sag.

The mouth,

Maybe slightly open.

Lips soft.

Teeth.

What sensations?

Relaxing the tongue.

The nose,

Pausing to feel the breath moving in and out of the nostrils.

Moving up to the eyes,

The eyelids,

The region around the eye.

Soft,

Relaxed.

Relaxing the eyebrows and forehead area where tension sometimes sits.

Aware of the whole face.

Breathing into and out from the whole face.

Softening,

Relaxing and releasing any tensions and tightness on the out breath.

Peaceful,

Still.

Letting go and moving focus to the top of the head.

Taking a moment to get a sense of the skeleton of bones laid out below.

The body softened and relaxed around it.

Opening your awareness to the whole body.

Letting your awareness wash and flow and expand through your whole body in a deep state of relaxation and wellbeing.

The breath flowing in,

Replenishing and out.

Cleansing the entire body quite naturally,

Quite effortlessly as you lay breathing in and out with the whole of your body.

Open to this healing,

Open to this nourishment as the energy flows through your body allowing any last tension to flow out serenely with the out breath.

Softening,

Relaxing,

Relaxing,

Still.

Letting go and moving focus to the top of the head.