A stiff neck,
A tense jaw,
A thrusting tongue is how so many of us see stress play out in the body.
A headache that starts at the base of the skull or a tightness that makes it hard to turn the head.
Sometimes this tension won't go away even when we're resting or sleeping.
This practice is designed to help relax the neck and jaw and take some of the stress out of our most basic human necessity,
Breathing.
If you've ever experienced neck to jaw tension,
Headaches,
Teeth grinding,
Or upper back pain,
It can have roots in the way that you breathe.
Today we're going to neutralize unnecessary neck tension.
And eliminate chronic pain.
Because we know that deep relaxation is a key to the kingdom of health.
Get yourself as comfortable as possible in a reclined position.
Make sure that your head is resting against something soft and your neck feels relaxed.
It might feel really good to put a rolled hand towel or a small pillow behind the neck so it feels supported.
Not thrusting,
But rather that it can relax back over the curve of the towel.
If you need to pause this recording to get just a little more comfortable,
Please do so.
I promise it's worth it.
Throughout this practice,
We'll shift between relaxation techniques from Yoga Nidra to meditation and breathing exercises that are all designed to help make the 22,
000 breaths you take each day just a little bit easier.
Start by bringing your attention to the flow of your breath.
Notice where you feel the air going without changing it or trying to intervene.
Follow it in through your nose and throat.
No need for judgment or labeling or to change the rhythm.
Just notice.
Notice the way that the breath interacts with your body.
Pay attention to the swell of your chest,
Your ribs.
Your belly as you inhale.
As you exhale,
Notice the body soften toward the floor.
The inhales reshaping the chest and ribcage.
On each exhale,
Your body gets more and more relaxed.
Inhaling expansion and fullness.
Use your exhale to allow your body to melt into the firm,
Steady support of the ground or surface beneath you.
Feel the weight of your head where it rests.
Feel the pillow or floor or chair mold to support your whole head completely.
No need to hold it up anymore.
Heavier and heavier as if it were made from lead.
You could move it if you needed to.
But you don't need to right now.
So you can just relax more and more.
Notice the breath in the right nostril.
Notice the breath in the left nostril.
Notice the breath in both nostrils.
Notice the breath where it touches the back of your throat.
And next become aware of your tongue.
Your tongue filling the inside of your mouth.
Touch the tip of your tongue now to the back of your front teeth.
Then move it to the bump of bone just behind the teeth.
And now slide it back to suction to the arch of your hard palate.
Leave it there for the next couple of breaths.
Gently begin to glide your jaw forward like you have an underbite.
And then slide it back like an overbite.
Try that again.
Slide it forward,
Tongue suctioned.
And as you exhale,
Glide and relax it back.
Your mandible,
Your lower jaw,
Sinking back toward your throat and the floor.
Again,
Glide forward.
And then relax back and leave it there.
As if your jaw could melt right into the neck.
Bring your awareness back to the tongue Notice if it feels tense or relaxed or neutral.
If it's comfortable where it is,
Leave your tongue touching the roof of the mouth.
But if you feel tension or effort there,
Allow it to detach and relax to the floor of the mouth.
Nothing to do.
Nothing to brace.
Just relax.
You Now glide your awareness to your neck.
Your neck does such a good job of holding your head up all day long.
It does the amazing work of supporting your head.
So you can do all of the things you need to do each day.
Right now.
Your neck gets to take a well-deserved rest.
Allow yourself to embody a knack that's taking a vacation.
Heavy and soft.
Relaxed and carefree.
Vacation next.
Vacation job.
Vacation tongue,
Cheeks,
Forehead,
Eyes,
Scalp,
Completely relaxed,
No stress.
Next,
We're going to add some layers to your breathing.
The only rule is your neck has to stay out of it.
No stress,
No strain,
No effort,
No work.
Vacation next.
Whatever happens,
Neck Relaxed.
As you inhale,
Allow your chest to rise just a little bit more without using any help from your neck.
Stress-free neck.
On the next inhale,
Neck relaxed,
Feel your chest and your ribs and your belly.
Exhale.
Feel your breath press down on the inhale into your relaxed pelvic floor,
Filling not just your ribs but exerting pressure on the belly.
All the way down to the bowl of the pelvis.
Heavy hand.
Neck Relaxed.
Vacation job.
Counting down from 37,
Inhale fully,
And count 37.
Exhale completely,
37.
Inhale 36,
Exhale 36.
Continue counting down breath by breath,
One number at a time.
At any point if you lose track.
Just start over from 37.
Calm and relaxed.
Simply counting your breaths.
You Let go of the counting.
It's okay if your mind wanders in meditation.
Your conscious mind can drift and wander while your subconscious mind works differently toward your goals of health,
Happiness,
And prosperity.
We are now going to soothe your nervous system even more by accentuating your exhales.
As we do this,
Your mind and body will become calmer and calmer.
And more at peace.
While your brain remains completely relaxed and fully aware.
With your soft,
Relaxed vacation neck and hands.
Exhale,
And add a little help from the muscles in your ribcage and waist to breathe out a little more air.
With your stress-free neck,
Try to find a pause at the end of the long exhale.
And as soon as you feel the urge to breathe in,
Please do so.
Sealing the lips to inhale gently through the nose.
On the exhale,
Only adding strength from the muscles in your waist.
As long as you can remain completely relaxed in your head and your neck.
Breathing in when you need it.
Emptying the lungs just a little more on the exhale.
You may notice that you can find a comfortable pause of two,
Three,
Or even five seconds.
Maybe for you the pause is just a suggestion of hesitation before the soft inhale.
Whatever you can do for a pause between exhale and inhale.
With your vacation neck and your calm mind.
No need to contract or engage the neck.
Just relax.
Notice as you bring a pause on the exhale.
The deepest sensation of relaxation at the top of your skull.
Like your neck,
All of the muscles in the scalp are relaxing and letting go.
Feel that deep relaxation spread toward the front of your scalp and over your forehead.
No wrinkles there.
No expression Just relaxation.
Peace.
Feel a powerful sensation of peace build right between your eyebrows.
It penetrates the forehead to relax the muscles behind your eyes.
Allow them to feel as if they were sinking ever so slightly deeper into their sockets Relaxing off duty.
Vacation eyes.
Their relaxation easily and effortlessly spreads to your eyelids,
Temples,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Right jaw,
Left jaw,
The whole mandible together.
Inside the right cheek,
Inside left cheek.
The roof of the mouth,
The floor of the mouth,
Your teeth in their gums,
The tongue,
The soft palate,
Back of the throat relaxing,
The muscles on the inside of your neck,
The front of the neck,
The sides of the neck,
The back of the neck.
The base of the skull,
The base of the neck.
Right side trap,
Left side trap,
Right scapula relaxing,
Left scapula relaxing,
Right shoulder,
Left shoulder,
The whole right arm,
The whole left arm,
Upper back,
Middle back.
Lower back.
The whole pelvis relaxed on the floor.
Right hip.
Love to.
Right thigh.
Left thigh Right calf,
Left calf.
Right heel.
Left you.
The whole right leg.
The whole left leg.
Both legs together.
The whole right side of the body.
The whole left side.
Both sides of the body together.
Relaxing.
The front of the body.
The back of the body.
The whole head and neck.
The whole body together.
All for one.
One for all.
Relaxed,
Present,
And at peace.
From this place of peace,
We'll now add one last layer to your breathing.
The next layer is a full relaxed breath with a 10 second hold on the exhale.
We'll take three breaths like this all together.
But before we begin,
Remember our agreement from the beginning of this meditation.
The primary rule is that your neck has to stay relaxed as we add layers.
Maybe you can do a 10 second hold with your stress fee next It's okay if your hold is shorter.
Just do your best.
You're doing great.
When you feel the urge to inhale,
Go ahead and start the inhale,
Even if I'm still counting down from 10.
Let's give it a try.
All of the muscles that pull your neck forward are completely relaxed.
Inhale gently.
Quietly fill up.
As full as you can be.
Exhale slowly to the very end of your capacity.
And hold for a count of 10,
9,
8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale quietly,
Softly through the nose.
Someone lying right next to you couldn't even hear you breathe.
Exhale,
Throat relaxed.
Use your waist to completely empty and hold for 10,
9,
8,
7,
Neck relaxed,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale at ease.
At peace.
Exhale,
Empty lungs.
10,
9,
8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale gently,
Filling the system.
Take in a little more.
Exhale,
Let it go.
Inhale,
Neck relaxed.
Exhale deeply at peace.
You've given your neck a well-deserved vacation.
Not just for the neck,
But for your nervous system and for your essential breath.
Give yourself a moment here to allow the brain to absorb how good it feels.
To breathe with a relaxed neck.
And an open throat.
Begin to expand your awareness to the sounds nearby.
Of sounds in the distance.
Just feel the touch of air moving on your skin.
Bring your mind back to your body.
The room.
The objects around you.
Slowly and gently bring some movement back to your fingers and toes.
Roll out your ankles and your wrists.
Test out your soft neck by rocking your head to the right and then to the left repeat that movement or hold the stretch if it feels good.
And then allow your head to fall to one side or the other.
That feels good.
And stay there.
Keep your head heavy on the floor or the surface beneath you as you roll toward that same side.
Forehead resting heavily on the surface or even your arms.
Take a few moments here for yourself as you transition from meditation to alertness.
Knowing that you can bring this sense of vacation to any part of your body at any time by pausing for a deep breath.
Slow breath.
Take your time.
Take care of yourself.
And when you're ready,
Use your arms to press yourself into a sitting position,
Head balancing effortlessly between your shoulders.
Take a few deep breaths here before continuing on with your day.
