Letting Go Of Stress And Negativity

Welcome to today's meditation.

First,

Take a moment to acknowledge yourself for being here.

It's not always easy to take time out of the day to care for yourself,

Especially when you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

But by simply showing up,

You're already taking an important step towards creating space for calm,

For ease and for letting go.

Stress and negativity can sometimes feel like carrying a heavy bag we've been holding onto for far too long.

Or maybe it feels like a tangle of invisible threads pulling our mind in different directions.

But just as clouds drift and dissolve in the sky,

These feelings don't last forever.

They come and go and when we observe them without resistance,

We create space for them to pass more easily.

These experiences are part of being human and I want you to know two things.

One,

It's okay to feel this way.

And two,

We don't have to fix everything all at once.

This meditation is an opportunity to begin releasing some of that weight.

Not all at once and not through force,

But gently,

Step by step,

With curiosity and kindness.

Together,

We're going to explore the different ways stress and negativity might be showing up for you today.

Whether it's in the body,

Whether it's in your emotions,

Whether it's in the mind.

We'll take our time moving through each of these layers and as we do,

I'll guide you with gentle practices designed to help you let go at your own pace.

Now as you listen,

I want you to know that there's no right or wrong way to feel.

You might notice moments of ease or release or you might not.

That's perfectly okay.

This is a safe space to simply be with whatever arises,

With no pressure to change or to fix anything.

If at any point you feel uncomfortable,

Know that you're always in control.

You can shift your position,

Open your eyes or even pause the meditation and return to it another time.

Allow this practice to support you in the way that feels best for you today.

I invite you to find a comfortable position now.

You might choose to sit with your back supported or you might want to lie down,

Allowing the surface beneath you to hold your body completely so you can fully let go.

If it feels comfortable,

You can gently close the eyes or you can leave them open with a soft gaze.

And let's take a moment now to notice the sensations of the body resting here.

How does it feel to allow ourselves to pause,

To settle?

Okay,

Let's begin.

I invite you now to bring awareness to the breath,

Noticing the inhale and noticing the exhale.

Without trying to change anything about the breath,

We're simply noticing how the body is naturally breathing.

Now we might notice and urge to direct the breath or to control the breath in some way,

And that's completely normal.

For now,

Seeing if we can simply allow the breath to flow exactly as it is,

Allowing it to move freely,

Moment by moment.

How is the body breathing right now?

Is it slow or rapid,

Deep or shallow?

Maybe we're breathing into the chest or perhaps into the stomach.

Is the inhale longer than the exhale or is the exhale longer than the inhale?

For now,

There's no need to change anything.

We're just noticing the breath as it is.

Now we're not so much watching the breath as we're experiencing it,

Feeling what it's like to breathe.

Maybe we can feel the cool air entering the nostrils as we breathe in,

Noticing the lungs,

The chest,

The stomach expanding.

And then as the breath changes direction,

We might notice the body softening,

Relaxing,

Gently releasing.

We're letting go of tension,

Letting go of any resistance.

And if the mind begins to wander or if any restlessness arises in the body,

That's completely normal.

Whenever we realize that we're lost in thought or distraction,

We simply bring our awareness back to the breath,

Back to that next inhale,

Back to that next exhale.

As we breathe in,

We might imagine breathing in calm,

Ease or lightness.

And as we breathe out,

We imagine letting go of tension,

Negativity or heaviness.

With each breath in,

We're inviting in something supportive,

Something nourishing.

And with each breath out,

We're releasing anything we no longer need.

Sometimes,

When stress and negativity build up,

They show up in the body as tightness or restlessness,

And this can make the breath feel short or uneven.

But when we slow down the exhale,

Just slightly,

We let the body know that it's safe to relax.

This works by activating the vagus nerve,

Which signals the parasympathetic nervous system,

Your body's natural relaxation system.

It lets the body know that it's okay to release tension and let go.

So now,

For the next minute or so,

I invite you to gently lengthen your breath,

Making sure that the exhalation is longer than the inhalation.

A simple way to do this is to count the breath.

For instance,

We might breathe in for a count of three and breathe out for a count of six.

Let's try it together for a couple of rounds and and I'll let you do some on your own,

At your own pace.

Breathing in,

Two,

Three.

Breathing out,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six.

Breathing in,

Two,

Three.

Breathing out,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six.

Breathing in,

Two,

Three.

Breathing out,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six.

Now it's up to you what you count to,

Whatever feels comfortable.

There's no need to be precise and if counting feels unnatural you can simply focus on making the exhale a little longer than the inhale,

Imagining that with each out breath you're releasing a little more tension,

A little more stress,

A little more negativity.

Let me be quiet for a few moments so you can take a few breaths on your own.

As you continue to control the breath,

Notice how the body feels.

When we take deeper breaths we might notice tension creeping in,

Especially on the in breath.

If that happens,

See if you can soften the breath,

Maybe pulling it back by 10 or 20 percent,

Not breathing in so deeply and allowing the in-breath to feel light and gentle.

And as we continue to breathe,

Let's notice how the body's responding.

Is there any sense of heaviness easing?

Any tension softening?

Are the forehead and the jaw relaxed?

Are the neck and the shoulders soft?

Is the stomach at ease?

Already some of us might be starting to notice small shifts,

Perhaps a sense of spaciousness opening up or a feeling of warmth or tingling spreading through the body.

Maybe we can notice the body beginning to release,

Letting go of stress,

Negativity or any weight we've been carrying breath by breath.

And now,

Whenever we're ready,

Allowing the breath to return to its natural rhythm.

Noticing how the body is breathing now.

Is the breath softer?

Slower maybe.

We're just noticing.

We're feeling the cool air entering the nostrils,

As we breathe in.

Noticing how the lungs,

Chest and stomach expand.

And as we breathe out,

Noticing the warm air leaving the nostrils.

Feeling the body soften,

Relax and let go.

With each out breath,

We might imagine releasing more of what no longer serves us.

Letting go of tension,

Letting go of negativity,

Letting go of anything we don't need to carry in this moment.

If we notice the mind wandering,

Perhaps to the past,

To worries about the future,

Or even to everyday thoughts and to-do lists,

That's perfectly normal.

The mind tends to drift,

Especially when we're holding stress or negativity.

This is simply the mind's way of trying to process or fix things,

But often this kind of thinking can add to the weight we're carrying.

So as soon as we notice that our mind has wandered,

Gently guiding our attention back to the breath.

There's no need to judge ourself or feel frustrated.

Instead,

We can see this as an act of kindness.

Gently,

Patiently,

Bringing our focus back to this moment.

Back to that next inhale,

And back to that next exhale.

Breathing in calm,

Breathing out negativity,

Breathing in ease,

Breathing out tension,

Softening a little more,

And releasing a little more.

Good.

Now that we've connected with the breath,

Let's take some time to bring our awareness to the body.

Stress and negativity can often show up in the body as tension or heaviness,

And today we're invited to gently release that by moving through the body part by part.

For this section,

We'll be practicing a progressive muscle relaxation technique.

If it feels comfortable,

I invite you to gently tense and then release each muscle group we focus on.

But if tensing doesn't feel right,

We can simply imagine the muscle tensing and releasing,

Allowing the body part to relax naturally,

Or even just noticing any sensations that are present.

Whichever option feels right for us is perfectly okay.

We can either imagine the muscles tensing,

Or we can simply bring awareness to the sensations.

Let's begin by bringing our awareness to the feet.

If it feels good,

Gently tensing the muscles in the feet by curling the toes under,

Holding a little bit of tension for a few seconds,

And then releasing completely,

Allowing the feet to soften and relax.

If we don't want to tense the muscles,

We can imagine our feet tensing and releasing,

Or simply allow the feet to relax naturally,

Noticing the points of contact where our feet meet the ground or the bed.

Taking a moment to feel the feet softening,

As if they're melting into the surface beneath us.

We're noticing sensations in the soles of the feet,

The tops of the feet,

The heels,

The toes.

What are we noticing here?

Perhaps there's a sense of warmth,

Coolness,

Or tingling.

Now bringing our awareness to the lower legs,

The calves and shins.

If it's comfortable,

Gently tensing the lower legs by pulling the toes up towards the knees,

Holding for a moment,

Feeling the tension,

And then letting go completely,

Allowing the lower legs to soften and relax.

Noticing any sensations here,

Allowing the lower legs to soften,

Feeling the weight of the lower legs becoming heavier,

Sinking into the surface beneath us.

Shifting our awareness now to the upper legs,

The knees,

The thighs,

The hamstrings.

If it feels good,

Gently tensing the muscles in the upper legs,

Maybe by straightening the legs or squeezing the thighs together,

Holding the tension for a few seconds,

And then releasing completely,

Allowing the thighs and hamstrings to soften and relax.

Noticing any sensations,

Warmth,

Heaviness,

Or tingling,

Allowing the upper legs to feel heavy and at ease,

Fully supported by the surface beneath us.

Now moving our attention to the hips and pelvis.

These areas often hold tension without us even realizing it.

If it feels comfortable,

Gently squeezing the muscles in the hips and the glutes,

Holding the tension for a moment,

And then letting go completely,

Allowing the hips to soften and sink a little deeper into the surface.

What sensations are present in the hips?

Maybe a sense of tightness,

Or release,

Or stillness,

Allowing the hips and pelvis to feel supported and at ease.

Now bringing our awareness to the back,

The lower back,

The shoulder blades,

The spine.

If it feels okay,

Gently arching the lower back just a little to create some tension,

Holding for a few seconds,

And then releasing,

Allowing the entire back to relax and soften.

Noticing any sensations here.

Moving our attention now to the belly.

If tensing the muscles doesn't feel good,

Then we can simply imagine the belly tensing,

Or we can just bring our awareness to the belly.

But if it feels good,

Gently tensing the muscles in the belly by pulling it inward,

Holding tension for a moment,

And then releasing completely,

Allowing the belly to soften.

Noticing the belly rising on the inhale,

Softening on the exhale.

Moving to the chest now,

Perhaps gently tightening by taking a slightly deeper in-breath,

Holding it for a moment,

And then exhaling fully,

Allowing the chest to soften and expand naturally.

Noticing the gentle rise and fall of the chest and belly as we breathe.

Allowing the whole front of the body to open,

Making a little more space for ease and letting go of anything heavy.

Now shifting focus to the shoulders.

If it feels comfortable,

Gently squeezing the shoulder blades together or shrugging the shoulders up towards the ears,

Holding that tension for a moment,

And then releasing completely,

Allowing the shoulders to drop and soften as if they're releasing a heavy weight.

For the neck,

Only if it feels good,

Very gently pressing the head back into the surface beneath us,

Holding that tension for a moment,

And then releasing,

Allowing the neck to soften and lengthen.

Noticing any tension dissolving here,

As if the shoulders and neck are letting go of everything they don't need to carry.

Now bringing our awareness to the arms and hands.

Maybe we can gently tense the arms by curling the hands into fists,

Holding that tension for a moment,

And then releasing completely,

Allowing the arms and hands to soften and relax.

Feeling the arms and hands resting fully,

Completely at ease.

And now let's bring our awareness to the face and the head.

If it feels comfortable,

Gently scrunching the muscles in the face,

Wrinkling the forehead,

Squeezing the eyes closed,

Clenching the jaw,

Holding that tension for a moment,

And then releasing completely,

Allowing the face to soften.

Imagining a warm wave of ease washing over the face,

Noticing the jaw releasing,

The cheeks softening,

The eyes resting in their sockets,

Feeling the entire face softening and letting go,

The forehead smooth and relaxed,

The scalp at ease.

We might even notice a gentle smile spreading across the face,

And now I invite you to expand your awareness to include the entire body,

From the top of the head to the tips of the fingers and toes.

Maybe we notice a sense of softness or relaxation spreading through the body,

Maybe there's a warmth or tingling,

Or a feeling of lightness or heaviness.

Whatever we're experiencing is perfectly fine,

There's no need to force anything,

We're simply resting here,

Allowing the body to be just as it is.

Letting go of any stress or negativity with each breath,

Knowing there's no rush,

No need to make anything happen,

Just allowing ourselves to rest in this moment exactly as we are.

Now that we've connected with the body and released some physical tension,

Let's take a moment to explore the mind.

Our minds are naturally full of activity,

Thinking,

Planning,

Remembering and imagining.

This is what the mind is designed to do and sometimes it can feel like a constant flow of chatter.

Now when we're feeling stressed or overwhelmed,

These thoughts may become repetitive,

Self-critical or focused on negativity.

So for this part of the practice,

I invite you to observe your thoughts,

Not to stop or change them,

But simply to notice them as they arise and pass,

Moment by moment.

And it's also possible that your mind feels quiet right now,

Free of activity,

And if that's your experience,

There's nothing you need to do,

Simply enjoy the stillness of the mind,

Resting in that sense of peace and allow my words to blend into the background.

Ok,

Let's bring our awareness to the activity of the mind.

We might notice thoughts popping up,

Maybe worries about the future,

Memories from the past,

Or even random,

Unrelated thoughts.

Whatever we find,

Let's see if we can allow it to simply be there,

Without judgement,

As if we're watching from a distance.

There's no need to get caught up in the story of the thought,

No need to follow where it leads,

Instead,

We're simply noticing it.

And some of us find it helpful to imagine our thoughts as clouds in the sky,

Drifting in and out of view.

Some of those clouds are light and fluffy,

While others might feel darker or heavier.

But all clouds eventually move on,

Carried by the wind.

Each time we notice a thought arise,

Seeing if we can acknowledge that thought gently,

We might even silently say to ourselves,

Here's a thought,

And then watch it,

As it drifts away,

Like a passing cloud.

And if our mind is quiet,

We might imagine a clear blue sky,

Stretching endlessly overhead,

Open and expansive.

Resting here,

In this sense of ease and spaciousness.

If it feels helpful,

We can also use the breath to help create space between us and our thoughts.

As we inhale,

We might imagine drawing in a sense of calm and spaciousness.

And as we exhale,

We might picture that thought being carried away.

Breathing in calm.

And as we exhale,

Letting go of that thought.

And if the same thought keeps coming back,

That's okay.

Each time we're giving ourselves another chance to gently notice the thought and let it go.

Now we may find that some thoughts feel more persistent or sticky.

Thoughts that keep pulling our attention back or seeming harder to release.

If that happens,

It's perfectly normal.

But instead of resisting these thoughts,

Seeing if we can simply allow them to be there.

We might imagine holding the thoughts lightly,

As if they're resting in the palm of our hand.

There's no need to push them away.

Just noticing that they're there and reminding ourselves that they don't define us.

Thoughts are simply mental events like clouds in the sky,

Coming and going without needing to be acted upon.

And if we find that we've gotten lost in our thoughts,

That's okay too.

Whenever we notice the mind has wandered,

We gently guide it back with kindness and patience.

Back to the breath.

Back to the body.

Back to this moment.

And now taking a moment to notice how the mind feels after observing our thoughts.

Maybe it feels quieter or lighter.

Or maybe it still feels busy.

And that's okay too.

Let's take one more deep inhale together,

Inviting in calm and clarity.

And a long slow exhale,

Releasing anything that feels heavy or stressful.

Okay,

Good.

Now that we've spent some time observing the mind,

Let's gently shift our focus to emotions.

Those feelings that live not only in our hearts,

But also throughout the body.

Emotions,

Just like thoughts,

Can come and they can go.

Sometimes they're subtle,

Like a quiet undercurrent.

Other times they feel stronger,

Like waves crashing against the shore.

Stress and negativity often carry emotions such as frustration,

Sadness,

Worry,

Or even anger.

These emotions can sit heavily in the body,

Creating tension or a sense of unease.

We might notice sadness as heaviness in the chest,

Maybe worry feels like a fluttering in the stomach,

Anger might feel like heat in the face or hands.

Whatever we find,

We're simply noticing.

In this part of the practice,

We'll gently explore any emotions that are present,

Offering them space to soften and flow,

Without judgement or resistance.

It's also possible that no strong emotions are here right now,

And if that's the case,

Simply rest in the natural calm of this moment,

Allowing yourself to feel ease or stillness.

I invite you now to turn your attention inward to the emotional landscape of the body.

Perhaps asking ourselves,

How am I feeling right now?

Is there a specific emotion present?

Or maybe there's a mix of feelings.

Perhaps there's no clear emotion at all,

Just a sense of neutrality or calm.

Whatever we find is perfectly ok,

There's no need to search for anything,

Simply noticing what's here.

If an emotion feels particularly strong or overwhelming,

We might picture wrapping it gently in a soft blanket,

Holding it with care,

Or we might simply allow it to rest nearby without needing to engage.

If we're aware of a particular emotion,

We might take a moment to gently name it.

We might say,

Ah,

Here's frustration,

Or this is sadness,

Or simply,

I feel worry.

Naming an emotion in this way helps to create some space between us and the feeling.

It reminds us that emotions are part of our experience,

But they don't define us.

Now let's explore where this emotion shows up in the body.

Often,

Emotions leave subtle or even strong sensations in different parts of the body.

Do we notice any areas of tightness,

Warmth,

Heaviness or fluttering?

Maybe a weight in the chest,

A tension in the shoulders,

A sensation in the stomach?

Wherever we feel the emotion,

Seeing if we can bring a gentle,

Curious awareness to it,

As if we're meeting it for the first time.

If it feels comfortable,

I invite you to breathe into this area of the body,

Sending your breath there like a soft,

Soothing wave.

As we inhale,

Imagining the breath creating space around the emotion,

Softening it.

And as we exhale,

Picturing the breath helping to release any tightness or tension.

Allowing the emotion to flow freely.

Inhaling space and ease.

Exhaling tension and resistance.

Now if the emotion feels particularly strong or overwhelming,

Knowing that we're always in control,

If it feels too intense,

We're welcome to shift our focus back to the breath,

Back to the sensation of our feet on the ground or back to any other object that feels supportive to us.

Now let's take a moment to acknowledge that emotions,

No matter how big or small,

Are part of being human.

They rise and fall like waves in the ocean.

Some are gentle ripples,

While others are stronger swells.

But eventually,

All waves settle,

Returning to the stillness beneath.

Each time we breathe,

We're inviting the waves of emotion to flow more freely,

Softening their intensity and allowing space for calm.

Inhaling ease.

Exhaling release.

And if we notice the mind wandering to a thought about the emotion,

Like why am I feeling this way or I shouldn't feel like this,

Gently reminding ourselves that there's no need to explain or fix anything right now.

We're simply allowing the emotion to be as it is.

Okay,

Good.

Let's take a moment now to notice whether the emotion has softened or shifted or maybe it's still present or even stronger.

Whatever we're experiencing is okay.

Simply by observing and allowing,

We've already created more space for peace and ease.

Now that we've spent some time observing the breath,

The body and the mind,

I invite you to take this moment to gently explore the idea of letting go with a visualization exercise,

Helping us to release any stress,

Tension or negativity that might still be lingering.

For some of us,

Visualization might feel natural,

Like imagining a picture or scene in the mind.

But for others,

It may feel challenging or not quite right to visualize,

And that's perfectly okay.

If visualizing doesn't come easily or it makes you feel uncomfortable,

You're welcome to simply focus on the sensations of the breath or the body.

But if it feels within your reach,

I invite you to imagine a small stream flowing gently nearby.

The water is clear and calm,

Sparkling in the light.

This stream represents a safe space,

A place where we can release anything we no longer need to carry.

As we breathe in,

We might imagine drawing in calm,

Ease or lightness.

And as we breathe out,

We might imagine stress or tension leaving the body,

Flowing out like a soft mist or whisper of smoke,

Carried effortlessly into the stream.

If we like,

We might even give it a color,

Making it easier to see as it leaves us.

And as the stress or tension touches the water,

We can imagine the stream carrying it away,

Dissolving it completely into the current.

Whether we're imagining the stream,

Focusing on sensations,

Or simply breathing,

Let's allow this process to feel easy and effortless.

Now if there's a particular area of the body that feels tight or heavy,

Maybe the chest,

Shoulders,

Jaw,

We might imagine stress flowing directly from that area into the stream,

Or softening with each exhale,

Feeling the lightness growing within us as if space is opening up where tension used to be.

And if the mind feels clear and the body feels light,

We can simply rest here,

Enjoying the stillness.

With each breath,

We're inviting ease,

Peace,

And freedom into the body and mind.

Breathing in calm and clarity,

And breathing out,

Releasing all that feels heavy.

And as this practice comes to an end,

Knowing that you can come back here anytime,

This place of calm,

Relaxation,

And release.

Let's take a moment now to notice how the body feels and how the mind feels.

Maybe we notice a sense of lightness or maybe the breath feels a little softer.

Perhaps the body a little more at ease.

Or perhaps you're still holding onto some stress or tension and that's perfectly okay too.

Some days are easier than others and the most important thing is that we've shown up for ourselves today creating this space for care and kindness.

Now if you're feeling tender,

Tired,

Or overwhelmed I encourage you to be gentle with yourself.

Try to take it slow and if possible leave anything that can wait until tomorrow.

Allow today to be an opportunity to nurture yourself however that looks for you.

Whether that's resting,

Taking a slow walk,

Or simply doing something that brings you joy.

Letting go isn't always easy and sometimes it doesn't happen all at once.

It's a practice of returning to ourselves moment by moment and releasing what no longer serves us.

And it's important to remember that life's challenges our stress,

Emotions,

And even negativity are all part of being human.

Some days feel lighter while others weigh us down and that's okay.

Letting go doesn't mean erasing what we've been through it means creating space for growth and new possibilities.

Now before we close I'd like to share a poem that speaks to this idea.

It's a gentle reminder that the act of letting go can open us up to something new.

A sense of freedom,

Of clarity,

Of peace.

It's called She Let Go by Sophia Rose.

She let go.

Without a thought or a word,

She let go.

She let go of the fear.

She let go of the judgments.

She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.

She let go of the committee of indecision within her.

She let go of all the right reasons.

Wholly and completely,

Without hesitation or worry she just let go.

She didn't ask anyone for advice.

She didn't read a book on how to let go.

She didn't search the scriptures.

She just let go.

She let go of all the memories that held her back.

She let go of all the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.

She let go of all the planning and of all the calculations about how to do it just right.

She didn't promise to let go.

She didn't journal about it.

She didn't write the projected date in her day timer.

She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.

She didn't check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.

She just let go.

She didn't analyse whether she should let go.

She didn't call her friends to discuss the matter.

She didn't utter one word.

She just let go.

No one was around when it happened.

There was no applause or congratulations.

No one thanked her or praised her.

No one noticed a thing.

Like a leaf falling from a tree,

She just let go.

There was no effort.

There was no struggle.

It wasn't good and it wasn't bad.

It was what it was and it is just that.

In the space of letting go,

She let it all be.

A small smile came over her face.

A light breeze blew through her.

And the sun and the moon shone forever more.

And now keeping the eyes closed,

I invite you to notice what feels different in the body and the mind.

Maybe there's a feeling of calm or lightness.

Maybe a sense of quiet spaciousness in the mind.

Or maybe things feel the same as they did before and that's okay too.

Whatever it is that we're experiencing,

It's a reflection of this moment and that's enough.

Let's begin to bring small movements back into the body.

Perhaps we can wiggle our fingers and toes or gently roll the shoulders.

We might like to stretch the arms or legs or simply take a deep breath in and out to reawaken the body.

And whenever we're ready,

Gently opening the eyes,

Slowly allowing the light back in and taking a moment to notice the room around us.

Now before we move on with our day,

I invite you to remember the techniques we practiced today.

If stressful or negative thoughts arise,

Remember to gently observe them like clouds in the sky and allow them to drift away.

If emotions feel heavy,

Seeing if you can name the emotions and then create some space for them to come and go.

And if you notice any tension or stress in the body,

You might try pausing for a moment to soften and release,

Perhaps tensing and relaxing the muscles.

Or you can simply try slowing down the breath a little.

These small acts of letting go,

Practiced throughout the day,

Can help bring clarity,

Balance and ease into your life.

Congratulate yourself for taking time out to care for your mind and body today.

I hope this sense of lightness and freedom you've cultivated here stays with you as you move through the rest of your day.

Or if you're listening to this before bed,

Sweet dreams.