Progressive muscular relaxation.
So lying in Shavasana,
The feet a little more than hip width apart,
You can let the feet drop open to the sides.
Arms down alongside the body with the palms facing up.
Turn your focus to the breath,
Taking deep and full slow steady breaths.
As you inhale feel the abdomen rising and exhaling release.
We're going to take ten full breaths and mentally just following each inhalation and exhalation.
So as you inhale feel the abdomen rising,
Exhaling release.
As you inhale you can count one,
Two,
Three and then exhaling two,
Three.
Slow and steady breathing.
Aiming to take ten deep full breaths like this now.
So as you inhale feel the abdomen,
The chest rising and expanding.
And with each exhalation feel a sense of releasing and relaxing.
And beginning now with progressive muscular relaxation.
So we start on the right side down onto the right leg and to the right foot.
So flexing the toes on the right foot towards you.
Flex the toes,
Flex the foot,
Lift the leg off the ground just an inch or so and tense,
Tense,
Tense all the leg and then release a sudden drop of energy.
And again now on the left side so lifting the left foot,
Flex the toes,
Tense the foot,
Lift the leg,
Tense all the leg as hard as you can,
Tense,
Tense,
Tense and drop.
Sudden release.
And just noticing what the legs feel like now,
Just noticing any changes however subtle.
And now squeezing the buttocks,
Lift the hips off the ground,
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze and release.
And now the abdomen,
Tensing all the stomach muscles,
Pushing the lower back into the ground,
Tense,
Tense,
Tense and release.
And now making tight fists with both hands,
Squeeze all of the arms,
Lift both the arms off the ground just an inch or so,
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze and drop.
Sudden drop of energy.
And now lifting,
Squeezing the shoulders up to the ears,
Tense,
Tense,
Tense and drop.
And then the other direction,
So pulling the shoulders down away from the head,
Pull and release.
And now squeezing all your face tight,
Tense,
Tense,
Tense and release.
And then stretching open the face,
Open the eyes,
Open the mouth,
Stick the tongue out and stretch and release.
And taking a breath there.
And now you can let the head drop heavy to the right side.
Continuing to use deep inhalations and exhalations to release any unnecessary tension.
And then let the head drop heavy to the other side.
Release.
And then moving the head back to centre.
And taking a deep breath there.
Mentally scanning through the body and continuing to use the breath to allow the body to relax with every exhalation.
So mentally scanning through the body starting with the feet and mentally repeating.
I relax my feet.
I relax my feet.
My feet are relaxed.
I relax my ankles and calves.
I relax my ankles and calves.
My ankles and calves are relaxed.
I relax my knees and thighs.
I relax my knees and thighs.
My knees and thighs are relaxed.
I relax my hips and buttocks.
I relax my hips and buttocks.
My hips and buttocks are relaxed.
And using every exhalation to release and relax.
Letting go with every exhalation.
I relax my stomach.
I relax my stomach.
My stomach is relaxed.
I relax my chest.
I relax my chest.
My chest is relaxed.
I relax my back.
My lower,
Middle,
Upper back.
I relax my back.
The whole of my back is relaxed.
I relax my hands and arms.
I relax my hands and arms.
My hands and arms are relaxed.
I relax my neck and shoulders.
I relax my neck and shoulders.
My neck and shoulders are relaxed.
I relax my face,
My jaw.
I relax my face,
My jaw.
My face,
My jaw are relaxed.
I relax my head and scalp.
I relax my head and scalp.
My head and scalp are relaxed.
And finally I relax my mind.
I relax my mind.
My mind is relaxed.
