Blissful Full Body Relaxation

Find a quiet space where you can relax completely.

For most meditations it is usually best to remain upright,

However for the purposes of this relaxation you may find it nicer to lie down.

Use the most comfortable position for you,

Keeping your spine straight and supported.

Gently close your eyes and let your whole body relax.

Let go of any need to control your thoughts and know that this time is just for you.

There is nothing else you need to be doing right now in this moment but to be here,

Anchored in this moment.

Send your awareness to your breath,

Breathing in and out through your nose.

As you breathe in,

Feel your rib cage expand and then feel it gently contract as you breathe out.

Let your belly soften completely,

Feeling it rise and fall as you inhale and exhale.

Feel your whole body begin to relax.

Feel your body start to sink down towards the ground.

Feel your face begin to soften,

Your shoulders relax and your arms heavy by your side.

Let your legs relax completely,

Releasing all tension from your body.

Feel a sense of relaxation starting to wash over your whole body,

Starting from the very tips of your toes.

Feel it slowly working its way over the balls of your feet,

The soles of your feet and your heels.

As you inhale and exhale,

Feel this relaxation wash over your ankles,

Your calf muscles,

Your shins,

Releasing all tension in these areas.

Feel your knees soften as the relaxation travels up over your thighs,

Your hips and your pelvis.

As you breathe in and out,

All tension dissolves from your lower back.

Feel the relaxation travelling up over the sides of your body,

Over your belly and your chest.

Feeling your belly soft and your chest open,

Letting your breath come easily in and out.

Feel the relaxation travelling slowly up your spine to the tips of your shoulder blades.

As you breathe in and out,

Feel all tension dissolving between your shoulder blades and up your neck.

Feel your shoulder blades pressing down towards the earth.

Inhaling and exhaling as the relaxation travels to the tops of your shoulders and slowly down your arms,

Over your elbows,

Your forearms and your wrists,

Releasing any tension in these areas.

Feel the relaxation melting down over the palms of your hands,

Over your fingers,

Your thumbs,

All the way to your fingertips.

As you breathe in and out,

Feel your arms heavy and relaxed.

Feel as the relaxation travels back up over your fingers and your thumbs,

Over your knuckles,

The tops of your hands and over your wrists,

Your forearms and your elbows.

Up over the tops of your arms and again over your shoulders.

As you breathe in and out,

Any remaining tension between your shoulder blades and up your neck dissolves.

Feel the relaxation melting down over your collarbones and then slowly travelling up your neck,

Releasing all tension.

Feel as the relaxation reaches your jaw,

Letting your jaw soften.

Feel your tongue relaxing in your mouth,

Your cheekbones soft and your eyes as they relax in their sockets.

Feel your eyebrows soft,

Your forehead relaxed.

As you breathe in and out,

Feel all the muscles of the face relax and soften as the relaxation travels all the way up to the top of your head.

Feel your body heavy,

Soft and relaxed.

As you breathe in and out,

The relaxation travels slowly back over your face and the back of your head and down your neck,

Over your shoulders,

Down your arms,

Over your chest and your belly,

Down the sides of your body and slowly back down your spine.

Releasing any tension,

Any tightness as it travels all the way down to your lower back.

Breathing in and out,

Feel as all tension dissolves from your lower back once again.

Feel the relaxation travelling over your hips and your pelvis,

Slowly down your thighs,

Over your knees,

Your lower legs and to your ankles,

All tension releasing in these areas.

As you inhale and exhale,

Feel the relaxation travel over the tops of your feet all the way to the tips of your toes.

Notice as your body feels completely relaxed.

As you breathe in and out,

Feel your body sinking down towards the ground,

Fully supported by the earth beneath you.

Feeling no need to hold your body up,

Just letting it all go.

Start to send your focus now to your breath,

Taking the next few moments to yourself.

Let your mind begin to still,

Releasing any internal chatter,

Any distractions,

Any to-do lists.

Just focusing fully on your breath coming in and out through your nose.

Let your thoughts be like clouds in the sky,

They may continue to float into your mind but don't attach any feelings or emotions to them.

Just notice their presence and let them float on by,

Always bringing your focus back to your breath.

One last shape.

Slowly start to bring your awareness back to your body now,

Back to this space.

Maybe wiggling your fingers,

Wiggling your toes,

Maybe making a few gentle circles with your wrists and your ankles.

Just continuing with the slow and steady breath.

Maybe starting to stretch out as the body begins to wake up.

When you feel ready,

Slowly opening your eyes and coming back to the present moment.