Stress Reduction & Relaxation Meditation

Let's start by taking a deep breath in through the nose and out through the nose.

Rest your attention on your breath.

It will be your anchor throughout this meditation.

If thoughts arise,

Acknowledge them and let them go.

Simply return to the breath.

Allow each inhalation and exhalation to bring you more presence,

To bring you more awareness of the basic goodness of life.

Give yourself permission to relax,

Unwind,

And allow the natural state of being to fill the space.

Breathe in relaxation.

Breathe out tension.

Breathe in love.

Breathe out courage.

Continue this deep belly breathing for the next few moments.

Feel your lower back expand with each in-going breath.

If there's any tension,

Allow it to melt away through your breath as it exhales out of your body.

Now start to pause your breath for a moment at the top and end of each breath.

Try and make each new breath longer and deeper than your last breath.

Breathe in as much oxygen as you can.

Pause and slowly release.

Ensure to pull your navel into your spine at the end of your breath.

Do this so you can release every last bit of air from your lungs.

When you're empty of air,

Pause again and then start the process once more.

Continue this process.

Allow your natural breath to take place.

Do not interrupt the flow of your breath.

Just simply observe your natural,

Harmonious breath.

Now I want you to focus on your spinal column.

From your neck down to the base of your spine.

With each inhalation,

Scan your attention down to the base.

With each exhalation,

Scan your attention up to the spine.

Be aware of your spine and try and feel all the little muscles that support your spinal column.

Now,

Fill each vertebrae with each breath.

Going down vertebrae by vertebrae with each breath cycle.

Working your way down from the neck to the base.

Then up from the base to your neck.

Now focus on the muscles that make up your hands and arms.

Intensify your awareness and try and feel all the little cells that make up your hands and arms.

Now try and feel the nerves that run from the tips of your fingers all the way to your spinal column.

Try and really focus on your nervous system.

The system that is sending electricity throughout your body.

Your nerves run off your spinal column.

All your nerves run back to your spinal column and then back up to your brain.

Feel the electrical impulses that are running through your body right now via your nervous system.

Disengage from the mind and just purely focus on your nervous system.

Starting from your spinal column,

Feel your legs.

Feel your feet.

Feel your arms.

Your hands.

Mentally scan your whole body and feel your nervous system.

Feel the energy that is being emitted out of your body right now.

To calm this energy down by extending your exhalation,

Allow yourself to breathe in deeply and exhale slowly and quietly.

Extend your exhalations.

Feel your body's energy field.

With each exhalation,

Feel your body becoming more relaxed.

Feel your body becoming more balanced.

Set the intent that you are going to relax your body.

Take in some nice,

Long,

Deep breaths.

And on exhalation,

Allow your body to let go.

Completely relax.

Start to let go of the outside world.

Let go of your thought process.

Any thoughts that come to mind,

Simply acknowledge them and let them go.

Go beyond your senses now.

Fall into the vast,

Supporting and mysterious emptiness.

Focus your attention in between your ears.

Keep your attention here for the next few moments.

Be aware of the space that surrounds you.

Be aware of the space between my words.

Be aware of the space between your thoughts.

Breathe in through the nose.

Breathe out through the nose.

Feel all the stress dissolving away.

Just let go and allow your body fully relax.

Allowing each breath to bring you into a deeper state of relaxation.

Now focus on your heart.

Feel your heartbeat for the next few moments.

Stay within the body's energy field.

And focus on the relaxed areas in your body.

Grow this relaxation and spread this sense of relaxation throughout your whole body.

Letting go of all your tension.

And actually feel the tension melting away,

Off your body,

Away from your energy field with each breath.

And as you do this,

Continue to extend your exhalations.

Breathing in through the nose.

Breathing out through the nose.

Inhale and become more aware of and settled into this present moment.

Exhale and feel the relaxation spread.

Now focus on the sound of your breath.

Breathe quietly and softly.

Allow your breath to take you into a deeper state of relaxation.

Intensify your awareness on your breath.

Just listen very closely to your breath.

What does it sound like from start to finish?

From the moment you begin taking in air through your nose.

All the way to the last moment you're pushing it out of your lungs and belly.

Now heighten your sense of hearing by putting all of your focus on just hearing your breath.

And while you do this,

Simply allow your body to just let go.

Relax.

Define yourself as this present moment.

You are not your job.

You are not your family.

You are not how much money you have.

You are not your friends.

You are not any of these things or your thoughts.

Do not allow anything to confine you right now.

Just simply be aware and focus only on the state of relaxation that you're in right now.

Any other thoughts or feelings that come into your awareness,

You can simply acknowledge them and let them pass.

You are the present moment right now.

You are in this state of expanding relaxation.

Listen to only your breath.

Your calm,

Peaceful breath.

And what does it sound like?

Listen closely to this sound.

Your thoughts are not important in this practice.

Let go of all your thoughts.

Let your breath take you away,

Far away.

Allow yourself to fade away into this moment.

You are one with this moment.

Emerge with the space around you.

Become one with the energy all around you.

Notice how relaxed your body is.

Focus right now on expanding this relaxation.

Breathing in through the nose.

Breathing out through the nose.

In through the nose.

Out through the nose.

In through the nose.

Out through the nose.

In through the nose.

And out through the nose.

Letting go.

Completely disengaging from the mind.

Letting go.

Completely disengage from the mind.

Surrender to this moment.

Embrace the stillness and silence that surrounds you.

Allow this relaxation to fully integrate with your whole being.

Allow this relaxation to fully disengage your thoughts.

Allow this relaxation to fully be you.

Namaste.

Namaste.

Namaste.

Namaste.

Thank you.