Hello,
This is Shakti Shilpa and welcome to this 10-minute body relaxation for stress release.
If today has felt busy,
Overwhelming or just a little heavy,
This is your space to pause and allow the body to relax.
In this practice,
We are not trying to fix anything or change anything.
We are simply allowing the body to soften and gently release tension.
Take a moment to get comfortable.
You may sit upright with support or lie down if that feels better for you.
Allow your hands to rest naturally by your side or in your lap.
And when you feel ready,
Gently close your eyes.
Take a slow breath in through the nose and a soft breath out through the mouth.
Let the exhalations be a little bit longer than the inhalations.
On your own,
Breathing.
Again,
Breathing in slowly and breathing out,
Letting the body soften just a little.
Often when we experience stress,
The body holds tension quietly in the jaw,
Shoulders,
Stomach.
So in this practice,
We simply begin by noticing.
Bring your attention to your jaw.
Notice if it's slightly clenched.
If it is,
Allow the teeth to gently part.
Unclench your jaws.
Let the tongue rest softly.
Now bring your awareness to your shoulders.
Gently lift your shoulders up toward your ears.
Hold for just a moment and release.
Let them drop naturally.
Let's try that one more time.
Once more,
Lifting the shoulders slightly,
Holding and releasing.
Simply notice the difference between holding tension and letting go.
Bring your attention now to your hands.
Gently curl your fingers into a soft fist.
Hold for a moment.
Let the fingers naturally curl up and relax.
Notice how the hands feel when they're not holding anything.
Now bring your awareness to your chest.
Simply notice your breathing,
The natural rise and fall.
There is nothing to control here.
Just observing the breath moving in and out.
Allow your belly to soften.
Sometimes we unconsciously hold the stomach tight.
See if you can allow it to be natural.
Moving gently with your breath.
Now bring your awareness down to your hips and legs.
Feel the weight of your body being supported by the surface beneath you.
Let the thighs grow a little heavier,
The knees soft,
Calves relaxed.
Bring your attention to your feet.
Notice your heels,
The arches of your feet,
The tops of the feet,
And your toes.
Allow the feet to rest.
Now take a moment to sense your whole body together from the top of your head all the way down to your feet.
Notice any area that feel a little softer than before.
Even a small shift is enough.
Take a gentle breath in and as you breathe out,
Think silently this word,
Release.
Breathing in and breathing out,
Release,
Relax.
Allow the body to feel heavier with each exhale.
Settling,
Being supported.
Just letting go of what it doesn't need to carry right now.
Take one slightly deeper breath in and a slow breath out.
Notice how the body feels in this moment.
Perhaps a little lighter,
Perhaps a little softer.
Whatever you notice is perfectly okay.
Try to stay with the sensations.
When you're ready,
Begin to gently bring movement back into the body.
Wiggle your fingers,
Toes.
Maybe roll your shoulders slightly.
If you feel like it,
Take a small stretch.
When you're ready to come back,
Gently open your eyes.
Take a moment to thank yourself for giving your body this time to pause and relax and carry this sense of ease with you into the rest of the day or through your night.
Thank you.
