Let’s take a few minutes to relax your body and mind.

We’ll begin with a few slow, deep breaths. Each time you breathe in; breathe all the way down into your stomach. Breathe in slowly through your nose, and feel your abdomen and lungs expand with air. After drawing in a long deep breath, allow your breath to flow back out through your mouth. Just let go of each breath, and with it, release any tension or stress you might have been holding on to. You might like to mentally repeat the word “relax” as you breathe out.

Try this now, slowly draw in a deep breath. Don’t rush to breath in. Just gradually fill your lungs and abdomen with air, and when they are full, release that breath completely. You are beginning to feel yourself relaxing. Your breath will dissolve tension just as easily as warm water melts ice.

Breathe in once again. Feel your body fill with air…and when you are ready, release the breath, let it flood out naturally. Breathe all the way out until your lungs are empty. Let’s draw in a third and final breath. Nice and deep. Feel yourself relaxing as you gradually release the breath. 

Now let your breathing return to a normal rhythm as we begin to scan over your entire body, looking for areas of tension to release.
 
As I mention each body part, I invite you to bring your awareness to it and relax it as deeply as you can. You don’t need to concentrate intensely on this task, just feel or imagine a sensation of relaxation and relief moving through each part of your body.

It’s quite common for people to store a lot of tension in their jaw muscles, so let’s begin there. Pay attention to your jaw for a moment. There are a number of very strong muscles in that area. Just mentally connect with this part of your body, and relax it. Allow your jaw muscles to loosen and let go.

Now let your attention wander to the muscles in your face. Allow your eye muscles to release, and let your cheeks and forehead relax. Let this peaceful feeling flow slowly down your neck. Feel it sooth your throat and dissolve any tension as it slowly glides down to your shoulders.

Let your shoulders go. Give them a moment of your attention, and just mentally repeat the word “relax” as you let them soften, let go, and release all tension.