Relaxation Scripts
OK. now just lie/sit back and make yourself as comfortable as possible. Just close your eyes and focus on your breathing …. Breathe very gently in and out … your breathing is very smooth and rhythmic … in and out. Put everything else to one side and just concentrate on your breathing. Focus on the various muscle groups in your body … and become aware of the sensations or feelings in the particular muscle groups …. With each particular muscle group spend a few minutes focusing your attention on the particular muscle … then tense that muscle group and hold the tension for about 15 seconds …
Become aware of the tension and tightness … following this, slowly release the tension and then focus your attention on the relaxed muscle for about a minute. Sequentially work through this process with each muscle group. The five main muscle groups will be: both your arms and hands; the muscles in your face; the neck and throat; the shoulders, chest, back, and stomach; and finally, both legs and feet. Remember that the aim of the exercises will be to become as physically comfortable and relaxed as possible.
Now, re-focus your attention on your breathing … smoothly in and out … in and out … and just think to yourself the word "relax" each time you breathe out … just keep thinking the word "relax" each time you breathe out.
Now, focus your attention on the muscles in your hands and arms … both your hands and arms. Just spend a few moments getting your attention on to that group of muscles. Try to become aware of the physical sensations which you feel in your hands and arms …. Try to be aware of whether they feel warm or cold … whether they feel heavy or light … even try to be aware of the sensations in each of your fingers … one by one … even the very tips of your fingers …. Now, stop thinking the word "relax" …
In a moment think to yourself the word "tense" and when you do, tense the muscles in both your hands and both your arms … make the muscles feel firm and tight. O.K. now, think the word "tense."… Add the tension to your hands and arms to the point that it feels noticeably tense …. Notice how tight the muscles in your hands and arms feel …. Hold the tension for a moment … and now "relax"… just slowly let the tension go. Bit by bit … let a little tension go each time you breathe out …. As you breathe out begin again to think the word "relax."…
Keep letting the tension go … step by step … feel the tension falling away … draining away …. Your hands and arms are feeling more and more relaxed … relax them completely … concentrating on what it feels like to let the tension go …. Just let the muscles go loose and floppy … loose and floppy, just like a rag doll … and just imagine that if you tried to lift up one of your arms and hands it would feel loose and relaxed ….
Your arms and hands feel pleasantly relaxed and comfortable …. There is no need for any tension and tightness … just relax … and your breathing is still smooth and rhythmic … in and out …. gently in and out … just relax ….
Now move on to the next muscle group. ,.. Focus on the sensations in the muscles in your face …. Focus all of your attention on your facial muscles … the muscles in your forehead … around your eyes … your cheeks … nose … mouth and jaw …. Become aware of the sensations in those muscles … just keep breathing smoothly and rhythmically in and out and keep thinking the word "relax" with each breath out …. Keep focusing on the muscles in your face ….
Become aware of the sensations …. Now, stop thinking the word "relax"… and in a moment think to yourself the word "tense" and tense all of the muscles in your face …. Frown at the forehead, squint up the muscles around your eyes, tighten the muscles in your cheeks, around your mouth, tongue and jaw … make the muscles feel firm and tight.
O.K. now, think the word "tense."… Add the tension to all of the muscles in your face to the point that it feels noticeably tense …. Notice how tight the muscles in your face feel …. Hold the tension for a moment … and now think the word "relax"… just slowly let the tension go … bit by bit … let a little tension go each time you breathe out … as you breathe out begin again to think the word "relax."… Keep letting the tension go … step by step … feel the tension falling away … draining away …. Just smooth out the muscles in your face.., relax the muscles in your forehead, around your eyes, cheeks, mouth, jaw ….
Your facial muscles are feeling more and more relaxed … relax them completely … concentrate on what it feels like to let the tension go … just let the muscles go loose and relaxed … loose and relaxed …. All of the muscles in your face feel pleasantly relaxed and comfortable … there is no need for any tension and tightness … just relax … and your breathing is still smooth and rhythmic … in and out … gently in and out … just keep thinking the word "relax" with each breath out.
And now move on to the next muscle group …. Focus on the sensations in the muscles in your neck and throat …. Focus all of your attention on your neck and throat …. Become aware of the sensations in those muscles …. Just keep breathing smoothly and rhythmically in and out and keep thinking the word "relax" with each breath out …. Keep focusing on the muscles in your neck and throat … become aware of the sensations….
Now, stop thinking the word "relax." … Think to yourself the word "tense" and tense all of the muscles in your neck and throat by pulling your chin down toward your chest but at the same time setting up a resistance and not allowing your chin and chest to touch …. Add the tension to all of the muscles in your neck and throat to the point that it feels noticeably tense …. Notice how tight the muscles in your neck and throat feel …. Hold the tension for a moment … and now think the word "relax" … just slowly let the tension go … bit by bit … let a little tension go each time you breathe out ….
As you breathe out begin again to think the word "relax"… keep letting the tension go … step by step … feel the tension falling away … draining away …. Just smooth out the muscles in your neck and throat … relax the muscles in your neck and throat …. The muscles are feeling more and more relaxed … relax them completely …. Concentrate on what it feels like to let the tension go … just let the muscles go loose and relaxed … loose and relaxed …. All of the muscles in your neck and throat feel pleasantly relaxed and comfortable …. There is no need for any tension and tightness … just relax … and your breathing is still smooth and rhythmic … in and out … gently in and out … just keep thinking the word "relax" with each breath out.
Next post, we'll continue with the process. If you want to learn more, you can check out Relaxation Scripts.
Related posts: