Welcome , zen friend , to this episode of A Drop of Zen , a short guided meditation designed to help you drop in and feel more calm and grounded . On this week's episode , I talked about blowing off steam and how that is so important as a parent , especially during the challenging years of parenting between or a teen . So on this episode of A Drop of Zen , we will focus on letting go of stress and tension in your body . So go ahead and find a nice comfortable seat or a place to lie down and do this at a time when you can safely close your eyes or just have a nice soft gaze down and not need to attend to anything else . And begin by noticing what you notice , letting yourself become fully present , taking in the present moment , the sounds that you're hearing , the sense that you're smelling , the sensations that you're feeling in your body , notice where your thoughts are going to , and then begin to look for any tension or any stress that is currently present in your body . We often have emotions living inside of us that are difficult or uncomfortable . Tension and stress can feel uncomfortable . So just looking for that , looking for tension , looking for stress . See where you feel it , see how you feel it . What does it feel like . How is it showing up ? As I talked about blowing off steam in this week's episode , I invited you to use the analogy or metaphor of a tea kettle boiling away on the stove and it's got that little spout so that the steam can escape once it comes to a boil . So I'll invite you to imagine , just like a tea kettle , you have some stress percolating or boiling beneath the surface . So just notice that , see if that image works for you . And just like that tea kettle has a spout that lets some steam release . We're going to invite some stress and tension to release by now .
Speaker 1Turning to our breath , breathing in peace and calm , by taking a nice deep breath and bringing it down deep into your belly and then a gentle pause , exhaling through your mouth as slowly and gently as you can , allowing yourself to enjoy that nice , long , slow , deep exhale when you're ready and , of course , doing this at your own pace . Another nice deep , full breath in a gentle pause . And a long , slow , delicious exhale through your mouth , letting it go , continuing with that breath , a full , deep breath in a gentle pause at the top of the breath and then exhale slowly and completely . As you exhale , invite your muscles to relax . Notice how you are feeling a little bit heavier , perhaps in your chair or on the floor or your bed , and continuing to breathe deep , slow breath in long , slow exhale through your mouth as you continue to breathe .
Speaker 1Notice those areas where you identified feeling tension or stress . What do they look like , what do they feel like , have they changed at all ? And see if , on the next breath , you can invite them to lessen a little bit and release as you exhale , an invitation to let go a little bit more , inviting in curiosity how much tension and stress can you let go of with two more breaths , breathing in gently , softly , filling your belly with air . Exhale slowly and completely when you're ready and then one last time at your own pace , really breathing in that peace and calm , exhaling a little bit more of that stress and tension .
Speaker 1After that exhale , go ahead and let your breath ebb and flow at its own pace , no longer needing to control it , and just notice what it feels like to be here in this present moment , after taking a few minutes to breathe and bringing your attention inside . Does it feel a little calmer ? Do you feel a little more peaceful , a little more grounded ? Of course , you can stay here as long as you'd like . If you're ready to start coming back , you can begin by fluttering your eyes open with a gentle gaze , maybe finishing with one hand on your heart center and one last deep breath in and long , slow exhale . I'm so glad you joined me here today . Until next time , friend , I hope you'll continue to take some time today and every day to do something kind for yourself .