For People Who Can't Relax...

If your body won’t relax… your mind won’t either.

This quick, guided meditation (originally released Feb 2015) uses a simple tension-and-release technique to reset your nervous system and drop you into a calmer state, fast. 

Ideal for anxiety, restlessness, or those days when nothing seems to help.

For more calming resources, free guides, and private sessions, visit ChelHamilton.com

Transcript

Who This Mini Helps

Chel Hamilton 0:00

This week's meditation mini is really great when we're feeling uh extra tense or for those of us who have more difficulty than others getting into a meditative state and relaxing, maybe because you're at a heightened state of anxiety all of the time. This is great for that or for those just off days.

Intro 0:22

This is the Meditation Minis podcast with your host, hypnotist Chel Hamilton.

First Full-Body Tense And Release

Second Round And Noticing Sensations

Third Round Then Carry It Forward

Re-Energise And Close

Chel Hamilton 0:27

Here's what I'd like you to do. Go ahead and close your eyes, take a couple of deep breaths, and I'm gonna walk you through the process and then we're gonna do it together. And this process helps reset your muscles at a more relaxed state physically. Just like when you pull a rubber band and you tense it up and then you release it, it releases back to a more relaxed state as well. And that's what we're gonna do with the muscles of our body. If the muscles around your chest are really, really tense and tight, then it's difficult to get nice deep breaths. If your shoulders are really tight and they're they're kind of halfway up to your ears, then it's really difficult to get more relaxed because your physiology in your body says we're not relaxed, that would be a lie. Don't lie to us. Let's get that body to be more physically relaxed so that the mind can be stronger in staying in that state today. Now your eyes are already closed, and I'm gonna walk you through, don't do it yet. What we're gonna do is this you're gonna make all of the muscles of your body really, really tight as you hold the breath. So we'll take a deep breath in, don't do it yet. We'll take a deep breath in, and then you're gonna make fists of your hands, you're gonna tighten up your glutes, you're gonna tighten your toes, your jaw, if you can tighten your ears. If you're one of those people who can move their ears, do that as well. Make sure that you tighten up your your tongue and your eyes and your shoulders and your stomach. And then I'm gonna count from five to zero. And you're gonna hold the breath for those counts, and you're gonna make the muscles tighter and tighter so that when we get down to one, your whole body is as tight as it possibly can be. And then at zero, you're gonna let the breath go with a big ah and let all of the muscles go as well. And then we're gonna take a couple of breaths, just relaxed breaths from there, and then we're gonna do it again. We're gonna do it three times. You can go ahead now, take that first deep breath in and hold it at the top. Make all the muscles of your body very, very tight now at five, four, tighter and tighter. Three, two, one. So very tight now, and zero. Let it go. Let the breath go. Let the muscles go. That's right. And just take a couple of gentle breaths. Notice that relaxation already beginning to spread through the muscles of the body. And you may notice it as a tingling or a lightness, a heaviness or a warmth, maybe a sort of melty feeling or a pulse, and that's fine. There's no right or wrong. Just go with however you experience it for you. Now get ready to take that next deep breath in and hold it and make the muscles tight. And go ahead now. Take that next deep breath in, hold it all the way at the top and make the muscles of your entire body so very tight now at five, four, three, tighter and tighter, two, one, so very tight now, and zero. Let it go. Let the breath go. Let the body go. Relax into that flow. Now, some of you probably feel so relaxed that you really don't want to have to tense your body again. And if that's true for you, I completely understand. So you can choose what feels right for you. Although maybe there are a few muscles that you didn't quite get as good as you could get them this time. But again, you choose for you. While we take that third and last breath in now, all the way in, holding it at the top and making the muscles so tight now at five, four, three, two, tighter and tighter, one, zero. Let it go. Yes. Let it go into that flow. Just breathe. You might even imagine your body just melting or floating away. Now, anytime throughout the day, you can make your body tense again and count in your mind and let it all go, or you can just remember how it feels to feel in this moment. Right here. Right now. And see yourself throughout the day just taking a breath and tapping into this feeling. Right here. Right now. When you open your eyes, you're gonna have all the energy you need to go on about your day, but you're gonna do it in a more relaxed kind of way. And you may, you may notice a little swagger in your step. And that's okay. Wiggle some fingers and toes. That's it for this episode of the Meditation Mini podcast. Have a fantastic week.