Nicky Hayes 2010
Relaxation script – guided on the breath
Lying down, take savasana (or semi supine or lie on your side), feet slightly apart, arms comfortable, feel your back melting into the ground and all the tension leaving you.
Take a few moments to make sure your body is correctly aligned, and then try to be as relaxed as you can, Just LET GO.
Now, become more and more grounded…. Spend a few moments here…. Feel where you are touching the floor,..and consciously allow the weight of your body to sink downward more into the floor.
Become rooted,… gently planted…. Do not strain…. Be effortless…. Do less and less. Feel yourself being supported by the floor.
Let go of every sense of holding…, every subtle tension…, every tightness and contraction.
Now, move your awareness around and through your body. Be very sensitive to where you hold muscular tensions….. Notice where your muscles are unnecessarily contracted, and practice letting them go…. Deliberately relax. Consciously relax…. Your body is very heavy, at ease and warm. ……
Now that you have relaxed the body commit to remaining perfectly still. . Be still …. And in the midst of this stillness, be aware of the natural movement of life happening within you.
Observe the breath. Now observe your body breathing all by itself. Your breath has already become fully automatic ..you are the observer, the onlooker . We breathe over 21 thousand times a day how many of these breaths are we concious of.
You may wish to bring your attention to your abdomen ….. feel how it swells out with each in breath and sinks in again when you breathe out …. There will always be some movement of the abdomen caused by the movement of air …. Be aware of that movement and notice how it is constantly changing. Sometimes the abdomen rises higher and more obvious; sometimes the movement is barely noticeable. …. Be aware of your breathing body.
Bring your awareness in your nostrils where you can feel the air coming in and going out….., and for the next few minutes simply be aware of your breathing. Feel the breath flowing in and out through your nostrils…. There will always be some sensation in the nostrils caused by the movement of air…. Be aware of these sensations and notice how they are constantly changing…. Sometimes they are stronger and more obvious, sometimes they are barely noticeable …. Be aware of your breathing body, savor the "taste" or fragrance of the air…. Also notice that the air may be flowing more freely in one nostril than the other... Feel if this is so.
As you do this., be aware of the tendency to control the breath as you watch it…, and instead allow it to flow in and out without obstruction …., without your control ….just breathe normally……Be an impartial observer of the breath ride the breath in and ride the breath out…. Feel it loop around gently at the end of each inhalation and exhalation.
Think of the breath like a wave that flows through the whole body. Feel the obvious movements, and look for the less obvious. … the inhaling and exhaling is like the waves … You may notice a wavelike ripple somewhere in your body... Feel everywhere... The inhaling and exhaling are gently rocking you … Immerse yourself in the ceaseless flow. The rocking continues in your mind … and as you rock .. You feel secure and contented.
As you inhale you are breathing in clean freash air and as you exhale you are breathing out stale old air. The breath is cleansing…
In silence for the next couple of minutes stay with the breath … immerse yourself fully in your breath…Tune in to the subtle differences in sensation between the inhalation and exhalation. What does it feel like to inhale? What does it feel like to exhale? How do you know which is happening? And where in your body do you actually feel the breathing taking place? Be especially on the look out from pleasurable sensations of warmth, expansion and notice how the movement of breath seems to fan and increase these sensations.
As you do this, feel the peace that is beginning to emerge, the peace of stillness and feel the joy inherent in that peace.
……………………
if the mind begins to wander…. You may have many, many thoughts. ….When you notice this happening ,… gently bring your attention back to the breath …. Mentally stop doing whatever you were doing, …..and ride the breath, again. ……….. Consciously come back to the breath: ….. Relax, be still, and watch the breath …
3 chimes of singing bowl
Bringing the awareness now back to this room. Leaving the breath and letting go of the practice. Wriggle in the fingers and toes….etc
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