Tense and let go

Tense and let go. This practice goes through the body in parts. For each part, you tighten the muscles for a few seconds, then let them go all at once, and notice the difference. Over time, this teaches the body what relaxed actually feels like, so you can find it more easily when you need it. A few things before we begin. The tensing is gentle, about half of your full strength. There is no need to strain. Keep breathing throughout. Do not hold your breath while you tense. And if any part of your body hurts, is injured, or has been operated on, skip that part. Rest and breathe while I count, and join back in at the next one.

Lie down if you can, or sit back in a chair with your head supported. Let your eyes close or soften. Take two slow breaths.

We will start with the hands. Make both hands into fists. Squeeze gently. Feel the tightness in the fingers and the palms. Hold it. Three, two, one. And let go. Let the fingers fall open.

Notice the difference between how the hands felt a moment ago and how they feel now. Maybe warm, maybe tingling, maybe heavy.

Now the arms. Bend the elbows and bring the fists up towards the shoulders, tightening the upper arms. Hold. Three, two, one. And let the arms drop back down, loose.

Feel the arms resting. Heavy and still.

The shoulders. Lift them up towards the ears, as if you are shrugging. Hold the shrug. Three, two, one. And drop them. Let them fall further than they normally sit.

Notice the space between the shoulders and the ears.

Now the face. Raise your eyebrows as high as they will go, wrinkling the forehead. Hold. Three, two, one. And smooth it out.

Squeeze the eyes shut and scrunch up the nose. Hold. Three, two, one. And release. Let the eyes rest closed, soft.

The jaw. Press the teeth together lightly and pull the corners of the mouth back. Hold. Three, two, one. And let the jaw hang loose. Let the lips part slightly. Many people carry a lot of tightness here without knowing it.

The neck. Very gently, press the back of your head into the pillow or the chair. Only a little pressure. Hold. Three, two, one. And let it go. Let the head be heavy.

Now the chest. Take a fuller breath in and hold it for a moment, feeling the chest expand. Two, three. And breathe out slowly, letting the chest sink.

The upper back. Pull the shoulder blades together behind you, as if you are trying to hold a pencil between them. Hold. Three, two, one. And release. Let the back spread out against the surface beneath you.

The stomach. Tighten the belly muscles, as if someone is about to press on them. Keep breathing. Hold. Three, two, one. And soften. Let the belly be round and loose.

The hips. Squeeze the buttocks together. Hold. Three, two, one. And release.

The thighs. Press the knees down, or straighten the legs, so the front of the thighs tighten. Hold. Three, two, one. And let them go.

The calves. Gently with these, because calves can cramp. Point the toes away from you, only a little. Hold. Three, two, one. And relax.

And the feet. Curl the toes under, as if gripping the floor. Hold. Three, two, one. And let them spread.

Now the whole body is lying loose. Let's check through it once, without tensing anything this time. Only noticing.

The hands and arms.

The shoulders and neck.

The face. Forehead, eyes, jaw.

The chest and back.

The belly.

The hips, thighs, calves and feet.

If any part is still holding on, you can go back and tense and release it once more, by yourself. Or breathe into it and let it be.

Rest here for a while. There is nowhere else to be for the next minute or two.

Breathe slowly.

Notice the whole body, from the top of the head to the soles of the feet. Heavy, warm, resting.

When you are ready to finish, wriggle the fingers and toes. Take a deeper breath. Stretch, if you want to.

Open your eyes. Take a moment before you get up, and move slowly for the first few steps.