Guided Relaxation for Work or Home

Take fifteen minutes or less to unwind at work with these simple relaxation exercises that you can easily download on MP3, or listen to on your computer.

Placing attention in your body even for a short time enables you to relax and let go. When you return to work, you will find that your thinking is much clearer. You will be able to focus with less effort.

The relaxation exercises are simple and easy to do. They require very little space. You can do them sitting in your office chair. The focus is on being aware of the movements of the exercises, and the flow of the breath. In this short time you may feel the natural rhythm of your body as you let go, and reconnect with yourself.

Read the Preparation and Posture Guide before you begin.

Make sure you are seated comfortably with your feet flat on the floor, and your hands resting in your lap.  Keep your back straight throughout the relaxation time.  We’ll do each exercise five times, slowly and with focus. 

Start with your head in a neutral position.  Take in a long slow breath and as you exhale let your chin drop slowly toward your chest, as you inhale extend your chin gently toward the ceiling…and as you exhale drop your chin again to your chest, as you inhale breathe in slowly and steadily and extend your chin upwards…breathe out slowly and steadily and drop your chin to your chest…breathe in and slowly extend your chin upwards, breathe out slowly and bring your chin down to your chest,  breathe in and bring your chin upwards toward the ceiling…and breathing in bring your head back into the neutral position… with your eyes closed just be aware of any sensations in your head and neck.

Now take in a deep breath and as you slowly exhale turn your chin toward one shoulder for the full length of your exhalation…as you inhale slowly bring your head back to the centre, and as you exhale slowly turn your head toward the opposite shoulder for the full length of your exhalation…again move your head as you inhale back to the centre and then slowly exhaling turn your head horizontally toward the other shoulder…inhaling slowly again bring your head back to the centre, come back to the neutral position. 

Close your eyes and just be aware of any sensations in you neck, shoulders and throat.   Whatever you notice, let it be just as it is.

Now take in a deep breath, and as you breathe out, drop your head down to one shoulder, breathing in slowly bring your head back to the centre and then as you breathe out drop your head to the other shoulder…breathe in again slowly coming back to centre and breathing out let your head slowly fall toward the other shoulder…breathing in let your head be loose as it comes back to centre and breathing out slowly drop your head to your other shoulder.  Each movement is done without pushing or straining, as you breathe in again coming back to centre and breathing out again your head moves slowly as if to touch the other shoulder. And letting it be easy and effortless…coming back to neutral.

Close your eyes and just again be aware of any sensations in your neck and shoulders.  Whatever you notice, let it be just as it is.

To loosen and relax your shoulders, inhale slowly, and bring your shoulders up to your ears for the full length of the inhalation, and as you slowly exhale press your shoulders down toward your feet…breathing in slowly bring your shoulders up as though to touch your ears with the full length of the inhalation, and as you slowly exhale press your shoulders down toward your feet…breathing in slowly and consciously aware of the movements, shrug your shoulders up to touch your ears as you fully inhale, now slowly breathing out let your shoulders down.  

Rest your shoulders now, close your eyes, breathe normally and be aware of any sensations in the parts of your body that you have just relaxed…be with any sensations no matter what they are.

Now lightly place your fingertips onto your shoulders, and with your arms bent breathe in slowly and making a circle clockwise, as your elbows move downwards slowly breathe out…keep on slowly circling clockwise and breathing deeply three more times…1,2,3, and now still with your arms bent and fingertips on your shoulders breathe in slowly and circle in anticlockwise direction, as your elbows come down slowly breathe out…do this three more times…1,2,3.  Rest now and just be aware of what is happening in your arms and shoulders…be conscious of any sensations and just let them be there.

Holding your head in the neutral position and doing a very gentle relaxation for your eyes, look up to the right, down to the left, up to the left, down to the right, up to the right, down to the left, up to the left, down to the right, up to the right, down to the left, up to the left, and down to the right… and gently blink.

Rub your palms together briskly to make them warm and then place them over your eyes…breathe freely and easily…feel the warmth of your palms relaxing your eyes…rub your palms together again until they are warm and place them over your eyes, allow the soothing warmth from your hands to soften your eyes and face and head, and once more rubbing your palms together briskly and then placing them gently over your closed eyes, breathing freely and easily as your head sinks into your hands.

Place your hands back into your lap and still with your eyes closed just be there with any sensations in your body, breathe normally and move your awareness into the top of your head, down through your face, neck, your shoulders, upper arms, forearms, hands, fingers, upper back, your chest, middle back, abdomen, lower back, staying focused as you move your awareness through your body, pelvis, buttocks, thighs, calves, feet and toes, and take a deep and clearing breath breathing the breath all the way up the back of your body to the top of your head and as you breathe out, let the breath travel down the front of your body to your toes.  Gently in your own time open your eyes.  Go about your day knowing that as you relax your body in simple and aware ways, your mind will also relax.  Whatever you have to do throughout the day, you will be remain focused and clear, energized and fulfilled.