A shared practice
Alleviating Tension in Body & Mind
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Created bySean Fargo
Part 10 of Sean's sleep series — recorded in his own voice.
In Sean Fargo’s own voice8 min
Read along — the full script
I'm Sean Fargo. For many of us, it's hard to fall asleep because there's some areas of tension or tightness in the body or the head. The little things that we do every day add up, and tension can be stored in our bodies, in our shoulders, in our jaw, or the areas around our eyes.
This tightness and tension can be painful, uncomfortable, and even lead to a sense of aggression or aversion in our experience that doesn't make it very easy for us to fall asleep with. One mindfulness practice that I'd like you to try is softening those areas of tension, softening those areas of tightness and discomfort. So if it feels appropriate for you, I invite you to lay down on the bed or the floor with your feet outstretched and your hands by your sides and take a big deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Relaxing the belly, relaxing the shoulders, and softening the muscles of the face and the jaw. Feeling the weight of your body on the bed as you wish yourself well. I wish myself well. May I fall asleep with ease. Now starting with the feet, I invite you to scan through your body up towards your head, taking a survey of any tension or tightness in the body.
Just noticing any areas of discomfort or tightness. Moving up through the legs and the pelvic region, up through the belly and the lower back, up through the chest, your shoulders, and down your arms and your hands. Bringing a sense of kind awareness to your neck and your head.
Now, you may have noticed one or more areas of tightness. Now I invite you to go to the first one and invite a sense of softness around that area, a sense of ease around that area of tension or tightness, a sense of spaciousness and looseness. A warm feeling of soft spaciousness in this area of the body.
A deep sense of relaxation and ease in this area. Now gradually shift your awareness to the next area of tightness. And now bring a sense of soft relaxation to this area of the body. Feeling of warm relaxation. A sense of ease and spaciousness in this area of the body.
Bringing a sense of care to this area of the body. Bringing a wish of well-being for this body. Feeling a sense of safety. Feeling a sense of ease. Feeling a sense of care in the body.
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