A 10-Minute Meditation for Deep Relaxation and Ease

When we allow our mind to float freely, says Jenée Johnson, our body releases stress and tension, so that we can truly restore ourselves.

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Stress, trauma, and tension can hamper our ability to rest and relax. Relaxation is a practice, like any other. Try daily relaxation drills—take 20 minutes once or twice daily to deeply relax.

A 10-Minute Meditation for Deep Relaxation and Ease

A Guided Meditation for Deep Relaxation

  • 11:04
  1. Start by sitting upright and comfortably, dropping your gaze. Don’t force yourself to relax, but simply sit quietly and allow your mind to float freely until it settles down.
  2. When we simply sit and breathe, we activate the body’s calming response. It allows the brain to display the calm, smooth, harmonious waves called alpha brain waves—like the waves of the ocean, coming in to the shore and rolling back out. Coming in and going out. Breathing in and breathing out. Relax.
  3. Drop your shoulders, relax the jaw, and unfurl your brow. Allow your mind to float freely until it settles down. Let thoughts come and go as they please.
  4. Bring your attention back gently to your breath. Don’t exert yourself trying to block thoughts. Just remain passive and remind your body that we’re sitting now, we’re breathing now, we’re relaxing now. Sit quietly, stay with your breath. Like the waves of the ocean, breathing in, breathing out. Let thoughts fade into the background. Relax. To be still, to be quiet, to be at ease. This is the gift of relaxation.

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