The Free Relaxation Guide
Music Playlist to accompany Relaxation Guide via Spotify
10 Breaths
Gently place your hands on an area of the body where an intense emotion is felt (chest, stomach, throat, etc.). *Optional.
Close your eyes or relax your gaze onto an object in front of you.
Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
With the first inhale, count “1”, exhale “2”, etc. to 10.
Repeat as many times as you need until you feel calm, relaxed, and refocused.
The RAIN Meditation
Adapted from Tara Brach PhD.
Use this exercise to develop self-compassion in moments of intense emotion. Usually, emotions are an unmet need that we can provide for ourselves if we take the time to tune into our body, followed by acts of self-love and kindness.
Begin seated comfortably and place your hands on an area of the body where the intense emotion is felt.
R: recognize what emotion or thought is in your awareness.
A: allow that emotion to be felt, without resistance and without judgment.
I: investigate: “what need underlies this emotion?” Safety? Connection? Acceptance? “What can I learn from this experience?” “What is in my control to change my situation for the better?”.
N: nurture with self-compassion: treat yourself like you would treat a friend. Offer yourself kind words, do activities that make you feel happy, make a list of things you are grateful for.
Link to the guided RAIN meditation
Leaves on Stream
This is a visualization practice to manage difficult thoughts or overwhelming, stressful thoughts. You may even want to try this visualization near an actual stream, river, or creek (being outside is great anyway!)
Picture yourself seated in a quiet, peaceful forest. You are looking down at a gently flowing stream.
As you sit, thoughts appear in your mind. Some are pleasant, some are unpleasant. Pay attention to the content of your thoughts without trying to control what comes up.
Are there some thoughts you could let go of?
Place these thoughts on a leaf and watch the leaf float on top of the water. The stream carries the leaf carrying the unhelpful thoughts down and out of view, out of mind.
No thought or emotion is permanent. They come and go naturally. Observe your thoughts, and decide to let go of what is not helpful for you to be present in your life. You cannot control which thoughts may pop into your mind, but you CAN decide which thoughts you will take action on. Let them be thoughts towards actions in alignment with what you value, and your desired goals in this lifetime.
