Release tension through guided imagery of floating and deflating balloons to return to your natural ease.

English

Feel the weight of stress and pressure melt away as you use the power of your imagination release feelings of overwhelm, pressure, tension or anxiety. This meditation uses metaphor to help you let go of pressure you've built up on the inside, and foster a peaceful, calm inner state. With every breath, you will feel the tension releasing, making way for a renewed sense of calmness and clarity.

Stress & Pressure Release

 This is Linda Lang from ThoughtChange. Today I'm going to guide you through a short exercise in your imagination to help you relax and to just let go of any cares you may have in the moment. Just put yourself in a nice comfortable position and take a nice deep breath, just being really present in the body and really present with your breath. And you'll probably notice that you're starting to relax a little bit. Just imagine that you are floating, that you've become as light as a feather. You might find yourself floating like a cloud in the sky, or you might feel like a leaf that's being carried by the gentle breeze of the wind, or you might like to soar like a bird high up in the sky. And as you really bring your awareness to the thoughts and feelings and sensations of floating, you'll realize that you're becoming more and more relaxed. Just breathe deeply and feel the sensations of lightness and expansiveness and ease, allowing yourself to relax even more, feeling a sense of ease and peace as you float, feeling calm and relaxed. And I'd like you to begin to think about balloons, imagining that you're surrounded by balloons and allow the image of a particular balloon to form clearly in your mind, and imagine it's being blown up to its maximum capacity. Imagine how that balloon feels, being so full, feeling tense, all the pressure built up inside, perhaps feeling a bit distended. And I want you to just hold that thought for a moment, and now just imagine letting go, deflating the balloon and releasing all of the air that's trapped inside. Sense the sensations as all of that pressure is let go, a quick whoosh as you release, leaving that balloon empty and relaxed and back in its natural state, its natural form. And as that balloon returns to its original form, it's time for you, too, to return to your natural form. And as you come back, bring with you any sensations or thoughts from this experience, having known you have released the pressure and the tension that was built up inside of you, and now you are free. Become more aware of your body, more aware of your surroundings, and as you tune into my voice, open your eyes wide awake and fully present.