Returning to Practice: Tense & Release
A guided practice for releasing held tension
This practice uses a simple tense and release technique often explored at the end of a Yoga class as we settle into the restful space of savasana. Over time, I found myself returning to it beyond the mat, in moments of overwhelm, tiredness, busy thinking, or simply when I noticed I had become disconnected from my body.
So often, we carry tension without realising it. The shoulders tighten. The jaw clenches. The stomach hardens. We move through the day holding far more than we are aware of.
This guided practice offers a gentle way to notice what the body may already be trying to communicate.
Through conscious breathing, progressive tension and release, and quiet reflection, you are invited to soften, listen, and reconnect with yourself, not through effort, through awareness.
You may wish to return to this practice regularly, perhaps even daily for 21 days, simply noticing what changes. Sometimes awareness begins quietly and we notice a familiar tension sooner, or we soften more quickly and we begin responding to ourselves with greater care.
Included in this practice:
a 14-minute guided audio relaxation
conscious breathing
tense and release body relaxation
reflective journaling prompts
If you wish to explore this more directly, you may do so through embodied practice or conversation.
Details are available via the website.
