# Introduction
Welcome to the Meditation Podcast. This is Jesse Stern with Episode 154, Breathing to Let Go.
As we journey through life, we pick up stresses, traumas, insults, and injuries. The painful or difficult memories from such events can remain in our spirits, minds, and even our bodies.
In today's meditation, we practice breathing to let go.
Remember that this podcast uses binaural beats, audio technology that affects the brain, so please use headphones and please do not use this podcast while driving or operating machinery. We are not licensed healthcare practitioners and we do not claim any specific health benefits from using this podcast. You are responsible for your own health. This podcast is made possible with great thanks to our subscribers on Patreon. Join our community at patreon.com/themeditationpodcast
Now, let's begin.
# Meditation
Begin in a comfortable position, either seated, standing, or lying down, and begin to turn your attention inward.
Allow your eyes to drift closed.
Observe your breath.
Observe the sensations that arise in your body with each inhale and with each exhale.
Feel the expansion in your belly, ribs, and chest as you inhale.
Hold it for a moment. Feel the physical pressure, the effort of holding your breath in.
And then let it go.
Take another deep breath in. Fill your belly, ribs and chest. And hold the breath for a moment.
And let it go.
One more time, deep breath in ...
And release
Continue breathing finding a long, slow and gentle inhale,
and with each exhale let your breath go let go of control Let go of effort.
Imagine a glowing ball of light deep inside your belly.
As you inhale, feel that ball of light expand, grow, and intensify throughout your body.
And as you exhale, allow it to circulate, to move, to drift.
focusing on your belly and this warm glowing light deep within.
Each time you inhale it expands, filling your entire body and maybe even beyond the surface of your skin.
And each time you exhale, simply allow it to swirl and circulate.
If it feels good to allow your body to rock or sway, feel free.
Continue breathing. Allow this ball of energy to expand beyond your skin.
Like a bubble of light that surrounds your entire body, your entire being, in every direction.
Within this ball of energy are many currents of energy as complex as the currents of the oceans.
With your next inhale, focus on energy flowing up your spine from your tailbone all the way up into your head.
And with the exhale, focus on the energy flowing down your spine, from your head all the way down to your tailbone.
Inhale, energy up your spine.
Exhale, energy down your spine.
Inhale, like you're lifting the energy up from your belly, through your chest, all the way up into your head.
And with the exhale, allow that energy to just sink back down like water or like honey.
Again, inhale: lift, float, rise.
And exhale: simply allow.
Continue in your own time. Inhaling. Lifting the energy high up. All the way up into your head.
And then allowing it to sink back down into your belly. Into your pelvis. into your hips.
With your next inhale, inhale the same way. Pull the energy up from your hips into your head, up your spine.
And with the exhale, allow the energy to sink all the way down your spine, through your tailbone, through your hips, down all the way to the soles of your feet.
Inhale. From the soles of your feet all the way up to the crown of your head.
And exhale, allow the energy to sink like viscous fluid, honey, all the way down into your feet.
And now, for a slightly more complex visualization. with your next inhale. Pull, push, lift the energy up into your head, up your spine.
With the exhale, sink into your feet.
Inhale, pull the energy into the palms of your hands.
And then exhale, Letting the energy flow up into your head.
Inhale to bring the energy into the soles of your feet.
Exhale the energy into the palms of your hands.
Cycle repeats two more times. Inhale into your head.
Exhale, feet.
Inhale, hands.
Exhale, head.
Inhale, feet.
Exhale, hands.
Place the palms of your hands on your body. Take a deep breath in. Hold it for as long as you can.
As you hold your breath, feel the pressure and effort.
And whenever you're ready, release the breath through your mouth.
One more time, deep breath in, as deep as you can. Hold it for as long as you can.
Whenever you're ready, release the breath and restore your breathing.
Breathing however you need to to restore yourself.
One final time: take a deep breath in, fill your belly, ribs, and chest. Hold it for as long as you can.
Whenever you're ready, release the breath.
Breathe naturally.
Recover from holding your breath.
Continue taking long, deep holds of your breath, and then releasing: three to five more times, or for as long as you like, and then return to a natural breath.
The next time you exhale, return to a natural breath or continue holding your breath after this meditation has come to a close.
And when you're ready to return movement to your body, start by rolling your ankles and wrists in gentle circles, perhaps rock your head from side to side.
and whenever you're ready, open your eyes.
Welcome to the Meditation Podcast. This is Jesse Stern with Episode 154, Breathing to Let Go.
As we journey through life, we pick up stresses, traumas, insults, and injuries. The painful or difficult memories from such events can remain in our spirits, minds, and even our bodies.
In today's meditation, we practice breathing to let go.
Remember that this podcast uses binaural beats, audio technology that affects the brain, so please use headphones and please do not use this podcast while driving or operating machinery. We are not licensed healthcare practitioners and we do not claim any specific health benefits from using this podcast. You are responsible for your own health. This podcast is made possible with great thanks to our subscribers on Patreon. Join our community at patreon.com/themeditationpodcast
Now, let's begin.
# Meditation
Begin in a comfortable position, either seated, standing, or lying down, and begin to turn your attention inward.
Allow your eyes to drift closed.
Observe your breath.
Observe the sensations that arise in your body with each inhale and with each exhale.
Feel the expansion in your belly, ribs, and chest as you inhale.
Hold it for a moment. Feel the physical pressure, the effort of holding your breath in.
And then let it go.
Take another deep breath in. Fill your belly, ribs and chest. And hold the breath for a moment.
And let it go.
One more time, deep breath in ...
And release
Continue breathing finding a long, slow and gentle inhale,
and with each exhale let your breath go let go of control Let go of effort.
Imagine a glowing ball of light deep inside your belly.
As you inhale, feel that ball of light expand, grow, and intensify throughout your body.
And as you exhale, allow it to circulate, to move, to drift.
focusing on your belly and this warm glowing light deep within.
Each time you inhale it expands, filling your entire body and maybe even beyond the surface of your skin.
And each time you exhale, simply allow it to swirl and circulate.
If it feels good to allow your body to rock or sway, feel free.
Continue breathing. Allow this ball of energy to expand beyond your skin.
Like a bubble of light that surrounds your entire body, your entire being, in every direction.
Within this ball of energy are many currents of energy as complex as the currents of the oceans.
With your next inhale, focus on energy flowing up your spine from your tailbone all the way up into your head.
And with the exhale, focus on the energy flowing down your spine, from your head all the way down to your tailbone.
Inhale, energy up your spine.
Exhale, energy down your spine.
Inhale, like you're lifting the energy up from your belly, through your chest, all the way up into your head.
And with the exhale, allow that energy to just sink back down like water or like honey.
Again, inhale: lift, float, rise.
And exhale: simply allow.
Continue in your own time. Inhaling. Lifting the energy high up. All the way up into your head.
And then allowing it to sink back down into your belly. Into your pelvis. into your hips.
With your next inhale, inhale the same way. Pull the energy up from your hips into your head, up your spine.
And with the exhale, allow the energy to sink all the way down your spine, through your tailbone, through your hips, down all the way to the soles of your feet.
Inhale. From the soles of your feet all the way up to the crown of your head.
And exhale, allow the energy to sink like viscous fluid, honey, all the way down into your feet.
And now, for a slightly more complex visualization. with your next inhale. Pull, push, lift the energy up into your head, up your spine.
With the exhale, sink into your feet.
Inhale, pull the energy into the palms of your hands.
And then exhale, Letting the energy flow up into your head.
Inhale to bring the energy into the soles of your feet.
Exhale the energy into the palms of your hands.
Cycle repeats two more times. Inhale into your head.
Exhale, feet.
Inhale, hands.
Exhale, head.
Inhale, feet.
Exhale, hands.
Place the palms of your hands on your body. Take a deep breath in. Hold it for as long as you can.
As you hold your breath, feel the pressure and effort.
And whenever you're ready, release the breath through your mouth.
One more time, deep breath in, as deep as you can. Hold it for as long as you can.
Whenever you're ready, release the breath and restore your breathing.
Breathing however you need to to restore yourself.
One final time: take a deep breath in, fill your belly, ribs, and chest. Hold it for as long as you can.
Whenever you're ready, release the breath.
Breathe naturally.
Recover from holding your breath.
Continue taking long, deep holds of your breath, and then releasing: three to five more times, or for as long as you like, and then return to a natural breath.
The next time you exhale, return to a natural breath or continue holding your breath after this meditation has come to a close.
And when you're ready to return movement to your body, start by rolling your ankles and wrists in gentle circles, perhaps rock your head from side to side.
and whenever you're ready, open your eyes.
