5 Guided Meditation Scripts For Stress (Free)
In a modern world filled with constant streams of information, excessive demands placed on our attention, and the need to always feel switched ‘on’ and plugged in, it is easy to see how stress management has gotten out of control and our relaxation response simply no longer exists…
And while we know how beneficial meditation practice can be for our minds, oftentimes we sit there, eyes closed, trying to focus on our breath… but our mind just fills quickly and we don’t know what it is we are supposed to actually focus on…
Enter… guided meditation scripts!! More specifically… guided meditation scripts for stress, relaxation, and calming our minds.
While I had been told over and over about the benefits of meditation, especially for stress and anxiety, I have to admit, I resisted… a lot.
As far as I was concerned, my mind was far too busy and the few times I had tried to create some kind of meditation practice, I spent more time stressing about how much I wasn’t meditating properly than I did actually focusing…
And then I heard a different perspective on meditation and my mindset shifted completely.
You see, I had always thought meditation was about quietening my mind, creating a mind that was absent of thought… then I learnt it was about focused thought, and with that, my obsession with meditation was born.
Benefits Of Meditation
Meditation is a great tool for calming the nervous system (which is often overstimulated) and has so many positive effects on both physical health and mental well being.
Some of these benefits include (but are certainly not limited to):
- reduced stress and anxiety
- lower heart rate and blood pressure (better overall cardiovascular health)
- helps with deep and restful sleep
- greater self awareness and clarity of thought
- better mind body connection – has been linked to earlier detection of disease and illness
- improved concentration
- better decision making
- enhanced creativity
- and so, so much more.
Studies have also shown that meditation can be just as effective for treating depression, anxiety, and ADHD as medication.
How To Use Meditation Scripts
Using guided meditation scripts for stress is so simple – they provide you with the structure and focus your mind needs to get into a deeper state of relaxation.
To use one of these scripts, find a quiet and comfortable place where you know you won’t be disturbed (remember to switch your phone off or on silent, and take your smart watch off), wear something comfortable, light an optional candle or two (or three), and then find a comfortable position to sit in (that you can stay in for 10-20 minutes)
Once you have done that, it is time to begin your meditation.
Also, it is important to remember that meditation does not need to be perfect in order for it to be effective. You do not need to have a special skill or talent to meditate.
The only requirement is a willingness to simply be with yourself and to allow yourself to relax.
Meditation is not about trying to clear your mind, but rather about becoming aware of your thoughts and feelings, and then releasing them.
Note: This guided meditation script is for personal use only.
Meditation Script For Stress (General Stress)
Find a quiet place where you can sit or lie down comfortably.
Close your eyes, and take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Allow yourself to sink into a state of deep relaxation, and let go of any tension or stress in your body.
Begin by focusing on your breath.
Take slow, deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.
As you breathe, imagine any stress or tension leaving your body with each exhale.
Repeat to yourself, “I release this stress and let it go.”
Now, imagine a bright light in front of you. This light represents peace and calmness.
See yourself walking towards the light, feeling more and more relaxed with each step.
When you reach the light, imagine yourself completely immersed in it, feeling a sense of peace and calmness wash over you.
Repeat to yourself, “I am at peace. I am calm.”
Stay in this state of peace and calmness for as long as you like.
When you are ready to come out of meditation, take a deep breath in and slowly open your eyes.
Take a deep breath in, and exhale slowly.
Stretch your arms and legs, and take a moment to observe your thoughts and feelings. When you feel ready, slowly get up and return to your day, carrying the sense of peace and calmness with you.
Body Scan Mediation Script (Identify Stress)
Find a quiet place where you can sit or lie down comfortably.
Close your eyes, and take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Allow yourself to sink into a state of deep relaxation, and let go of any tension or stress in your body.
Begin by focusing on your breath. Take slow, deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.
As you breathe, imagine any stress or tension leaving your body, melting away with each exhale.
Repeat to yourself, “I release this stress and let it go.”
Now, bring your focus and attention on the soles of your feet. Take a few deep breaths, and imagine your breath reaching all the way to the soles of your feet.
Notice if you can feel any sensation or tension there. If you do, imagine breathing in peace and calmness, and breathing out any stress or tension.
Repeat to yourself, “I release this stress and let it go.”
Slowly move your attention up your body, focusing on each body part in turn.
Spend a few breaths focusing on your ankles and calf muscles, your knees, your thighs, how do they feel? Is there tension in your lower legs but not your upper legs (or reversed)?
If you find any areas of tension or discomfort, imagine breathing in peace and calmness, and breathing out any stress or tension.
Repeat to yourself, “I release this stress and let it go.”
Move your focus to your pelvic area and lower back, do you notice any muscle tension, are you holding your muscles tight?
With your next exhale, feel your muscles relax more and allow any tension to melt away.
Repeat to yourself, “I release this stress and let it go.”
As you move your focus towards your abdomen, chest, and upper back, pay attention breathing, where does your breath go? Are you inhaling deeply into your belly? What is the length of your exhale? Are you breathing shallow and quickly, or do you have a deep and mindful breath?
Notice any tension you are holding in these areas, are there any different sensations you notice? Does a particular area feel tight?
As you inhale, visualize your healing breath reaching these areas of tension, and as you exhale, imagine that tension melting away.
Repeat to yourself, “I release this stress and let it go.”
Next pay attention to your arms and your hands. Are you holding tension in your upper arms, do your lower arms feel tight? Are there any different sensations in these areas?
As you take a deep breath, imagine your breathe reaching this tension and removing it, and as you breathe out, visualize the tension leaving your body.
Moving towards your neck, and your head, pay attention to how your muscles feel, how your mind feels, and if you notice any pain or tension.
Are you clenching your jaw? Are you frowning? How does the top of your head feel? And the back of your head? Is your face relaxed?
As you breathe in, imagine your head and neck are filled with a healing white light. That light shines brighter and brighter as it removes all stress and tension from your muscles and from your mind.
As you exhale, imagine the light leaves your body and takes with it any stress or tension you have, and you are left feeling totally relaxed and at peace.
Repeat to yourself, “I release this stress and let it go.”
Stay in this moment and take a few deep breaths, allow yourself to sink into a state of deep relaxation and peace. Stay in this state of peace and calmness for as long as you like.
When you are ready, take a deep breath in and slowly open your eyes.
Stretch your arms and legs, and take a moment to observe your thoughts and feelings.
When you feel ready, slowly get up and return to your day, carrying the sense of peace and calmness with you.
Simple Meditation Script For Inner Calm
Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit or lie down. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in, hold it for a few seconds, and release slowly. Repeat this a few times, focusing on your breath.
As you continue to breathe deeply, imagine a warm and comforting light surrounding you. This light is a symbol of peace, love, and calm. Allow yourself to sink into this light and feel its warmth and comfort permeating every part of your being.
Now, bring your attention to your heart. As you breathe deeply, imagine a beautiful, soothing flower blooming in your heart. Allow this flower to grow and spread its petals, filling your entire body with a sense of peace and calm.
If any thoughts or worries arise, simply acknowledge them, but do not dwell on them. Instead, imagine placing them on a leaf and watch as they float away, carried by the gentle breeze.
Continue to focus on your breath and the warm, comforting light surrounding you. Allow yourself to sink deeper into a state of peace and calm.
When you are ready, take one more deep breath in and release it slowly. Open your eyes, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Meditation Script For Moving Past A Bad Moment
Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit or lie down. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in, hold it for a few seconds, and release slowly. Repeat this a few times, focusing on your breath.
As you continue to breathe deeply, imagine a warm and comforting light surrounding you. This light is a symbol of peace, love, and calm. Allow yourself to sink into this light and feel its warmth and comfort permeating every part of your being.
Now, bring your attention to the present moment and the situation that has caused you distress. Acknowledge your feelings and emotions, and let yourself feel them fully, without judgment.
As you continue to breathe deeply, imagine a river flowing beside you. This river represents the flow of time, and it is constantly moving forward, taking everything with it, including your worries and troubles.
As you watch the river flow, imagine placing your worries and troubles into a leaf and releasing them into the river. Watch as they float away, carried by the gentle current.
Continuing to focus on your breath and the warm, comforting light surrounding you, imagine standing next to the river, simply watching it flow. With each breath you feel more calm and at peace.
When you are ready, take one more deep breath in and release it slowly. Open your eyes, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to face the next moment with a calm and peaceful mind.
Quick Meditation Script For Releasing Tension
Take a few moments now to close your eyes and consciously release any unwanted physical tensions present in your body.
Start by settling into a comfortable position – this could be lying down, seated in a chair, or with legs crossed on the ground.
Let go of any judgment about what “good” posture looks like and simply relax into your body as it is right now.
Now begin to visualize yourself in an open field, surrounded by the beauty of nature. Gently focus on each sensation that you can feel around you; the breeze against your skin, the warmth of the sun on your face.
Allow yourself to bask in this peacefulness, completely letting go of any worries or stress.
Next, bring your attention inward and start to notice what is going on inside of you. Take note of any tightness or tension you may be feeling – it is normal for these feelings to come up when we are feeling stressed out or overwhelmed.
Visualize taking some deep breaths into those areas… allowing yourself to feel whatever sensations there are without needing them to be different than they are in this moment.
As you continue breathing deeply, imagine releasing all of the unwanted tension from your body with every exhale – like these feelings disappearing into thin air and settling back onto the ground beneath you as if they never existed before.
Now, imagine a bright white healing light entering through the top of your head down through each part of your body and finally out from underneath your feet – as that light travels through your body, it replaces any tension with feelings of lightness & peace….
Allow yourself several minutes for relaxation here… Enjoying nothing but pure stillness before gently opening eyes again and returning back into regular conscious awareness.
Helpful Meditation Tips
Taking a few extra moments before and after you meditate to prepare and reflect can help you get the most out of your meditation session.
Before You Meditate
- find a place where you won’t be disturbed for the duration of the exercise. This may be a special place you only use for meditation with comfortable seat or comfortable chair, or simply anywhere you can be in a comfortable position.
- You can choose to be in a seated position, or lay down, just make sure you lay down in a comfortable posture and reduce the need to adjust yourself throughout the meditation.
- Ensure your phone is off and you remove any smart devices, like your watch, that could distract you.
- Take a few moments to set your intention for the meditation. What is it you want to achieve? What do you want to focus on? How do you want to feel after your mediation?
- Before starting your meditation, take a couple of deep breaths and allow your body to relax and your breathing to steady.
Coming Out Of Meditation
- As you come out of your meditation session, resist the urge to get up and quickly get on with the rest of your day. Take a few moments to reflect on your meditation… did anything come up that surprised you? How do you feel?
- If you enjoy journaling, this is a good time to do so, and can help you get more out of your meditation session.
- Finally, take a few moments to slowly come back into your body before transitioning to the next activity. You can do this by wriggling your toes and fingers first, then start moving your feet and hands, then your legs and arms, and come back to your physical body.
Final Thoughts
Meditation is a powerful practice that can help reduce stress, increase your clarity of thought, and help you to connect more deeply with yourself.
By taking time out each day to give yourself the gift of meditation, you are investing in your own wellbeing. Enjoy the journey!
Remember that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to do it – know that if you simply allow yourself the time to practice and explore, amazing things will start to happen.
Happy meditating!
