Body Armor Release
Materials Needed
Feeling
Threatened
How to Do It
Stand or sit and scan your body for areas that feel tense or 'armored' in response to feeling threatened. Focus on these areas and consciously relax them while taking slow, deep breaths. Imagine any tightness melting away.
Why It Works
This exercise helps release the physical 'armor' your body creates when you feel threatened, which can ease both physical and emotional tension, promoting a sense of relaxation and safety.
Guided Practice
Find a comfortable standing or seated position, feeling your body supported by the ground or chair beneath you. Close your eyes and take a moment to notice any areas of tension or tightness in your body. Feel the sensation of your skin against your clothes, the way your muscles hold or release. Allow yourself to become aware of these sensations, just noticing without needing to change anything.
Invite a sense of stillness as you continue to sit, letting each breath deepen your focus, relaxing your body and quieting your mind. Bring your attention to any areas of your body where you might be holding tension, imagining that this tension is like a suit of armor, protecting you but also weighing you down. As you inhale, visualize this armor becoming heavier and tighter, feeling the constriction in your muscles.
On your exhale, imagine releasing this armor, feeling it loosen and fall away from your body. Continue this visualization with each breath, inhaling and feeling the weight and tightness of the armor, exhaling and feeling it fall away piece by piece. Notice the sensations in your body as you release this tension — perhaps a softening in your shoulders, a relaxation in your jaw, or a gentle release in your back. Stay with these sensations, allowing the visualization to deepen your connection to your body’s need for relaxation and release.
Imagine that as you release each piece of armor, you are also releasing old patterns, beliefs, or emotions that no longer serve you. Feel the freedom that comes with each release, the lightness and ease that takes its place. Notice if any feelings, thoughts, or images arise — perhaps a sense of relief, a feeling of freedom, or a memory of being unburdened. Allow these experiences to deepen your practice, connecting you more fully to your own capacity for letting go.
When you feel ready, take a few more deep breaths, feeling your body completely free of armor and tension. Notice how your body feels now — perhaps lighter, more relaxed, or simply more at peace. Gently bring your awareness back to the room, feeling the ground beneath you and the air around you. When you're ready, gently open your eyes, carrying this sense of release and freedom with you into your day, feeling more empowered and unencumbered by old tensions.