5-minute guided letting go practice for tight shoulders and neck — during the evening wind-down

About this practice

A 5-minute letting go session for tight shoulders and neck, during the evening wind-down. No app, no account — press start. A guided session of about 5 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: tight shoulders and neck

Shoulders rise towards the ears under sustained stress, and the muscles of the upper back shorten to hold that posture. The result is a stiff neck and a heavy upper back.

It tends to show up as:

• Shoulders up around the ears
• Stiff neck, especially after screens
• Headaches that start at the back of the head

Weight and gravity do the release. Noticing the contact points lets the shoulders stop holding themselves up.

Doing this in the evening

• Dim the lights first — bright light works against the point
• Put the phone in another room
• Keep it slow rather than interesting

Something too engaging will wake you up rather than wind you down.

How letting go works

Letting go is about loosening grip rather than dropping things. It works on the effort attached to a problem — the holding, rehearsing and bracing — which is separable from the problem itself.

• Pick one thing you are gripping and loosen a single finger
• Release the effort with the exhale, not the issue
• Set down temporarily; you can pick it up again after

What happens, minute by minute

1. 0:00Sit however you were already sitting. You don't have to straighten up first.
2. 0:13There's no need to try harder than this.
3. 0:24We're going to let the body lead and the mind follow for a while.
4. 0:38For the next few minutes, the only job is to notice what's already happening.
5. 0:52Notice the difference between the breath at the front of your nose and the breath in your chest.
6. 1:08Let the exhale fall out rather than pushing it.
7. 1:19Notice your heels making contact with the floor or the bed.
8. 1:31Notice your fingers, one by one, starting with the little finger.
9. 1:43Let your thumbs rest wherever they landed.
10. 1:53Let this one be unhurried.
11. 2:02I'll stop for a moment. Take the pause at your own speed.
12. 2:15We'll keep it quiet and unhurried.
13. 2:25Notice the difference between a thought and the space around it.
14. 2:37There is a part of you that has handled hard moments before. That part is here now, even if it is quiet.
15. 2:55Notice the space around the weight carried in the upper back. It is there, even if it is small. Put your attention in that space.
16. 3:14Feel the slight stretch at the very bottom of the exhale.
17. 3:26If the shoulders up around your ears has been with you all day, it is probably tired too. Let it rest alongside you.
18. 3:44If you're thinking about the next thing on your list, that list will still be there.
19. 3:59Quiet now. The next part will wait for you.
20. 4:10We'll take this slowly, and there's no version of this where you get it wrong.
21. 4:24Before you move, notice one thing that's fine right now.
22. 4:36Nothing changes for a moment.

Questions people ask

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.