The King's Award for Voluntary Service 2024

The links on this page will take you to a number of recordings of different relaxation sessions.

You can choose a topic that strikes a chord with you. Then you can choose either to play your own music while listening to the spoken relaxation technique, or to choose the version where music has already been added in the background.

Note: there is only one version of ‘Woodland Walk’ and it has background music.

Raindrops and Puddles – A refreshing way to clear your mind and wash it clean
Take a walk in the warm rain. Find some puddles to splash around in and stamp away the stress of the day.  Once you have danced and played in the puddles, look up and allow the rain to wash over your face, cleansing your mind and body before the sun comes out to dry you.

With Music
Without Music

Reflections – You visually don’t change with stress, your mind does, so get rid of it!
Take a walk to the water's edge and peer at your reflection.  Throw pebbles into the water noticing the water's response and how it calms again.  Your reflection doesn’t change, the pebble/stress changes it. Get rid of it by throwing it as far as possible or dropping it into the water. Then sit back and relax.
With Music
Without Music

Woodland Walk – for a clear calm mind

Take a walk on a sunny day into the woods to see what you will find. All the flora and fauna your imagination can come up with and a fork in the path takes you to a gentle stream where the water can wash your mind clear.

With Music

Beach Sunset – for an escape from reality
A trip to the beach in the early evening lets you feel warm sand beneath your toes and if you decide to take a dip, the gentle tide can wash over your feet and clean your soul/soles! Then sit back and relax as the sun starts to set and watch as the sky glows orange and the sun sinks into the sea.
With Music
Without Music

Up in smoke – For the feeling of warmth and security
A soft glow behind a door encourages you to explore what is at the end of a dark corridor. Its hiding a beautiful front room with a warm open fire in a lovely fireplace with your favourite comfy chair ready for you to curl up in. Stoke the fire before sitting back to relax and let all your worries, fears and concerns go up the chimney along with the smoke.
With Music
Without Music

Let’s go fly a kite - A treat for the mind and memory
Take a trip down memory lane and step back into your younger shoes of childhood as you take a kite to a nearby field with a hill. Watch as the wind takes it up and up. When the wind drops and the kite flying stops the hill is very inviting. Will you roll down it and get covered in grass? It’s your choice and your imagination.
With Music
Without Music

Just breathe – For help with focus and calm
A gentle reminder to stop, focus and reboot once in a while. This simply takes you through breathing slowly and gently allowing you to focus on nothing else but your breath and body. It can often be practised if struggling to get to sleep.
With Music
Without Music

Up, Up and Away – For getting rid of all the baggage in your mind you don’t need.
The adventurer in you knows there is a hot air balloon in a nearby field and decides to investigate. The bag you carry on your back (like every well organised adventurer has) is really heavy. When you find the balloon the basket holds something. You offload some unwanted feelings, worries, problems that you can’t do anything about into the basket of the balloon and watch it fly up and away with the wind. Then you absorb your surroundings with a clear mind.
With Music
Without Music

Stars and lights – For a feeling of total relaxation of the mind and body
Feed a light above your head as you work your way up your body relaxing each individual part. The more you relax, the more the light grows until its so heavy it bursts into thousands of lights and stars the illuminate your body. The longer you relax, the longer the lights stay bright. When it is time to wake up, the lights and stars fade.

With Music
Without Music