Relax!

'Relax' a piece of advice very commonly given. It's always easier said than done. Consciously, subconsciously and unconsciously we are stressed about something or the other, some of the time or all of the time. Guided relaxation helps you to ease your mind and body, not just while you do it; but also for the hours that follow. Here is a guided breathing and muscle exercise to help you relax your mind and body...

Guided instructions to yourself before you start

• I am going to deeply relax all my body muscles
• This is because I 'want' not because I 'have' to
• This not an exercise, it is to become my routine
• I will focus intensely on every part of my body
• I will begin from the right side of my upper body
• Then the lower part of the right side of my body
• Then I move to the left side (upper then lower)
• I will go up the abdomen progressing to my neck
• I will keep track of the entire relaxation process
• I am going to keep myself fully relaxed and calm
• I will focus on breathing deep through my nose
• I will become consciously aware of my breathing
• I will attempt to breathe slow easy and naturally
• I know this and no one has to teach me to breathe
• I have saved this time for this relaxation exercise
• I will do this two times a day at the minimum
• I will not use an alarm timer or open my eyes 
• I will time my body and breathing to build focus
• When I finish, I will sit quietly for several minutes
• At first with eyes closed and later with eyes open
• I will not stand for a few minutes after I finish
• I will not worry about my relaxation progress
• I will maintain a passive attitude to relaxation
• I will permit relaxation to occur at its own pace
• If distracting thoughts occur, I will ignore them
• I will try and not dwell upon my negative ideas
• If distracted I will return to my attempt to focus
• With practice I will learn to relax with little effort

Follow the steps here

Sit or lie down quietly in a comfortable position. Preferably loose clothing

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Close your eyes. Try hard to erase the surrounding world from your mind

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Look at the tip of your nose. Focus as much as you can on it. Keep looking

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Breathe deeply through your nose. Become aware of your deep breathing

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Continue to look at the tip of your nose NOW with your eyes closed. Focus

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As you breathe in and out focus now on the air going deep into your lungs

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Breathe easily and naturally. Focus on your nose with eyes closed. Breathe

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Tighten your right thumb. Make it stiff and tough like no one can bend it now

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Continue breathing deep for 5 breaths with your thumb stiff and tightened

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Release the tightness and relax the thumb now while you take 5 more breaths

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Now repeat the same with your right index finger. 5 breaths. Focus on your nose

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Sequentially do this for your right middle--ring--little fingers. (Same pattern)

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Next tighten right your wrist and make it tough. Release and feel the freeness

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Tighten your right elbow like no one can bend your hand. Feel the pressure build

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Tighten your right shoulder muscles the same way. For 5 deep in and out breaths

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Release after 5 breaths. Every joint is to be kept under pressure for 5 deep breaths.

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Repeat tightening and release exercise for the right toes one by one while breathing

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Then move upwards to the right knee and hip joint. Make it hard. Breathe. Release

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Repeat for the left thumb-index-middle-ring-little finger-wrist-elbow-shoulder

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Don’t forget to breathe in and out while you look at your nose with closed eyes
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Now continue the same for the left toes-knee-hip joint. Breathe-Focus-Release
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Tense the abdomen. Take 5 deep breaths. Tense your neck. 5 breaths. Release

You have now worked on 34 sets of muscles (5 breaths on each). Good job!

Practice the technique once or twice daily, but not within two hours after any meal. The digestive processes seem to interfere with the elicitation of the relaxation response. It will take some time to master it but that itself is the proces of growth and learning. The truth about all stressful situations is that we have choices and we usually know of these choices. Life is short. There’s not much time to waste on stress. Live right. Live light. Live stress free!