1. Lie back comfortably and let your legs uncross and your arms go heavy and loose at your sides. Close your eyes and start with a deep breath and as you exhale, let all the air out with an audible sigh. Now take another deep breath, hold it, and as you exhale, let your tension go and begin simply noticing your breathing without attempting to control it. Just breathe naturally through your nose, simply letting the air come in slowly. Allowing the air to come in and out at its own rate. Concentrate on your own quiet, easy breathing. (Your breathing should be done from your diaphragm.)
Continue to focus your attention on your breathing and feelings of letting go. This isn't a time to worry or solve problems. If you begin worry, re-focus on your breathing and only think about breathing slowly and easily, feeling really good, and relaxing as much as you can.
2. Now starting with your head and neck, notice any tension there and breathe into it. (As you move through the various muscle groups you might want to contract and relax them to achieve total physical relaxation.) Focus your attention on the area around your eyes, your jaw, your tongue, your cheeks, your facial muscles and your neck. If there is tension, imagine the tension leaving your body while you breathe out. Concentrate on releasing all the muscles and feeling pleasant sensations of heaviness and warmth.
3. Next focus on your shoulders. Concentrate on releasing all the muscles in your shoulders as you breathe out. Let your shoulders drop more and more away from your ears, becoming heavier and looser with each out breath. Experience the feelings of looseness and heaviness and let them grow and increase. Let your whole arms be heavy, down into the hands and fingers. Take several deep breaths and exhale any tension you might feel.
4. Now concentrate on the relaxed, heavy feeling of your shoulders and arms moving into your chest. Concentrate on how heavy and relaxed it can feel. If you sense any excess tension, take several breaths and imagine the tension leaving your body as you exhale.
5. Now turn your attention to the stomach area. Take several deep breaths and exhale any tension. Let your stomach be heavy and relaxed a little bit more with each breath. Let the loose and relaxed feelings move from your stomach down into your pelvis and buttocks. Mentally, release your buttocks a little bit more with each breath. Let the heavy, loose feelings move from your pelvis to your thighs and knees. Breathe out any tension.
6. Now as you breathe in, focus your attention on your knees, your lower legs and your feet. Let your whole legs become heavy and loose. While exhaling, imagine any excess tension leaving your body.
7. Take a moment now and see if there is any part of your body you would like to relax more. Just mentally check through the parts of your body and see if you would like to relax any part some more. Begin to feel the inner peace. Allow yourself to feel very relaxed, quiet and at peace with yourself. Let these sensations grow and increase as you allow your whole body to relax.
Topic: Body relaxation (Read 1042 times)