RELAXATION
EXERCISE
Gravity
and Relaxation
Lie
face up on a mat or thick blanket placed on the floor and relax.
(The floor provides a hard, uncomfortable surface which will immediately
let you know about the variety of ways you hold tension within
your body. You will either have to get up or relax totally.) A
small cushion may be placed under the head. Let the weight of your
body sink into the floor. Begin breathing in a rhythmic fashion.
Bring
your attention to your torso and head. Inhale and tense the
muscles of your stomach, chest, and neck. Exhale and relax
totally, feeling the weight of your body sinking into the floor.
Do this several times.
Concentrate
now on your left arm. Inhale and make a fist, tensing the entire
arm, and raise the limb off the floor about six inches. Exhale,
and relax your arm. Allow it to drop to the floor. Do this a
number of times until the limb feels totally relaxed and falls
readily with the force of gravity.
Now
center your attention on your right arm from hand to shoulder. As
you inhale, make a fist, tensing all the muscles in your arm, and
raise your arm off the floor about six inches. Exhale and relax
your arm completely, allowing it to fall back to the floor. Repeat
several times until the arm is relaxed.
Next,
focus your attention on your left leg from hip to foot. As you
inhale, lift your leg about eight inches off the floor. Bend your
foot so that your toes are pointing toward your head. Tense all
the muscles in your leg. Exhale and relax all tension in your leg,
letting it drop to the floor. Repeat several times until your leg
is fully relaxed. Focus your attention on your right leg from hip
to foot. As you inhale, lift your leg about eight inches off the
floor. At the same time, bend your foot so that your toes are
pointing toward your head. Tense all the muscles in your leg.
Exhale and relax your leg completely, allowing it to fall back to
the floor. Do this a number of times until the limb feels totally
relaxed and falls readily with the force of gravity.
Tense
your whole body several times and then relax totally. Let yourself
take a few deep sighs. Do this a number of times until at length
you feel as though you were melting into the floor, carrying all
the tension out of your body like a stream of water from melting
ice. Give yourself up wholly to the support of the floor. Accept
the fact that the floor can easily hold up the weight of your
body. Relax and let it.
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01/02/06
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