Relaxation

This exercise is designed for very deep relaxation. Just as with learning any kind of new activity, such as riding a bicycle or running, it takes a while to train your body and mind to respond in a new way. The instructions given here will help you achieve a balanced and effective relaxation response in a minimum amount of time. Once you have done this version a few times, you'll discover that you can enter a deeply relaxed state within just a few seconds by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths.

Some people find that conscious relaxation of this kind is enhanced by playing very soft, relaxing music in the background. Make sure it remains very peaceful throughout.

Meditation

Deep Relaxation

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First give yourself permission to take five to ten minutes to relax deeply, without having to think about other things you should be doing. Choose a quiet place and time of day when this will be possible.

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Loosen any tight clothing.

Sit with your back well supported in a comfortable position, hands gently resting in your lap with your palms open, or lie down on your back with a pillow under your knees if needed.

Take a deep breath and exhale slowly, allowing your shoulders to be loose and relaxed.

Open your mouth wide. Yawn, or pretend you are yawning. Let the areas around your eyes and forehead be relaxed and loose. Let the areas around your nose, mouth, and jaw be relaxed.

Breathe slowly and easily.

If ideas or feelings come into your mind at this time, pretend they are a telephone ringing in the distance, perhaps in a neighbor's house. Acknowledge that "someone is calling," but you do not have to answer.

Take a deep breath, inhaling gently and slowly, imagining the breath entering your right nostril. Hold the breath for a moment, then exhale slowly and comfortably, imagining that you are exhaling through your left nostril.

Take another deep breath, this time imagining your breath entering your left nostril and exiting your right.

Focus your attention on how your breath feels: cooling, as it enters your nostrils, perhaps gently expanding your chest as it fills your lungs, then slightly warming your nostrils as you exhale. You may wish to visualize the air as having a beautiful, vibrant color as it enters and exits your body.

Repeat this breathing pattern until you have done at least four full cycles. A full cycle is one inhalation and one exhalation.

Now with each cycle, focus your attention on one area of your body:

Be aware of your scalp relaxing.
Be aware of your eyes, ears, and jaw relaxing.
Be aware of your neck relaxing.
Be aware of your shoulders relaxing.
Be aware of your chest relaxing.
Be aware of your upper back relaxing.
Be aware of your arms and hands relaxing.
Be aware of your abdomen relaxing.
Be aware of your buttocks relaxing.
Be aware of your legs relaxing.
Be aware of your feet relaxing.

Now let your breathing pattern return to normal as you enjoy the relaxed state you have created.

For several weeks, practice this relaxation exercise whenever the opportunity arises or whenever you feel a need to unwind and rest at work, at home, or in your recreational life.

Contacting Your Inner Guide

Most of us in this day and age and in our Western society lead very hectic lives. We have many responsibilities: our work, our families, our friendships, our social, community, and political responsibilities. Even our recreational activities often take a lot of our attention and energy. We are very involved in what's outside us.

At the same time, I believe that each of us has a deep sense of truth within us, the guiding force that can lead us successfully through our lives. Most of us are greatly in need of balancing our outward focus by taking some time to go within ourselves. We need to get back in contact with our spirit, with our inner creative source.

In addition, most of us have not been educated to believe in that inner intuitive knowingness. We've been taught to follow outside rules, other people's ideas of what's right and wrong for us or what we need to be doing. As a result, we lose touch with the very core of our being.

We need to take some time to cultivate contact with our inner guidance. We need to reeducate ourselves to pay attention to that part of us that really knows. It helps if we can begin to take some regular time for this — even if it's just a few minutes each day or even a few minutes once a week. We need this time to learn to relax our bodies and our minds, to move into the deeper awareness that exists within us.

This takes practice, patience, and support. But it's something that's very natural for us, so as we begin to cultivate this habit we will find it easier and easier to go within. After a while we will begin to find that we crave this inner contact. When we spend too much time looking outward there will be a part of us that will start to pull us inside and demand that we get in contact with our deeper self.

Meditation

Discovering Your Inner Sanctuary

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This visualization meditation will help you begin to establish the practice of moving your attention within, finding a place of relaxation and peace and contacting your inner wisdom. Before we begin, I'd like to remind you that any time you are doing a visualization meditation, do it in a way that comes easily and naturally for you. Don't worry if you don't see a visual image when you meditate. Some people are visually oriented; others are more audio or feeling oriented. So if you get just a feeling about it or even if you are only thinking about it, do whatever comes naturally and easily for you. Accept this, and relax and enjoy it. Also, if I give you certain suggestions but what comes to you is something different from what I suggest, trust your own experience. Always go with what feels right for you.

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To begin the meditation, get into a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. If you're sitting, it's good to be sitting with your back straight and well supported in a comfortable chair, with your feet flat on the floor and your hands in a relaxed position. If you prefer to lie down, lie flat on your back in a very comfortable, relaxed position.

When you are comfortable, close your eyes and become aware of your body; just notice how your body is feeling right now.... If you notice any tense places in your body, gently breathe into those places. Imagine them relaxing and all unnecessary tension releasing and dissolving.

First, put your attention on your feet and imagine relaxing them....

Next, put your attention on your ankles and the calves of your legs and gently relax them....

Now put your awareness in your thighs and your hips. Relax the upper part of your legs and your whole pelvic area....

Gently breathe into the lower part of your body and feel it become very relaxed.......