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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