Stress is unavoidable but it doesn’t have to be
unbearable. Regular relaxation is an
invaluable contribution to the overall enjoyment of anyone’s day to day
existence. Everyone takes vacations and
looks forward to the weekends, but here is the run-down of a technique that,
when used on a daily basis, can make the tediousness of everyday struggles or
annoyances less overwhelming.
A good place to breathe
Find a
comfortable place to sit, where you know you won’t be disturbed for 10 or
fifteen minutes. It can be a seat on a
train or a chair you use for your lunch break or coffee break. Sit with your back straight, shoulders back,
feet flat on the floor, and hands on your lap.
Direct all of your attention to your breathing, in through your nose,
out through your mouth, making sure that it’s your stomach, not your chest,
that’s expanding and contracting. Now "look within yourself". No, literally. Roll
your eyes up as far as they can go, as if you are trying to look at the inside
of your forehead. They will tire quickly,
but hold them there for at least five deep breaths. Then slowly close your eyelids, keeping your
eyes rolled up. If you do this
correctly, your eyelids will flutter like crazy on the way down. This is normal and a good indication that the
muscles around your eyes are relaxing in a way that they are not used to. Continuing to breathe deeply and easily, tell
yourself that each intake of air gathers all of your stress and tension, and
each exhalation is letting it go.
Letting go from your head to your toes
Next, when
you’re ready, you are going to direct your attention to each part of your body,
from the top of your head down to the tips of your toes, telling each area to
relax as you do so. Sometimes it is
helpful to visualize a light shining on each area as you do this to help isolate
it mentally. Make sure that your brow is
not knit, that your tongue is floating freely in the middle of your mouth, not
pressed to the top or bottom, and that each of your limbs feels limp and lose
enough that if someone were to pick them up and let them go that they would
flop immediately down like a wet towel.
It is normal for your fingers and toes to feel tingly or warm when you
reach them, another indication that your muscles are letting go.