For Relaxation ~ TAKE  TEN

  

 

Ten ideas to engender relaxation when you’re feeling stressed

 

1. Rub your palms together vigorously and when warmed, cup heated palms over your closed eyes.  Allow the warmth of your hands to radiate into your eyes (good for eye strain also)
2. Sit tall in a chair and close your eyes, soften your face and throat and focus your attention on feeling your breath move in your body ~ where are the sensations of breath?
3. Sit tall in a chair and close your eyes and count ten breaths.  Inhale and exhale that is one.
4. Standing: take your shoulders to your ears like you are saying “I don’t know” and then slowly lower them.  Do that as many times as you can...start with 3-5.
5. Standing or sitting: focus your attention on your hands (and you don’t necessarily have to look at your fingers or hands) and gently curl your fingers towards your palms.  As you inhale extend your fingers away from you and as you exhale curl them inwards again. Use your breath cadence.
6. Focus your gaze on a favorite picture and imagine what it would be like if you were in the picture (in other words daydream!)
7. Sitting tall in a chair with your back relaxed close your eyes.  Use your mind to focus on six points in the body starting with 1. the notch in your throat.  2. left shoulder joint  3. left thigh  4. navel center  5. right thigh  6. right shoulder joint.  Do that slowly moving the attention to each body part on the exhaled breath and repeat as three – five times.  Notice any difference? 

THESE NEXT THREE REQUIRE YOU TO LIE DOWN

 

8. Lie down on your back with bent knees.  Breathe slowly in and out ten times focusing on the temperature of your breath ~ cool on the inhale and warm on the exhale.
9. Lie down on your back with bent knees and feel the weight of your body where you contact the floor ~ back of head, shoulders hips, heels. Imagine you are lying on a beach in warm sand and each time you exhale, your body’s weight snuggles deeper into the warm, soft sand.
10.  Lie down on your back with knees bent or if you are comfortable with straight legs, extend right leg to the right and left leg to the left.  Make sure you have a blanket to stay warm.  Move your focus to the back of your head, then to the right shoulder and arm.  Left shoulder and arm.  Heart center for three breaths.  Right hip and leg.  Left hip and leg.  Surrender your weight to the floor and ultimately to the earth beneath you.  Breathe