Relaxation exercises will take you on the first stage of learning to reduce your physical tension. This is a crucial skill in mastering your body's Fight/Flight response. Once you have mastered this skill you can use it often to refresh your body and spirit. You won't always need to go through the entire exercise, once you have mastered the skill you will be able to close your eyes and go directly to the relaxed state. Do this frequently, whenever you realize your body is tense.

The Fight/Flight Response is triggered whenever we perceive a threat to our well being. Our bodies can't tell the difference if the threat is physical or emotional, so it will activate at the slightest provocation. Unfortunately, our world is filled with these provocations so we will often experience the response. The effect of this is cumulative and destructive. This exercise turns off the response, you can't be tense and relaxed at the same time, so as to help your body heal and recover from the damage it experiences from our pressured world.

You can learn this skill in a variety of ways. The best is through Biofeedback, this uses sensors that report how various bodily systems are functioning. These sensors display information about the system, usually on a computer screen, so you can learn to regulate them. Another way is by practicing Relaxation exercises, often by listening to CDs which have music and guided imagery/relaxation training content. Excellent sources of both are available from the Wild Divine Project which Deepak Chopra has contributed to. When you click on the banner below you will be taken to a web page describing the biofeedback system designed for you to use at home.

If you are interested in Relaxation CDs, after you have clicked on the banner you will be taken to a page where you can click on the words "The Journey To The Wild Divine" in the upper left hand corner. This will take you another page where you can click on "Shop". This will take you to list of products, scroll down to find "Anna Coy's: The Whole Body Breathing Series". This set of four CDs takes you through four stages of Relaxation.

Do-It-Yourself Relaxation

The players shown above will allow you to listen to two different relaxation exercises. Each one takes about fifteen minutes. Try each one and then use the one you like the most frequently.

If you prefer you can make your own relaxation exercise. Try tape recording the following script and then play it back for yourself often:

Place your feet flat on the floor, close your eyes, and relax your limbs. Move around until every part of your body is supported and tension is minimized. Good posture, including a straight spine, is best.

Begin by focusing on your face and feeling any tension in the muscles of your head...your scalp...across your forehead...around your eyes...your nose...your cheeks...your mouth...your tongue...your jaw. (pause) Make a mental picture of this tension. It may be a metal band around your head, a burning piece of coal behind your eyes, or a tight clamp on your jaw. (pause) Now mentally picture your symbol of tension relaxing. The metal band becomes a crown of soft feathers, the burning coal becomes beautifully cool, or the tight clamp loosens. (pause) Experience the muscles of your head becoming relaxed. (pause) As they relax, feel a wave of warm relaxation spreading throughout your body. (pause) Contract the muscles of your head...wrinkle your forehead, scalp, nose, and cheeks...squeeze your eyelids together...open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue. Maintain this state of tension for about seven seconds, and then relax. (pause) Feel the relaxation deepening in your body. (pause)

Now let your self concentrate on your neck and shoulders and feel any tension in these muscles. (pause) Make a mental picture of this tension.. (pause) Now mentally picture the symbol of tension relaxing. (pause) Experience the muscles of your neck and shoulders becoming more relaxed, warm, and heavy. (pause) As they relax, feel your body becoming more relaxed, warm, and heavy. (pause) Tense the muscles of your neck and shoulders by drawing your shoulders upward toward your neck, squeezing tightly for about seven seconds. Then relax, feeling the relaxation moving through your body. (pause)

Now bring your attention to your arms and hands and notice any tension in these muscles. (pause) Make a mental picture of this tension. (pause) Experience the muscles of your arms and hands becoming relaxed, warm, and heavy. (pause) As they relax, let your body slip deeper into peaceful relaxation. (pause) Now tense the muscles of your hands and arms by making fists and flexing your biceps. Hold this pose for about seven seconds and then relax, letting your arms flop down, pulled by the force of gravity, very heavy and very relaxed. Study the feeling of relaxation, heaviness, and warmth, in your arms and hands and notice that the rest of your body is becoming more and more relaxed. (pause)

Next focus on your breathing. (pause) Note any tension in the front of your torso...your chest...your lungs...your stomach...your intestines. (pause) Make a mental picture of this tension. (pause) Mentally imagine the symbol of tension relaxing. (pause) As the muscles of your torso become even more relaxed, feel a wave of warm relaxation spreading out through your entire body. (pause) Take a deep, slow breath, filling first the bottom of your lungs, then the middle, then the top...and slowly exhale. Inhale slowly again,..this time hold your breath until it just begins to feel uncomfortable and then exhale forcefully through your mouth. Experience a wave of warm relaxation through your body as you continue to breathe slowly and deeply.

Now notice your buttocks, thighs, calves, and feet, and feel any tension in these muscles. (pause) Make a mental picture of this tension. (pause) Now mentally picture the symbol of tension relaxing and becoming comfortable. (pause) Experience the muscles of your buttocks, thighs, calves, and feet becoming heavy, warm, and relaxed, along with the rest of your body. (pause) Now contract the muscles of your buttocks, thighs, calves, and feet by raising your legs straight out in front of you and pointing your toes toward you and squeezing your muscles tightly for seven seconds. Then relax, letting your feet fall slowly to the floor. (pause) Study the sensations of warm relaxation and heaviness. (pause) Now raise your legs straight out in front of you again, this time curling your toes under and tightening the muscles of your buttocks, thighs and calves for seven seconds. Then let your legs fall to the floor again. Notice how relaxed, heavy, and warm they are. (pause)

Now you will use visualization to directly relax your mind. Imagine an escalator that leads down to a wonderfully pleasant place. In your mind's eye, reach out and grasp the railing and step on. As you slowly descend, count backward from ten to one: ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five...four...three...two...one. Step off the escalator and notice the path in front of you. Follow it to a pleasant place of your own choosing that is totally comfortable for you. It may be by some water, in the mountains, in your home, in a museum, or even in the clouds. It may be a place you have been, or would like to go. or would like to create beyond the boundaries of reality. (pause) Mentally fill in the details of shape, color, lighting, temperature, sound, texture, taste, and smell...Explore your special place. (pause) In your mind's eye look at your hands and feet and notice what you are wearing. Note how you are feeling in this special place, and relax even more. (pause) Continue to imagine yourself relaxed in this very comfortable place for a little while. (pause)

When you are ready to return from your special place, imagine returning to the escalator. (pause) Reach out and grasp the railing and step on. As you ascend, count to ten slowly: one...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten. when you reach ten and arrive back at the here-and-now, open your eyes.

From Thoughts & Feelings by McKay, Davis, Fanning