If you are lying down, lie on your back with your arms alongside your body
but slightly away from your sides.
Turn your arms upward.
let your fingers curl so that your thumbs and index fingers form circles.
Your legs should be slightly apart with the toes turned outward.
If you are sitting down, put your feet flat on the floor
and sit with your spine straight but not stiff.
Place your hands comfortably in your lap. If you have any injuries,
you should avoid tensing muscles that might affect that injury.
Get comfortable and close your eyes.
Keep them closed for the rest of this exercise.
Now take a moment to finish whatever you have on your mind.
Concentrate on getting as relaxed as you possibly can.
Allow your breathing
to be slow and rhythmic, inhaling
and exhaling at a pace that is comfortable for you.
As you exhale, say the word relax
silently to yourself.
Now, clench both of your fists.
Clench them tighter
and notice the tension as you do so. Feel your hands tense.
Feel your forearms tense.
Now relax your hands.
Notice the contrast in your feelings
between when you tense up and when you relax.
Once more, tense your fists.
Now relax.
Notice the tension melting away.
Let the tension disolve
as your fingers loosen up.
Let all the muscles in your arms go loose
and heavy.
Continue to breathe slowly and deeply.
Say the word relax silently to yourself
as you exhale.
Now bend your elbows and tense your biceps.
Now relax your arms.
Let them gently fall back into a comfortable
and relaxed position.
Once more, tense your biceps.
Notice the tension.
And relax. As you relax,
you might feel a tingling sensation, you might feel a warm sensation,
your arms may feel heavy, or you may feel so light
that it almost seems like you are floating.
Whatever you feel, notice it and go with it,
relaxing deeper and deeper.
Now direct your attention
to your facial muscles.
Close your eyes tighter and tighter.
Notice the tension.
And relax your eyes. Feel a gentle wave
of relaxation flowing over your forehead and scalp,
smoothing it out.
Keep your eyes closed gently and comfortably.
And relax.
Now bite your teeth together
and feel the tension in your jaw.
Relax your jaw,
letting your lips part slightly as you do.
Feel that relaxation. Continue to breathe slowly
and deeply.
Notice the tension evaporating away.
Now shrug your shoulders up
and feel the tension in your shoulders,
neck and upper back.
Relax your shoulders.
Now bring your shoulders
forward and feel the tension that way.
Relax your shoulders again, relaxing more
and more deeply.
Feel the relaxation in your shoulders, neck
and upper back.
Now tense your stomach by clenching
and pulling your stomach in towards your spine.
Notice the tension.
And relax.
Now push your stomach out as far as it can go.
And relax your stomach.
Feel the waves of relaxation spread throughout your stomach,
chest and upper back.
Now tense your buttocks and thighs
by pressing your heels down on the ground as hard as you can.
Notice the tension.
Now relax your buttocks and thighs and notice the difference.
Once again tense your buttocks and thighs.
And relax.
Now
flex your
calves by pointing your toes.
And relax your calves. This time point your toes up toward
your face so that you feel tension along your shins.
Now relax again. Notice the heaviness of your lower
body as you let all your muscles grow loose.
Now clench your toes as tight as you can.
And relax.
Once more, clench your toes.
And relax.
Notice the tension leaving your body.
Let yourself relax further all over.
Feel the relaxation in your toes and feet.
Feel the relaxation spread up your legs
as it passes over your calves,
shins,
knees
and thighs,
up to your buttocks
and hips. Notice the tension throughout your body
melting away.
Let yourself relax more
and more.
Feel the relaxation spread into your stomach, waist and lower back.
Feel the waves of relaxation travel up to your chest
and upper back.
Feel it spread to your shoulders, arms
and hands, and then down to the tips of your fingers....
relaxing you further and further....
and deeper and deeper.
Feel the relaxation in your neck, throat
and mouth. Feel the relaxation
deepening in all the muscles of your face.
Feel relaxed through your whole body.
In just a moment, I will count backwards
from five to one. When I get to one
slowly open your eyes. You should feel relaxed and refreshed
but alert and wide awake....five...
four....three...
two....one.