How to Relax
The Four Essential Requirements
In order to achieve the blissful state of profound release and relaxation, we need to apply the four conditions or requirements outlined under the Relaxation Response:
Establish a quiet environment
Find a comfortable position
Adopt a passive attitude
Focus the mind on something simple
Let’s look at these more closely.......
1. A quiet environment
Ideally, find yourself a quiet space where you can be alone and undisturbed. So, make sure radio, television, and telephone are switched off and that pets are not going to be climbing all over you.
The room needs to be softly lit; not too bright, nor too dark. It also needs to be airy, but not draughty. If it’s too stuffy, then you may have trouble breathing easily, or you will be tempted to fall asleep. Room temperature is also important; you don’t want to feel cold, neither do you want to be so warm that you can’t stay awake.
2. A comfortable position
The chosen position for relaxation needs to allow the body to adopt a supported and well-aligned posture. The traditional posture for relaxation is to lie on your back on the floor; a posture called Savasana (shah-VAH-sah-nah) in Yoga. However, lying on the floor may not be comfortable, or even possible, for some people, so there are several other options which can work just as well. You will find all options described in detail under Relaxation Postures.
Finding the right position is very important; all the spinal twisting, crossed legs, folded arms, and slouched contortions we normally adopt, when sitting or lying, just won’t do. All these seemingly ‘relaxing’ postures actually involve muscle contractions to hold them in place, making it impossible to achieve full and proper relaxation.
3. A passive attitude
Relaxation can only occur once we have let go of all attempts to force it to happen. A passive attitude requires that we adopt an approach of allowance, patience, effortless awareness, and quiet expectation. The moment effort is introduced into the practice, the brain moves into its wave pattern indicative of activity and alertness, where the relaxed state is totally unattainable. The very fact that we want desperately to relax, or master a new experience, can make us ‘try’ to be successful and we actually drive the experience away. Relaxation is an unusual practice inasmuch as it requires zero effort to accomplish.
Happiness is like a butterfly
Which, when pursued,
Is always beyond your grasp
But, if you will sit down quietly
May alight upon you
Henry Thoreau
4. Focus the mind
For deep physical and mental relaxation to happen, it is necessary to still the chattering mind.
During our normal waking hours the mind is constantly active, sometimes more than we want it to be! It just won’t be quiet! It ponders on the past, thinks about the future, analyses, makes decisions, formulates opinions........ the internal dialogue never ceases.
The wayward mind needs to be disciplined and slowed down when we wish to relax. This is done by channeling the thoughts in one direction; we simply ask the mind to attend to one thing only, so that its energy is directed and one-pointed. It’s all about bringing the mind into present moment awareness, so that attention is solely on the ‘here and now’ of the relaxation process. The scattered mind becomes quiet and focused; then it, and the body, can rest and relax.
There are many different techniques and methods we can employ to focus the mind and bring it to stillness – all of them quite simple. You will find information on these under Relaxation Techniques.
Until you are really experienced in the art of relaxation, it is difficult to focus the mind without assistance. An experienced teacher, or some good CDs such as you will find in the Shop, will guide you through the relaxation process, so that you need only to follow the verbal instructions and surrender to the pure joy of being relaxed and stress free.
Note
A Guided Relaxation talks you through the whole session, from beginning to end. It will also include short periods of silence so that you become accustomed to the experience of being relaxed and quiet on your own. Over time, of course, you develop the ability to relax at will and even lie down for a full relaxation without the need for guidance at all.
And finally.....
There are other important bits and pieces we need to discuss and some outstanding questions still to answer, like:
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When?
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How often?
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What do I need?
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How long do I relax for?
Go to Guidelines and Advice and, hopefully, that will give you all the final pieces of the puzzle.
