Relaxing the Body

Letting oneself feel supported by the ground is the primary activity of relaxation. Relaxation is something you do within your own body. This blog is an exercise for relaxing the body.

You will begin is Savasana or Corpse Pose. You will lay on your back on the ground with your palms facing the sky and your feet falling toward the ground. Eyes are closed with the eyes falling back into the eye socket and the lower jaw is loose. Let your body completely fall toward the ground. Allow gravity to pull you down. Have trust that gravity won’t let you go. Notice how the floor or the ground is coming up to meet your body. It is supporting you.

Listen to the sounds around you and within you. Recognize that you cannot control these sounds. Let them be. Now notice your breath. Feel the inhale and exhale through the nostrils. Notice the up and down of your chest or abdomin. Do not control the breath, just let it be.

As you are laying here, try to lengthen your body. Make your spine longer, your legs longer, and your arms longer. Then allow your body to fall back into the ground. Inhaling, lengthening your body and exhaling, surrendering your body into the ground. Keep repeating. Notice any areas in your body that may seem painful or stiff. Bring length to this area and then allow this area to surrender to gravity. Notice the wave-like motion of your body. Notice how the body becomes less rigid and more fluid. Practice this for 10-15 minutes.

Next come into a seated position, either on the floor or in a chair. Please make sure your hips are higher than your knees, you may need a rolled blanket to achieve this posture. Arms are dangling or in your lap. Allow your body to be grounded through the hips and allow the upper half of the body to expand toward the sky.

Come back to noticing sounds and then noticing your breath. Is your breath different in a seated position? Allow your body to lengthen toward the sky and relax toward the ground. Notice the support that gravity gives you. Finding areas in your body that need attention. Bring length to these areas. Notice how more movement brings less pain. Practice this exercise for 10-15 mintues.

Now come into a standing position. Legs are hip distance apart with feet parallel. Arms are dangling. Notice your feet on the floor or ground. Feel the texture and temperature through the soles of your feet. Notice the ground coming up to meet your feet. Allow your feet and legs to be roots and the upper half of your body to be branches of a tree. Let gravity flow through you.

Lengthening your body on the inhale and relaxing your body on the exhale. Have trust in gravity, feel the support of the ground. Recognizing areas of the body that need attention and bring length there. Allow yourself to be fluid and allow the body to have movement. Notice the rhythm of your breath, your lower jaw letting go, and how stress melts away. Practice this exercise for 10-15 minutes.

Now go for a walk. Your body will feel different, less rigid. You may be taller. Your arms may swing, your head may bounce, and your feet may participate more while walking. Your breath may have changed. You may have less chronic pain and stress. Notice how gravity is working with you instead of against you!

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