Mind-Body Relaxation Skills
Stress and tension are the biggest preventable causes of unhappiness and illness. They poison your relationships, self-esteem, health, and happiness. They are also obstacles to change because when you're tense, you tend to repeat what is familiar and wrong, instead of what's new and right.
Learning to relax is one of the most important copings skills in life. Think of it this way. There are many coping skills that you need to be happy in life. If you learn them all but don’t learn how to relax, you still won’t be happy, because when you’re tense you’ll continue to repeat what’s familiar and wrong.
On the other hand, if you don’t learn any new coping skills, but learn only one new skill – how to relax – you’ll still be happier, because everything is easier when you’re relaxed. If there is anything else you need to change in your life, you’ll see it more easily and deal with it more effectively when you’re more relaxed.
Mind-body relaxation is not just a way to relax, it is a way to improve your life. You relax by letting go of negative traits that make you tense. Relaxation is all about letting go. You let go of tension, the past, and negative thinking that contribute to your unhappiness. Letting go is what elevates mind-body relaxation from a technique to a coping skill.
In this page you will learn a simple and powerful mind-body relaxation technique. For a more complete guide to mind-body relaxation and stress management please look at the book "I Want to Change My Life."
Basic Mind-Body Relaxation
Relax your body and your mind will follow. The key to relaxation is – do not try to relax your mind. Your body and mind relax as a unit. Since it’s hard to relax your mind, the approach of mind-body relaxation is to relax your body first. If you relax your body, your mind will follow because they are in constant communication. Try this simple one-minute exercise.
- Sit in a chair with both feet resting comfortably on the ground. Imagine your legs and feet becoming heavy. Mentally scan the soles of your feet, and feel each point where your soles touch the ground.
- It's important that you feel your skin touching the ground. Don't try to visualize it – feel it. Do this for a few breaths before moving on.
- Next, imagine your whole body becoming heavy and loose. Mentally scan the points where your skin touches the chair. Feel your seat and hips touching the ground.
- Do this for a few more breaths before reading further. Relax your body and let go of tension.
If you did this simple exercise, you’re already breathing more slowly and feeling more relaxed. What’s amazing is how quickly you can relax once you know how.
This exercise has shown you how to become grounded and centered. You become grounded by scanning your body, and feeling your skin on the ground. You become centered by turning your focus into your body and away from your tension.
A typical relaxation session is 20 to 40 minutes. Start with 10 minutes a day, and try adding 10 minutes a week. You can divide sessions into two. If 20 to 40 minutes sounds like a long time, consider how much time you waste feeling anxious or angry on a daily basis. There are three basic relaxation postures. You can relax lying down, sitting on the floor, or sitting in a chair. The same technique works with each posture.
If you reduce your stress, you will feel happier, and that feeling will spill over into the rest of your life.
Printable Introduction to Mind-Body Relaxation
For your convenience, I've included a printable introduction to mind-body relaxation.
Printable Introduction to Mind-Body Relaxation.
Learn More
In the book "I Want to Change My Life" you'll learn:
- Simple and effective relaxation techniques to relax your body and mind.
- The underlying causes of stress and tension in your life.
- How and why mind-body relaxation works.
- Breathing techniques to let go of your tension quickly.
- The three main areas of tension in your body and how to relax them.
- How to become aware or mindful of your tension.
- Answers to frequently asked questions about relaxation techniques, stress management, and meditation.
- How relaxation techniques help you overcome anxiety, depression, and addiction
Last Modified: December 2, 2009