The caring touch of hands relaxes and soothes away stress and tension from body and mind. It also stimulates and invigorates the physiological system, and restores energy and vitality. Self- massaging your body and pampering yourself with lotions and oils is relaxing, keeps your skin in good condition, and boosts your self-esteem. Care you body with massage strokes (tapping, pummeling and squeezing) and regularly massage the different areas you can conformably reach. Pay attention to hands and feet, which are constantly under pressure and strain, and you will find your whole body benefits. Massage instigates the process of relaxation and inner harmony

6-       Relaxation postures
the way the body is held and used has a most important effect on its health and efficiency. If the body is carried well and harmoniously balanced, muscular work will be performed with the minimum of fatigue. Poor posture, on the other hand will create tension, cramp the muscles, impose a strain on the joints and induce bad functioning of internal organs. Right posture leads to right breathing.

The key to posture control is relaxing the neck and “thinking” upward with the head, with the spine easing up from base of the head.
 Three basic postures can be observed: slumped posture, rigid posture and poised posture. Physical posture influences mental posture, just as inner posture influences outer posture.

                        Slumped posture                          rigid posture                                         poised posture

                        Apathy                                         defensiveness                                            alertness

                        Boredom                                      excitability                                                balance

                        Depression                                   hardness                                                   calmness

                        Fatigue                                         impatience                                               centering

                        Indifference                                  inflexibility                                                clarity

                        Lifelessness                                  intolerance                                               dignity

                        Slowness                                     dogmatism                                               openness

                        Weakness                                    irascibility                                                self-control

Poised posture leads to relaxation, sense of lightness, and balance.

When flexibility is lost and bad posture installed, postural regeneration is needed, working progressively on body, breathing and mind, at any stage and age.

 It is never too late.

7-       Relaxation in action
Total Relaxation is attained by means of specific relaxation, letting go from tension in particular muscles and muscles groups. Progressive relaxation is useful in applying muscular relaxation in daily activities, through recognizing and letting go unnecessary tension - in standing, sitting, lying down, walking, running, doing housework, writing, typing, driving a car, speaking, and even thinking.  Mindful and rhythmic breathing will harmonize the muscular action. Breathing rhythms are a key factor in promoting relaxed and poised living.

8-       Relaxation through yogic exercises
 Yoga positions are series of contraction and release, moved by the breathing rhythms, concentrating on the pauses. Yoga promotes relaxation, energy and vitality.  Sun salutation is a graceful combined sequence of twelve positions through which the whole body is well exercised. The alternation of stretching and extension of muscles promote the muscles relaxation and flexibility of the articulation.

Specific positions: standing bend (uttanasana), forward bend (virasana), full forward bend (pascimottanasana), plough pose, back arch (setu bandha sarvangasana), and torsions

Relaxation position: corpse pose (savasana), corpse pose on the abdomen, lateral position, child pose in virasana

9-        Meditation

Meditation is a tool to transcend the usual limitations of human consciousness and to expand to higher levels of awareness. This can be accomplished by focussing your mind, which allows you to step aside from its constant chatter. . The mind can then go beyond its normal scope into a vastness. The stillness achieved during meditation also slows down the metabolism of the body. This provides a deep state of relaxation, which has great therapeutic benefits. It rejuvenates the entire body, especially the nervous system. Some meditation concentrate on the breath, some on a sound and some on the circulation of life force   throughout the body. Just concentrate on the meditation. As thoughts  float to the  surface , let them come and go without trying to control them. Observe the flow of  your thougths. When you notice that your  attention  has wandered , gently let go of your though and  bring your awareness  back to the meditation.

You can use many  natural tools to enhance relaxation, such as :

·         Pleasant ambiance, pleasant associations

·         Music: choose a music which relaxes you

·         Sounds : vibratory sounds

·         Color: blue, violet, pink, green

·         Visualization: pleasant scenic, pleasant situation

·         Essential oils: geranium, lavender, chamomilla, rose, sandalwood, lemon, bergamot, patchouli…

·         Herbs: chamomilla, hypericum, lavender, romarin, tiglio, valerian etc…

·         Water : warm bath, sauna, sweater, footbath , etc…

·         Light and adequate  diet.

·         Cleansing and purification

·         Positive thinking, laugh, smile, words

·         Reprogrammation to lucid , conscious life

·         etc…

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