Relaxing With Yoga

In addition to relaxing and combating stress, practicing a short session of Yoga once or twice a day is a wonderful way to help a person to unwind.

Corpse Pose

Following is a Yoga relaxation technique. Used to help a person unwind, the classic corpse pose is practiced by all devotees of Yoga.

* Wearing only loose, comfortable clothing, find a quiet place to relax where you will not be disturbed. Belts, shoes, and tight buttons should be discarded.

* Next, lie down on your back. Your feet should be about 18 inches apart with your hands placed palm upward and about 6 inches from your sides.

* Allow your legs and feet to roll outwards, checking to be sure your body feels symmetrical. Close your eyes, relax, and center your awareness on the rise and fall of your abdomen.

Tense And Relax Routine

Until they've actually experienced a relaxation routine, many people don't realize how tense their bodies have become. This next routine, called the tense and relax routine, will enable you to fully feel the contrast between tension and full relaxation.

* After settling yourself into the corpse pose, work up from the feet first; tense than relax each part of the body in turn. Start with the feet, then the legs, buttocks, stomach, back, chest, shoulders, arms, hands, head and last, but not least, the face.

* Tense each part of your body as hard as you can, lift them a few inches from the floor if you wish. Then drop them down again and relax.

Progressive Routine

* In this routine you'll start out by laying your hands on your abdomen, deeply breathe in, filling your tummy first. As you let your breath out, sigh, ensuring that any tension you feel is released with each breath. Repeat a few more times letting go of that tension a little more every time you release a breath.

* At its own depth and pace, let your breathing continue. As you breathe out, release any tension your feeling, first in the feet, then with your next out breath your ankles, and with the next your calves until you have traveled up your entire body.

* In the progressive routine it is important to try and connect with each part of the body, releasing it completely before moving on to the next part.

* One way to help yourself relax in this routine is to say to yourself something like, "I have relaxed my feet," etc., until you've finished and then say, "My whole body is now relaxed."