can you further explain about relaxation techniques?

Question

You mentioned about various types of relaxation techniques. Please elaborate it so that I can go through them or discuss with some yoga practitioners. I also want to know about other things that you mentioned in the reply - asanas and pranayama.

Answer 1

Instant Relaxation Technique (IRT):

After you are done with some of the asanas or at the end of the asanas session, or at the end of yoga class, you can start with IRT with the following instructions:

1. Lie down on the back in the shavasana position.
2. Bring your legs together with the heels and toes together.
3. Bring your plams near thighs.
4. Tighten the toes
5. Tighten the ankles joints
6. Tighten the calf muscles
7. Tighten the knees
8. Tighten the thigh muscles
9. Tighten the buttocks
10. Breathe out and suck the abdomen inside.
11. Expand the chest
12. Tighten the shoulders
13. Tighten the neck
14. Tighten the arms
15. Make fists of hands
16. Tighten the face muscles
17. Tighten the whole body from the toes to head.
18. Tighten more and more
19. At last release the whole body spontaneously
20. Release / loosen legs and arms
21. Relax the whole body.

This should take not more than 3 minutes.

Cardiac patient may carefully do or in consultation with their physicians.

Answer 2

Quick Relaxation Technique (QRT)

After you are done with some of the asanas or at the end of the asanas session, or at the end of yoga class, you can start with IRT with the following instructions:

1. With eyes closed, focus on the abdomen and feel its movements up - down. How the abdomen goes up with inhalation and comes down  with exhlation. Count for 10 cycles.
2. Direct your focus towards your deep breath with deep awareness and observe with inhalation, you are inhaling cold air and exhaling hot air. Count for 10 cycles.
3. Now with each inhalation, create positive thoughts and with each exhalation, feel as if negative thoughts are getting outside. Count for 10 cycles.

This should take not more than 10 minutes.

Answer 3

Deep Relaxation Technique:

At the end of the yoga session, lie down on the back on the yoga mat. Close your yes and loosen your feet, loosen your hands and fingers, loosen your neck and shoulder muscles consciously.

Move your attention towards big toes of your feet and consciously relax them and step by step consciously relax all the toes of your feet. Repeat three times mentally to relax each part of your body. Move your attention upwards and relax ankles ->calf muscles -> knees -> thighs -> hips. Chant ‘AAA’ three times and feel the vibrations of this chant in the lower part of your body and feel that the lower part of the body is fully relaxed.

Move your attention towards the lumbar region/spine lower region -> upper spinal region->abdominal region ->chest region-> shoulder region -> arms -> forearms->hands palms -> fingers. Chant ‘OOO’  three times and feel the vibrations of this chant in the middle part of your body and feel that the middle part of the body is fully relaxed.

Move your attention towards the neck – back of the neck and front of the neck, back of head region, relax them consciously three times -> upper region of head -> forehead region ->eyes -> nose ->cheeks -> chin. Chant ‘MMM’ three times and feel the vibrations of this chant in the head region and feel that all the parts of the head region are relaxed.

Chant ‘AUM’ three times and feel the vibrations of OM in the entire body and feel that all the parts of the body are completely relaxed.

Stay there for few minutes.

Keeping your eyes closed, turn towards left side and slowly sit up with the help of your hands/arms.

Chant shanti  mantra and  friction your hands and keep these warm hands on your eyes in such a way that your hands cup over your eyes.  After removing hands from your face, very slowly open your eyes.

Answer 4

You can also go for autogenic training.