About This Practice
Often when we don’t find time to relax, we forget our bodies are carrying a lot of stress. This stress can build up and result in hypertension or anxiety. In this practice, you'll increase your capacity to observe your body and pinpoint where relaxation needs to occur. You'll create space to quickly relax areas through active imagination. By practicing this activity, you’ll start to understand what your body is telling you it needs.
Steps
Spot the stress
Take five minutes to spot your stress. Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Imagine there is a scanner that is starting at the top of your head, slowly moving down to your feet. As the scanner progresses, notice how each part of your body feels. Head, eyes, jaw, throat, heart, chest, and so on. Write down one area that felt tightest or most painful.
Breathe out the stress
When you return to this practice, take five minutes to spot your stress again. You’ll use that scanner you used earlier. Notice if it is the same area that felt tight or a different area. This time, while keeping your eyes closed, focus all of your attention on the feeling in that area and take five very deep breaths. As you exhale, imagine the feeling being breathed out.
Spot the stress and breathe even more
Next, let’s take five minutes to spot your stress again. Same scanner. Is it the same area or a new one? Take 15 deep breaths this time. Focus on exhaling the feeling out of your body, counting each breath starting at 15 down to one. Listen to your body and what it needs more of to relax. Sometimes the answer comes in words or images that pop into your mind. Perhaps you need a relaxing massage, vigorous exercise, or just a good meal.