Relaxation Techniques

• Relaxation Techniques
• Clenched Fist Relaxation Technique
• Muscle Relaxation Technique
• Trigger Relaxation Technique
• Breathing Relaxation Technique
• Synchronized Energy Technique

Relaxation Techniques

Most people live stressful work lives and sadly this often overflows into their personal lives.

While these techniques listed below are great for general stress, they are also good for enhancing your meditation sessions.

Please note that the "Breathing Relaxation Technique" is a general method you can use, while the "Synchronized Energy Technique" is far more advanced.

It should be noted that Controlled Breathing is important for both relaxation and meditation.

Clenched Fist Relaxation Technique

How to release tension?

In our modern world, many people are highly stressed and there often seems no simple way to release this tension - for most people.

Yet there is a simple solution to de-stress before you start hugging and meditating.

First

Ask all members present if any of them are highly strung, tense, stressed etc.

If you have anyone in the group who is, try this.

Get them to sit comfortably and then clench their fists as tight as they can, really really tight.

Make sure that the thumb is on the outside of the fist.

The whole group can also participate in this exercise - if they choose.

Hold the tightly clenched fists for 1 - 2 minutes.

While they are holding their fists tight, close their eyes and visualize dark energy flowing from their body and down their arms and into their fists.

After 1 or 2 minutes, there are 2 choices.

1. Wash (rinse) their hands
2. Ground (earth) themselves

1) Some people prefer to wash their hands and wash the negative energy away.

Visualize the negative energy flowing out of their hands as they rinse.

2) Other people prefer to hug a tree or the grass or other natural object directly connected to the ground.

Visualize the negative energy flowing out of their hands as they hug.

It is their choice.

Caveat

Whatever you do, please do not release this energy into the room you are in, keep you hands closed until you can wash or tree hug.

Releasing negative energy into your meditation room is not a clever thing to do.

You can clench your fists for 3 or even 4 minutes if you like. My Buddhist trained teacher had us do this for 4 minutes.

Muscle Relaxation Technique

Trigger Relaxation Technique

Trigger Relaxation is where you use a Trigger Words (like a password) - or a body gesture - to quickly induce a state of relaxation..

It is a slightly longer process to start with - unless you are using a hypnotic trigger - but when you are competent with this method, you can induce relaxation within seconds.

Breathing Relaxation Technique

This is a simple Breathing Relaxation Technique. See the next section for more advanced methods.

This can be done sitting or standing.

To use this while standing, you may be about to get into some kind of physical conflict.

Option 1: ↟↟

Take 3 - 5 deep breaths, as deep as you can.

or Option 2: ↟↟

Take 3 - 5 deep breaths.

Inhale deeply and slowly count to 10 - or you can use this 10 second "Ping" as an inhale and exhale guide.

Exhale completely and slowly count to 10.

If it is safe to do so, consider closing your eyes when you are doing this.

Option 3 - Basic Biofeedback ↟↟

Basic Biofeedback is where you use a basic electronic "Biofeedback device" to monitor your "vitals" like heart rate (pulse), oxygen level.

First you need to connect yourself to the device you have chosen to use and these can be simple monitors you pop onto your finger or the more complex ones you use for brain monitoring (see Option 4).

Option 3 is a simple finger device which measures heart rate and oxygen levels.

NOTE: When you do "slow" controlled breathing, your oxygen level will usually go down.

I have been told by several doctors that the oxygen level should be above 95 but I have gone down to 82 in meditation without any problems.

Please NOTE that I am not on any medications - so IF you are, I would suggest that you do not go below 95. It is your choice. If you are not sure, ask a Naturopath also called an ND (not a GP as they will have no idea what your are talking about).

Uses

I have found this to be a great "tool" for people beginning in meditation to help reduce their pulse (heart rate) and when I started meditating way back in the 1970's, I also used one of these pulse devices to monitor and lower my pulse rate.

These usually cost between $15 - $35 USD and if you can afford this and you are serious about getting into deeper meditation much faster, then this will be a great tool for your to do so.

Simply plug your finger in, turn the device ON and start meditating with regular checks to see how your heart rate is going.

After a few minutes, start slowing your breathing down and concentrating on each word of your mantra very intently.

After several weeks, you should (hopefully) start to notice your heart rate coming down.

I have seen people with heart rates of over 110 come down to less than 80 within 3-4 months by meditating twice a day.

Remember everyone is different so some people will get faster results than others.

Also use this 10 or 15 second ping to help reduce your breathing.

• "10 Second Meditation Ping"
• "15 Second meditation ping"

Option 4 - BrainWaves ↟↟

Did you know that - in most cases - by visually controlling your Brainwave patterns, you can speed up your meditation learning curve?

Find out more about controlling your "BrainWave" activity here.

Synchronized Energy Technique

Synchronized Energy is for 2 or more people doing a group meditation together and (not online).

Synchronized Energy is one of the fastest and best ways to not only relax, nut also - and this is important - to harmonize with 1 or more people doing a group meditation.

This includes Synchronized Energy for couples, Synchronized Energy for groups where you do not know all of the members and personal space is respected and Synchronized Energy for groups where everyone in the group is familiar with - and feels safe with everyone else in the group.

It also covers small and large groups.

There are several "techniques" I have listed on this "Synchronized Energy" page.