E-Newsletter:
Relaxation Techniques (06/07)

For the PRIDE Parade we distributed a calendar with 10 lines about relaxation techniques, but when I researched relaxation I discovered plenty of great ideas I wanted to share. Here they are:

First steps for any relaxation techniques:

1. Sit or lie comfortably in a quiet place, away from the stressful situation. If you have trouble finding a quiet place, put fingers or thumbs over your ears, covering the ear canal, and enjoy the natural rushing sound.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Breathe deeply and slowly, through your nose if possible. Fill the bottom of your lungs first, then the middle, then the top, taking 8 to 10 seconds to fill your lungs completely. Hold your breath a couple seconds. Exhale quietly and easily.
4. Notice your heart rate and pulse slowing with your breathing.

Sometimes that is all it takes to feel relaxed again. If you're still stressed, anxious, or panicky, try one or more of the techniques below. The best relaxation techniques address both mind and body: this is called autogenic relaxation.

Progressive Relaxation

• Sense your toes, their weight, their size. Consciously relax them. Let them sink into the floor or bed.
• Do this with the muscles in your feet. Then your ankles, lower legs, knees, and so on up to your face.
• Mentally scan your body and relax any part that is still tense.

Tensing and Relaxing

• Pull all your toes toward your face, tensing the muscles. Hold for a count of ten. Relax your toes and notice the difference.
• Do this 10 times with your toes, and then work all the way up your body, contracting and relaxing your muscles.

Guided Imagery: 3 Techniques

1. Imagine yourself in a peaceful, relaxing place.
   • See the images of your relaxing place. Look around.
   • Smell the scents of your relaxing place.
   • Hear the sounds, the obvious ones and the little details.
   • Feel the wind, rain, heat - whatever is appropriate for your relaxing place - on your face and skin.
   If the stressful situation keeps invading your relaxing place, try one of these:
2. Imagine the stress flowing out of your body into the ground, or imagine peaceful rain washing the stress off and carrying it away from you.
3. Picture your stressor as a representative object - your boss, a pile of bills, your broken car. Now shrink it in your mind. Shrink it until it is so small you can hold it in the palm of your hand. Now you can easily handle something that small! If you can't picture it shrinking, imagine a giant eraser, and erase the stress away until it's gone.

Meditation

Ideally during meditation you should be able to clear your mind. But if thoughts keep popping in, like they do for so many of us, try focusing on:

• Breathing - Pay attention to inhaling, holding, and exhaling each breath.
• Breathing - Count each breath.
• A word - Say a relaxing word, like calm, peace, or Om. Say it slowly, exaggerating each letter.
• An object - Open your eyes and find a single, simple object, like a crystal, flower, or piece of jewelry to concentrate on.

Ahh, I'm feeling relaxed just writing about these techniques! I hope you are too.

Remember, if these don't work for you, it's time for a Reiki session with Erik LaBelle, Reiki Master/Teacher! Erik's available for 30 minute Reiki sessions evenings and weekends. The first session's just $10, and it's only $20 per session after that. For $5 more, Erik will come to your home or office anywhere in the Chicago area. Call 312-504-7693 to schedule!

Anna Schibrowsky
Chicago Healing Studio