Sharing What Works
This Blog explains how easy it can be to experience relaxation using individual key topics which you can put together as a process if you wish. I’ve explained it as one flowing process, each layer complements the next. Relaxation is crucial for our health and well being and is often neglected or delegated to the bottom of a ‘to do’ list. This Blog will give you the opportunity to view relaxation in a new way.
First Things First
Sometimes without even realising, we can be internally resisting what already exists; what is already in our reality. This little quiet hidden niggle of things not quite being what we wanted, hoped or expected can be a huge barrier to relaxation because it creates tension mentally and emotionally and of course then effects the physical body; we feel this as physical tension or tightness somewhere in the body. In short is creates a stuck state of being, but it doesn’t have to though, we can transform it.
Deciding To Be Now
When we decide to allow everything to be as it is...just for now, what we’re saying is we accept right now that things are this way. We’re not saying they should stay that way, or that we’ve decided become some sort of passive bystander in our life. Quite the opposite, it’s actually very empowering to accept the present moment because when we do this, it creates space. It allows a pause, a moment to just ‘be’ and observe. In this few minutes, or even moments sometimes, the inner conflict stops, the internal chatter relating to what’s going on stops. This then creates an opportunity to access something else other than tension and internal conflict. It has to be experienced rather than read about.
Huge Step Forward
The softening and the space that is created through allowing everything to be as it ...just for now, can be felt in the body. The shoulders may drop, the belly may relax, your headache may start to fade, your backache could smooth out. All of the physical signs were big clues that you needed to change something. It may sound a bit over the top, but this simple act is a huge step forward for your spiritual and personal development. Why? Because when you do this new helpful habit daily, your body responds more easily to the invitation of relaxation. Adopting this way of viewing things means you’ll find yourself less reactive to situations, so there is less collective tension that builds up. When we’ve felt the benefits of the space and the clarity it brings, it encourages us to experience it more!
Switch Off Standby Mode
Now that you have this new space and softening, the next step is to give yourself permission to relax. I’ve seen it so many times over the years where clients think they are relaxed but really they’re on ‘Standby Mode’, like a T.V that has been left switched on ready to spring into action with information, sounds and lots of ‘activity’. But surprisingly, when encouraged by using this simple phrase “Now give yourself permission to relax.” The body physically shifts, it is able to let go much more easily, it was just waiting to be given permission.
Self Appreciation
I’ve never heard any client or anyone for that matter say “From a young age I was taught how to appreciate myself.” That’s because in general we’re not taught how to do this, we’re not shown why it’s so nourishing and how it leads to self compassion, then eventually self love. But of course we can learn, and quite quickly too. The best way I’ve found working with clients over the years, is to first start with thinking about someone in your life maybe a dear friend that makes you laugh, a loved one, the feeling and connection of being in nature or perhaps a dear pet you have. This feeling of gratitude and feeling of connections starts to open the heart field. It warms the chest area and we start to feel that love vibration, which of course is indescribable.
Redirecting
Once you’ve got that lovely glowing feeling going it’s much easier to then start to redirect the feeling so it’s not actually about anyone else, it can be redirected so it’s for you! You simply decide to expand the warm fuzzy glowing feeling (or however you feel it in that moment) into the entire body. Be playful, you could pulse it into every cell, you could see and feel the colour which is symbolic for you and let it spread like warm honey throughout the body. It doesn’t matter how you do it. This soothes the mental chatter as the ‘feeling experience’ is much more interesting to the mind. Even the most self judging and highly self critical tendencies in people seem to surrender to this process, because at a higher level we’re actually designed to appreciate and love ourselves, even though currently it might be a stretch to do it all of the time, these are the first steps.
Softness And Expansion
The experience of this, even if brief, creates a softening, it ripples out and creates more space. It physically changes ‘stuff’ miraculously (or not) the tension starts to fade more and more. Energy can start to move and flow around the body, the oxygen can finally get into the muscle tissue bringing all the nourishment. And so the body starts to relax, lengthen and let go. Of course it does take practice like anything new, but as you have a taste of it, it’s really quite more-ish!!
More Space To Breathe
The benefits continue to get better and better. Because at this point you’ve created more space, the rib cage has more room to move. The back ribs can extend outwards which means the front and back of the body can move equally. Now you can move your attention down into the stomach area and gently guide the body to breathe a bit lower down usual (you can out your hand on the stomach which can help). No need to make the breath deeper or more forceful, this is just normal easy breathing but with a slight change in location. You’ll notice the chest starts to become a little more still as the stomach muscles are soft and have space to move freely. The brain waves then shift to the Alpha state, this calms and soothes the nervous system, breath this way for at least 5 minutes to feel the benefits, really indulge yourself in this breathing, the body loves it.
Senses And Surroundings
To add to this beautiful and deepening process, now you can include your surroundings to help you become present. When we’re in the past replaying a video of a situation or flying off into the future making up a story with a negative outcome, then reacting to the story we’ve just made up (which only exists in our mind) it creates a fragmentation of our energy. The body doesn’t like this, it’s difficult to focus and make decisions, we can feel day-dreamy, ungrounded and disconnected from others (after a while in this state, it creates emotional imbalance). Using your senses to bring you right back into your body and back into THIS moment is such as gift to yourself and creates relaxation straight away, even if it is felt in a subtle way.
Shapes Textures & More
By now you’re well on your way to feeling relaxation, no matter where you are, laying down, resting in nature or even gently walking you can now add this final element. Decide to notice the shapes around you, choose a shape and find it somewhere in your surroundings (or similar shape). Take your time. What textures can you see and feel? What colours can you see now? What sounds are around you? Are they near or far away? Use your senses to the full and luxuriate in this simple act of being fully present. Notice how calm you feel, notice how the body is feeling different now. Then you could decide to revisit this process to deepen the experience even more next time.
Summary
Now you know how and why it’s vital for you to explore new ways of accessing relaxation. These relaxation topics fit together and complement each layer so you have a short but potent process to follow which is supported with reasoning behind it. It’s a new opportunity to try a different way and feel how it benefits you. Enjoy your frequent relaxation.
Allow everything to be as it is...just for now.
Give permission.
Self appreciation
Alpha State
Senses & Surroundings
For more supportive resources sign up here https://www.ninaheaton.co.uk/resources for free Clarity Meditations
Disclaimer – I’m sharing this blog, all videos, Conscious Art, website content for information only. It does not diagnose, treat, cure any disease or disorder. Please refer to your healthcare practitioner.
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