Lie down or sit in a comfortable position for the exercises.
Passive and progressive relaxation are two related yet different techniques designed to create a state of total relaxation in the body. This is important for anyone feeling the effects of mental or physical stress, as relaxation creates the state of calm that you need to center yourself and recover. Both techniques can be employed by the same person to great success, but one may work better than the other for certain people.
Passive Preparation
Find a position where there is as little tension on your body imposed by your position as possible. The two best positions are sitting in a comfortable chair or lying on your side. Use pillows or blankets to pad your body and to ensure that no tension or pressure is present anywhere. Lying on your back is acceptable as long as no pressure is put on your back or neck.
Passive Relaxation
Passive relaxation often follows a script, in which you will be asked by the meditation leader or the CD that you play on your stereo to relax each portion of your body in turn. To do it on your own, simply start at the feet and work your way up. Alternatively, start at your scalp and work your way down. Concentrate on each body part. Imagine the tension, pain and stress simply running out of each body part. Continue to focus on it until you can feel the stress melt away. Keep your breathing deep and steady throughout.
Progressive Relaxation
Progressive relaxation is also best enjoyed in either a comfortable lying or sitting position. However, the relaxation process is more specific. If you don't have a tape to follow, record yourself reading a progressive relaxation script so that you can follow your own directions. Ensure that there are no other distractions in the space, and possibly put on some soothing music to help you relax. Focus on deep breathing. Leave several minutes of quiet before you start talking on a self-recorded script so that you can focus on your breath before beginning the exercise.
Progressive Relaxation Techniques
Again, start at your feet. This time, instead of just focusing on the muscle and willing it to relax, you are going to actively tense or stretch the muscle and then release it suddenly. Focus on letting all the tension drain out of the muscle as you actively relax it. Repeat the exercise several times for each muscle before you move on to the next. Your recorded script should just include prompts to remind you when to tense and relax each muscle in a regular rhythm so that you move through the body and achieve total relaxation.
Tags: your body, body part, each body, each body part, each muscle, Progressive Relaxation, Progressive Relaxation Techniques