RELAXATION
Relaxation is different from recreation and hobbies. It is a skill and it
takes time to learn. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself experiment until you find something that suits you, and then practice.
Deep Relaxation:
For this short routine you will need to imagine a ‘Happy Image’. This can be:
 Anything calming or soothing e. g a garden, a flower, the sea.
 Repeating in your mind a sound or word which you find relaxing e.g. the sound of the
sea or the word "Calm"
 Gazing on a fixed object in the room e.g. a picture or ornament, which you like.
1. Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes. Think about deeply relaxing
your muscles, beginning at your feet and moving up to your face. Keep your
muscles relaxed.
2. Breathe in through your nose and become aware of your breathing. Focus
on your own Happy Image and breathe out through your mouth.
3. Do not worry about whether you are good at the exercise. Keep a passive
attitude and allow relaxation to happen at its own pace.
4. Distressing thoughts will probably come into your mind. Do not dwell on
them or try to push them away, simply return to your Happy Image.
5. Continue for 10-20 minutes. When you finish, sit quietly with your eyes
closed for a few moments and then with your eyes open. Do not stand up and
begin moving around too soon.
Passive Relaxation Script
 Think about the muscles in your face. Your forehead in particular . . .lf there is any
tension in your forehead, then try to let it relax, and ease away. Try to feel the
tension across your forehead and scalp becoming smoother and smoother as you
relax... Hold no tension or effort. Just enjoy the feeling of letting go. (Pause)
 Now focus your attention to the muscles around your eyes... Make sure that your
eyelids are just lightly closed with no pressure, no effort... Let the muscles around
your eyes relax completely... no tension, just deeper and deeper relaxation.
(Pause)
 Think about the muscles around your mouth and jaw. Make sure that your teeth are
slightly parted so that there is no tension or pressure between your lips. Hold your
lips lightly together then think about your tongue and throat. Make sure that these
areas feel relaxed. Let your tongue lie in the bottom of the mouth. Let any tension
ease away from your tongue and throat. Let the whole of your mouth, jaw, lips,
tongue, and throat relax more and more deeply. (Pause)
 Hold no tension around your mouth. No tension around your eyes or in your
forehead. Make sure that all the muscles of your face are completely relaxed. Hold
no tension or effort. Just enjoy the feeling of letting go, allowing the muscles of your
face to relax more and more deeply. (Pause)
 Think now about the muscles in your neck. Make sure that these muscles feel
relaxed. Make sure that your head is in a comfortable position. Make sure that it
feels well supported, so that you can let go of any tension in your neck. Let your
neck relax more and more deeply. Let all tension ease away from your neck.
(Pause)
 Moving down towards your shoulders. If you feel any tension in your shoulders,
then try to note where it is and relax that tension. Relax your shoulders. Let them
drop down so that there is no tension. Feel no effort in your shoulders. Just enjoy
the feeling of letting go and relaxing. (Pause)
 Now down to your hands and arms. Try to feel whether there is any tension
present. If there is, then try to relax the hands and arms a little bit more. Let all the
tension ease away. Leave your muscles feel relaxed and comfortable. (Pause)
 Now move down your body, and focus your attention to the muscles of your chest.
Feel these muscles relaxing. Your breathing should be nice and even, but not too
deep. Every time you breathe out and without holding the breath, imagine saying
the word ‘RELAX’ under your breath. Each time you say the word ‘RELAX’, try to
feel the muscles of the chest relax a little bit more. (Pause)
 Think about the muscles in your stomach. Lf you feel any tension in these muscles,
then try to let them relax and unwind. Let all the tensions ease away until there is
no effort and no tension in this area. Just enjoy the feeling of letting go completely.
Let all the tensions ease away. Let all the muscles relax and unwind, until you are
more and more deeply relaxed. (Pause)
 Now focus your attention to the muscles in your legs and feet. Any tensions in your
legs or feet, then try to feel where this tension is and try to relax this tension. Relax
the muscles. Let all the tensions ease away. Let the muscles become more and
more comfortable. More and more relaxed. Hold no tension. Just sink slowly into
deeper and deeper relaxation. (Pause)
 Try to feel your whole body become more and more deeply relaxed. Enjoy the
feeling of letting go. Feel the pleasant sensation of heaviness as you let the
muscles relax and unwind. Feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper, as you let the
tension ease away from your body. Each time you breathe out, imagine saying the
word ‘RELAX’ under your breath. Each time you say the word ‘RELAX’ try to feel
your whole body becoming more and more relaxed. (Pause)