Exercise 2,
Relax,
Expand and nourish the heart.
Find a place where you can comfortably sit or lie down and beginning the exercise by checking that the mouth is closed,
The tongue is resting against the roof of the mouth with the tip of the tongue resting against the back of the upper teeth.
And you're breathing in and out through the nose using abdominal breathing.
As you breathe in the belly expands and as you breathe out the belly shrinks.
And for this exercise I'm going to talk you through and ask you to use the breath from the head to the toes concentrating on one area at a time.
And as you breathe out you're going to relax and expand that area in all directions.
So for example when we start with the head I'll ask you to breathe out and relax and expand the head which means you visualise the head almost blowing up like a balloon.
Forwards from the face,
Backwards from the back of the head,
Expanding sideways from the ears outwards,
Expanding from the top of the head and then from the bottom of the head down into the neck.
And we're going to repeat that relax and expand visualisation three times for each body part.
So beginning with the head,
Think about the head,
As you breathe out relax and expand the head.
Think about the head,
Breathing out relax and expand the head in all directions.
Think about the head,
Relax and expand the head.
Bring your mind to your neck,
As you breathe out relax and expand the neck.
Think about the neck,
Relax and expand the neck.
Think about the neck,
Relax and expand the neck.
Bring your mind next to your shoulders,
As you breathe out relax and expand the shoulders.
Think about the shoulders,
Breathing out relax and expand the shoulders in all directions.
Think about the shoulders,
Relax and expand the shoulders.
Bring your mind now to your upper arms,
As you breathe out relax and expand the upper arms.
Think about the upper arms,
Relax and expand the upper arms.
Think about the upper arms,
Relax and expand the upper arms in all directions.
Now think about the elbows,
As you breathe out relax and expand the elbows from deep within the joint outwards.
Think about the elbows,
Relax and expand the elbows in all directions.
Think about the elbows,
Relax and expand the elbows.
Bring your mind to your forearms,
As you breathe out relax and expand the forearms.
Think about the forearms,
Relax and expand the forearms in all directions.
Think about the forearms,
Relax and expand the forearms.
Bring your mind now to your wrists,
As you breathe out relax and expand the wrists from deep within the joint outwards.
Think about the wrists,
Relax and expand the wrists in all directions.
Think about the wrists,
Relax and expand the wrists.
Bring your mind to your hands,
As you breathe out relax and expand the hands to the very tips of the fingers.
Think about the hands,
Relax and expand the hands in all directions.
Think about the hands,
Relax and expand the hands.
Now bring your mind to your chest and upper back.
As you breathe out relax and expand the chest and upper back.
Think about the chest and upper back,
Relax and expand the chest and upper back in all directions.
Think about the chest and upper back,
Relax and expand the chest and upper back.
Bring your mind to the abdomen and lower back.
As you breathe out relax and expand the abdomen and lower back.
Think about the abdomen and lower back,
Relax and expand the abdomen and lower back in all directions.
Think about the abdomen and lower back,
Relax and expand the abdomen and lower back.
Bring your mind to your hips,
As you breathe out relax and expand the hips in all directions.
Think about the hips,
Relax and expand the hips from deep within the joint outwards.
Think about the hips,
Relax and expand the hips.
Bring your mind to your thighs,
As you breathe out relax and expand the thighs.
Think about the thighs,
Relax and expand the thighs in all directions.
Think about the thighs,
Relax and expand the thighs.
Bring your mind to your knees,
As you breathe out relax and expand the knees from deep within the joint outwards.
Think about the knees,
Relax and expand the knees.
Think about the knees,
Breathing out relax and expand the knees.
Bring your mind to your lower legs,
As you breathe out relax and expand the lower legs.
Think about the lower legs,
Relax and expand the lower legs.
Think about the lower legs,
Relax and expand the lower legs in all directions.
Bring your mind to your ankles,
As you breathe out relax and expand the ankles from deep within the joint outwards.
Think about the ankles,
Relax and expand the ankles in all directions.
Think about the ankles,
Relax and expand the ankles.
Bring your mind to your feet,
As you breathe out relax and expand the feet to the very tips of the toes.
Think about the feet,
Relax and expand the feet in all directions.
Think about the feet,
Relax and expand the feet.
Now bring your mind back to your lower abdomen.
Breathing in and out using your abdominal breath.
And just breathing for a few times.
And to finish the exercise,
Women place the right hand on the lower abdomen below the belly button with the left hand on top.
And men placing the left hand on the lower abdomen with the right hand on top.
And then circling first in one direction and then in the other direction to complete the exercise.
Becoming aware now of the contact your body has with the surface that you're sitting or lying on.
Listening for any sounds around you to bring yourself back into the space.
And when you're ready,
You can just gently open the eyes.
So relax,
Expand and nourish the heart is an excellent exercise which should leave your mind calm and relaxed.
It also improves the circulation around the body and the heart itself by expanding the blood vessels as you think of relaxing and expanding each body part.
So at the same time as being calming and relaxing,
It's also energising because it promotes the circulation.
This exercise can be performed sitting or lying down or standing.
And is an excellent exercise if you're having trouble sleeping at night,
Either going off to sleep or waking in the middle of the night.
It's also an excellent exercise to practice if you feel tired during the day because of its energising properties.
