In this practice,
We will train the skill of recognizing,
Releasing and enjoying the release of effort,
Which manifests as muscular tension.
We will do so by deliberate tensing and relaxing of muscles.
Start by settling into your practice posture,
Comfortable while remaining attentive.
Start by becoming aware of how it feels like to be you right now.
Any sounds,
Sights,
Smell,
Tastes,
Bodily sensations or any mental phenomena such as thoughts,
Whatever it may be,
Gently observing being-with.
Good.
We will now begin with our first phase,
In which we will practice the following sequence for the different parts of your body,
Tensing,
Releasing,
Relaxation,
Tensing and noticing how tensing feels like,
Releasing and noticing what happens when we release,
Relaxation and noticing how relaxation feels like.
Let us begin with our feet,
Crawling your toes in tightly,
Tensing,
Tensing,
Tensing and release,
Relaxing.
And again,
Crawling your toes in tightly,
Tensing,
Tensing.
How does it feel like to be tense?
And release,
Relax.
How does it feel like to relax?
Now the calves,
Pointing your toes,
Tensing the calf muscles,
Tensing,
Tensing,
Tensing and release,
Relax.
Again tensing,
Tensing.
How does tension feel like?
Release and relax.
How does it feel to relax?
The thighs,
Pulling your heel towards your butt,
Tensing the thighs,
Tensing,
Tensing,
Tensing and release,
Relax.
Tensing,
Noticing the tension and you may also notice the effort underlying tension.
Release and noticing when you release the effort,
Relaxation manifests.
Your buttocks,
Squeezing them together,
Tensing,
Tensing,
Tensing,
Release and relax.
Tensing,
Noticing the tension,
The effort underlying tension,
Releasing the effort and enjoying the relaxation that comes with the release.
Again in lower back,
As if you would pull your belly button towards your spine,
Tensing,
Tensing,
Tensing and release the effort it takes to tense and noticing how relaxation comes,
Enjoying.
Again tensing,
Tensing,
Tensing and release,
Relax.
Your arms and chest,
Pushing your arms extended to the front,
Flexing,
Tensing your arms and chest,
Tensing,
Tensing.
How does tension feel like?
The effort underlying it and release the effort and see what happens,
Relax,
Softness.
Again tensing arms and chest,
Tensing,
Release,
Relax.
Your hands,
Clenching your hands together into a fist,
Tensing.
How does tension feel like?
Release the effort underlying tension,
Releasing the effort necessary to tense,
Letting go and be curious what happens,
Softness,
Relaxation.
Again clenching hands together into a fist,
Tensing,
Noticing it,
Release,
Relaxing,
Noticing it,
Enjoying it.
Back and shoulders,
Pulling your shoulders up to your ears,
Tensing,
Tensing,
Tensing and release,
Relaxing,
Enjoying how good it feels to release,
Let go.
Pulling your shoulders up to your ears,
Tensing,
Tensing,
Tensing and release the effort,
Relaxing,
Noticing the lack of effort it takes to relax,
To enjoy.
Your face,
Clenching your teeth,
Gently squeezing your eyes,
Tensing,
Tensing,
Tensing and release,
Relax,
Enjoy.
Again tensing,
Tensing,
Noticing the effort it takes to tense,
Release the effort and enjoy the result of release,
Relaxation,
How nice it feels.
Good,
We will now begin with the second phase.
Whenever you notice effort anywhere within your body that may manifest as physical tension,
Notice the tension,
Be curious about the effort underlying the tension,
Releasing it with or without tensing it,
It is up to you and enjoying how good it feels to relax,
To release the effort,
To let go until it lasts and repeat the process over and over of recognizing,
Release and enjoying.
Continue practicing like this for a while.
You can take your time at every phase,
Recognizing how it feels like to be tense,
The effort underlying it,
Whenever you are ready,
With or without tensing it,
Allowing it to be released and enjoying how nice it feels to relax until it lasts and repeat.
In this practice we are developing three skills,
Recognizing of effort underlying tension,
Releasing the effort underlying tension and enjoying the release of effort.
So whether your body is full of tension or fully relaxed it does not matter,
In each case you can practice either the recognition and release of effort or the enjoyment of the relaxation until it lasts and then repeat.
Be curious about these three steps,
Developing each step bit by bit at your rhythm.
Be curious about the effort underlying,
The effort that supports,
Maintains,
Sustains the tension.
And be curious about what happens if you release the effort rather than releasing and removing the tension.
What happens if I take away the support,
The effort underlying tension?
Will my tension reduce,
Become more relaxed?
Being curious,
Continue practicing like this for a while.
As we transition out of this practice,
A reminder that recognizing,
Releasing and enjoying the release is available to you in daily life.
Take care.
