I'm going to give you some instructions that will help you relax your muscles,
Starting with your arm muscles and ending with the muscles in your legs.
For each set of muscles,
I'm going to ask you to tighten them for a few seconds and then let them relax.
As this happens,
Your body will begin to feel more and more relaxed and your breathing will slow.
Remember,
Though,
The goal is to relax your body,
Not fall asleep.
Let your mind wander,
Drift among peaceful thoughts,
And enjoy the activity.
Let's begin.
Be sure you're in a comfortable position.
If you aren't,
Move around now.
Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing.
Take a breath deep until you feel your lungs stretch out.
And now exhale.
Again,
Breathe in deep,
Then exhale.
Feel your heartbeat slowing,
Your body calming.
Breathe in deep,
Deep,
And exhale.
Now I want you to imagine an orange in your right hand.
Squeeze this hand tight,
Tight,
Tighter to get every last drop of juice.
And now drop the orange out of your hand and let your hand fall in.
Notice the difference between tension and relaxation.
This is how many of the muscles feel in our body when we're stressed and uptight,
And often without us realizing it.
Now pick up another orange with your right hand and squeeze it tight,
Tight,
Tighter,
And now drop the orange.
And notice your hand feels even more relaxed.
Now let's do that with your left hand.
Take the orange in your left hand,
Squeeze it tight,
Tight,
And relax.
One more time.
Squeeze the orange with your left hand,
Tighter,
Tight,
And relax.
Now you're going to stretch your arm and shoulder muscles by raising your arms up high behind your head.
Stand your hands together up behind your head and while keeping them close to the floor,
Stretch them up behind your head like a cat stretching after an afternoon nap.
Feel the tension in your arms and shoulders.
Now hold tight,
Tight,
Tighter,
And relax and bring your arms to your sides.
Feel how relaxed and limp your arms are.
Let's do that again.
Clasp your hands,
Push them way above your head.
Push until it's tight and tighter,
And relax and let your arms come down to your sides.
Now let's focus on your neck muscles.
Just like a turtle pulling its head into its shell,
Bring your head down into your shoulders,
Tight and tighter.
Now relax.
Let's do that again.
Bring your head into your shoulders like a turtle,
Pulling it in tight and tighter,
And relax.
Now we'll relax some of the muscles on your face.
I want you to clench your jaw muscles by gritting your teeth together.
Feel how tight your jaw muscles get when you do that.
Clench them tight now,
Tighter.
Now relax until your jaw sag.
We'll do that again.
Clench your teeth,
Tighter,
Tight,
And relax.
Oftentimes our stomachs can get knotted up when we're feeling stress,
So let's relax the muscles in the middle of our body.
Imagine yourself about to be punched in the stomach,
And so you make your stomach muscles very tight.
Hold it tight,
Tight,
Tighter,
And now relax.
Take a few slow deep breaths now,
Breathing in deep.
And exhale,
Again,
Breathe in,
And exhale.
Now tighten your stomach again,
Tight,
Tight,
Tighter,
And relax.
Again,
Concentrate on your breathing.
You're feeling very relaxed now.
Your body is heavy.
Your muscles loose and very relaxed.
You're breathing very slow and steady.
Now let's concentrate on your leg muscles,
Starting with your right leg.
I want you to tighten these muscles by stretching your leg out as far as it will go.
Imagine that you are making yourself another foot taller because your leg is stretching out so far.
Hold these muscles tight and tighter,
And now relax.
And do your right leg again.
Stretch it out further.
Make it tight and tighter,
And relax.
Now let's do the same thing with your left leg.
Tighten your left thigh muscle.
Stretch your leg out tight,
Tight,
Tighter,
And then relax.
And do your left leg again.
Straighten it out.
Stretch it out.
Make it tight,
Tight,
Tighter,
And relax.
Your feet also have lots of muscles that need relaxing.
Clench the muscles of your right foot by imagining yourself picking up a softball by grabbing it underneath your toes.
Hold your right foot,
Muscles tight,
Tight.
Tighter.
And now let them relax.
We're going to use your right foot again to pick up that softball.
Hold it tight,
Tight,
And tighter,
And let it relax.
And now let's finish with your left foot.
Pick up a softball with your toes and hold it tight.
These muscles are tight,
Tight,
And tighter.
Now let them relax.
Let's do that left foot again.
Pick the softball up.
Your toes are tight.
Muscles are tighter,
Tighter.
And now let them relax.
Now let's return to your breathing.
Feel how slow and steady your chest rises and falls.
Your body feels so heavy,
Your muscles so loose.
Pure relaxation.
Now I'll be quiet and you'll have some time to enjoy this feeling.
Let your mind drift.
Your breathing will be slow.
Think of your breathing.
Focus on your breathing.
Listen to the surf.
And relax.
If you want to take他的 breath softer,
Relax it either way.
I'm gonna have one of them.
