Take a moment and feel your hands.
Notice how as you feel your hands,
Your thinking about them decreases.
Then notice how as you go into thinking about your hands,
You go away from feeling your hands.
In reality,
You can't feel your hands or your body and think about them at the same time.
You can either think or feel.
You can do one or the other,
But you can't think and feel at the same time.
As you switch from thinking to feeling,
Thinking automatically slows down and you activate a natural relaxation response in your body.
The longer you remain feeling body sensations,
Such as those of your hands,
The more thinking slows down and the deeper the natural relaxation response will be throughout your entire body and mind.
With your eyes open or closed,
Sense and feel your jaw.
Don't go into thinking,
Just sensing and feeling your jaw.
Notice how as you sense your jaw,
Your mouth,
And perhaps other parts of your body soften and relax as you continue sensing and feeling your jaw.
Notice how as one layer of sensation is experienced,
It dissolves and the next layer is revealed.
Keep attention in your jaw.
As you do this,
Feel the progressive relaxation response that deepens over time.
Notice how this relaxation response then migrates to other parts of your body.
Now bring your attention to your shoulders,
Sensing your shoulders without going into thinking,
Just sensing and feeling your shoulders as sensation.
Notice how your shoulders soften and perhaps relax as you stay with the sensation of your shoulders without going into thinking.
Just as before,
As one layer of sensation dissolves,
The next layer of sensation is revealed.
Keep your attention in your shoulders.
As you do,
Feel the progressive relaxation response that deepens over time in your shoulders and perhaps throughout the rest of your body.
Feel free to continue engaging this practice with other parts of your body,
Your face,
Your arms,
Your torso,
Pelvis and legs,
Or with your entire body as a field of sensation.
Don't try to relax.
Don't try to dissolve tension.
Simply stay with sensation and experience how your body naturally lets go into an ever-deepening relaxation response.
When you're ready to return to your normal waking state of consciousness,
Allow your eyes to open and close several times as you begin stretching and moving your body about,
Noticing the environment around you while continuing to feel your body as sensation.
Before returning to your daily activities,
Take a few moments and reflect on your experience of the practice you've just done.
