Spirit of Shavasana This is a relaxation exercise that you can do no matter how stressed you are or how your body feels.
Get comfortable right where you are,
Either sitting or lying down.
Gaze around the room,
Taking it all in with a soft focus.
Blink your eyes a few times.
Each time you'll blink,
Tell yourself to let go of your stress.
Now close your eyes and take a couple of slow,
Deep breaths.
As you breathe in and out,
Feel your stomach and lungs expand and contract.
The room and your cares are slowly leaving your mind with each inhalation and exhalation.
If your mind wanders any time during this meditation,
Gently bring it back to the point where you left your meditation.
Now focus your mind on your feet.
Contract your feet as much as possible and then relax them.
Again,
Focus your mind on your feet,
Filling them with light.
Tense them and let them go.
Surrender them to gravity.
Let your feet go loose,
Limp and heavy.
Now visualize this light rising from your feet to your ankles.
Focus on your ankles.
Tense them as much as possible,
Then release the tension.
As you surrender your ankles to gravity,
They fill up with even more light.
Your feet and ankles are totally relaxed and heavy now.
Let the light travel up to your calves.
Now tighten your calf muscles as much as you can and then release them.
Letting your lower legs go loose and limp,
Completely heavy and relaxed.
Now let the light travel up to your thighs.
Fill them with light.
Tense them and then let them go.
Tense them as much as possible and then surrender them to gravity,
Letting them go loose and limp.
Your thighs are totally relaxed and heavy now.
Let your thighs relax.
The light in your legs shines brighter.
Now visualize all of that light from your legs rising to your hips.
Focus on your hips.
Stiffen your hips.
Tighten them as much as you can and let them go loose and limp.
Completely heavy and relaxed.
Allow the light to travel to your stomach.
Fill it with light.
Tense it and then let it go.
Take a slow deep breath in and out.
And again tense and contract your stomach muscles and then surrender them to gravity.
Letting them become completely relaxed and heavy.
Now let the light travel up to your chest.
Fill your chest with light as you slowly inhale.
Release that breath and tighten your chest.
Tighten it as much as possible and then release it,
Letting your chest go loose,
Limp and heavy.
As your chest relaxes,
The light in your chest and shoulders shines brighter.
Move your shoulders up and down.
Tense and release your shoulders while breathing deeply in and out.
In and out.
Take a deep breath in and out once more.
And let your shoulders surrender to gravity.
The light is traveling to your arms now.
Focus on your arms.
Tense them as much as possible and release the tension.
Squeeze your fists as tightly as you can.
Hold the tension and then completely relax.
As you surrender your arms and fists to gravity,
They fill up with light.
They're totally relaxed and heavy now.
Allow the light to rise to your face.
And now tighten all the muscles in your face and release them.
Clench your jaw and release.
Move your cheekbone muscles around as much as you can.
Tense them and release.
Move your eyebrows up and down.
Tighten and release them.
The light is shining bright and pulsating in your forehead.
Now your whole body is loose and limp and completely surrendered to gravity.
Your body is relaxed and energized at the same time.
There's a certain ease in the body and your mind feels soothed.
There is space in your mind to contemplate spiritual concepts.
In this feeling of ease,
You realize there is something more to you than just the physical body.
Your spirit is yearning for your attention.
In this moment of total tranquility,
You're attuned to the light within you.
Being aware of the light,
Silently say to yourself,
I will spend more time in the spirit.
Slowly bring your attention back to the body here and now.
Feeling relaxed and restful.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes while silently saying to yourself,
I am totally relaxed.
Om Shanti I am peace.
