2 Keys To Bodily Relaxation And Mental Calm
“In the beginners mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”
-Shunryu Suzuki
Focus. It’s more important than ever now that you are surrounded by distractions. Culture presents you with so much information that you can easily become overwhelmed. You can be pulled in too many directions and feel that you’re spread too thin. Your mind tends to be full of thoughts that are moving too quickly, leaving you confused. In this distracted state of mind, you must be careful not to forget your physical body. You must strive to concentrate on one thing, directing your attention within your body.
Relaxation With A Focus On The Body
Focusing on the relaxation of your physical body enables you to calm the mind and to experience a state of well-being. Consider where you’ve felt tension recently. Was it your neck, shoulders, or back? What about your arms, hips, or legs? Take a moment to remember how you’ve been feeling over the past few days. Do certain muscles stand out to you in your memory? Put yourself in the same position you work in each day and observe how you feel to locate your most overused muscles.
To start, choose the most important area–the spot you’ve been feeling the most uncomfortable. Find a reclined position that allows the muscles in the area to relax completely. Use your hands to touch the area, feeling it’s texture while you move your fingertips through the muscle slowly. If you feel tight bands and knots in the muscle, apply heat first and apply pressure second.
Muscle Relaxation Methods
Hold a hot pack or hot water bottle to the area for 10-15 minutes. Placing a damp cloth between the heat source and your skin works best. Allow the area to cool for 2-3 minutes and then repeat, reapplying as many times as you’d like–the more the better! Immediately after this, apply firm pressure to the muscle.
Press the area with your hands if you can reach the area you’re focusing on. If you can’t reach it, use a foam roller or a tennis ball to do it. Place the roller or ball on a firm surface such as the floor, a chair, or a wall. Lean your body on the roller or ball so that the pressure is focused on your target area. Keep the intensity at a level that’s comfortable for you and hold for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times, being careful to breathe deeply and slowly throughout the process.
The Best Order For Muscle Relaxation
These methods are especially effective before and after exercise and sleep. Applying pressure encourages the flow of lactic acid and other waste away from the area so the body can dispose of it more efficiently. As your muscles adapt to a softer state over time, stretching becomes more effective. This is because stretching works best when the muscle being stretched has a very relaxed neutral resting tone–it should be completely loose when you’re not using it actively. This requires the brain to normalize the activation level of the muscle, which can be achieved through the application of heat, pressure, and gentle exercises.
If you continue this practice diligently, you will feel the muscles in your physical body becoming more relaxed and your mind will soon follow. For you to enter a deeply calm state of mind, you must enter a state of deep physical relaxation. This reduction in stress improves your body’s overall efficiency in it’s adaption to your environment. You’ll never know how relaxed your body and mind can be until you make it happen, so start exploring today!