The Environment

To begin with it is easy to relax while sitting down. However a more beneficial effect is obtained when you do it sitting (the relaxation remains better once you get up and walk around). If you could practice the relaxation while standing it would be even better. :) However standing is not really practical and could be dangerous if you lost balance!

When you do the relaxation make sure you are alone, and unlikely to be disturbed for the next hour. Choose a time and place when it is relatively quiet. Traffic noise or rain is not a problem, but radio, TV, or people talking or making noises can be very distracting.

You can either play your relaxation tape through headphones or a stereo. One way I found good was to play it through headphones from a Walkman (on autostop) and listen to a good classical CD on the stereo in the background. When relaxed your appreciation of the classical music seems to be heightened. I found that the stereo needed to be quite low though, background music only, otherwise your concentration can be broken.

The Method

Relaxation is not the same as lying down for a thirty minute nap. I have done many of hundreds of sessions but have never fallen asleep. Instead you should be concentrating - on what ???.... on your body - every aspect of it. Try to forget everything else outside of your body. At first there doesn't seem enough to keep your mind occupied - you already know your body. So you need to use some imagination.

When the tape talks about your arm or leg being relaxed don't try to make it relaxed, instead just imagine what it would feel like if it was relaxed, then pretend your arm/leg feels like this. Imagine you can feel your arm/leg/neck changing, sinking, loosening, warming,... Then imagine it going a bit lower, a bit further...

When the tape says your arm is limp imagine it being paralysed or disconnected from you, and draped over the chair like a wet towel (or some other imagery - try Salvador Dali's "Melting watches", etc). When the tape says heavy think of weights draped over your arm, big weights, or your arm is made of lead. Think what that would be like, how exhausting to move your arm. Imagine that if you were to try and lift your arm (or leg) that you would find it too heavy to move, no matter how hard you tried (but don't actually move it).

Breathing is a very important part of the relaxation, and when you are concentrating on this aspect there is lots to think about - the feeling of the air as it enters and cools your nose (think of cool refreshing air coming in, old stale, dirty air being expelled). Notice the way your abdomen rises and falls, the shallowness of your breathing as you relax, and how the feelings and tension in all parts of your body change at different parts of the breathing cycle.

Repetition

In order to concentrate your mind you can use words and numbers. I found it good to repeat one of the following words relax, calm, smooth, easy, etc.

After 20 minutes

To occupy your time after the twenty minutes is up, try repeating any ideas already given to you on the tape, even better is to invent new ones. Feel the way a part of your body is touching your bed or chair. Is it rough/smooth, hot/cold, soft/hard, uneven/evenly spread pressure.

Think of your toes, fingers, back and your clothes loosening - use your imagination but only imagine things to do with your body and don't connect it with your "body".

Mind and Body

Relaxing your body and muscles is the first step, and the most important for those with OOS where ongoing problems are partly due "underlying habituated muscle tension". However, relaxing your mind is also important, and is the second step. Thinking about your body and following the instructions on the tape will relax your body. Then the repetition, concentration on breathing and holding of one idea/image in your mind (eg. Imagine continually redrawing a large red 3 in space whilst repeating the word "three").

When you've got it

As with anything the more you practice it the better you get at it. When you are properly relaxed, both mind and body, you should feel very comfortable. You should feel as if you've forgotten how to move, with the sense of touch in your body, (eg. feeling of fingers touching arm of chair) should have disappeared.

When your mind becomes relaxed you may find the repetition has faded and you can think about 'nothing'. This is the 'nirvana' meditation strives for. In this state (not always easily achieved) I find that I completely lose track of time, completely forget about the outside world. Sometimes your mind begins to sort of 'daydream', a whole lot of completely disconnected thoughts, unconnected with reality will pass through your mind without you consciously thinking about them. I find that in this state the music CD may stop playing, but I don't notice. At first I kept examining and studying this state with my mind - which , of course, ruins it. It is at first a strange experience and comes in small bursts, you eventually get used to the sensations and don't try to interfere.

Discomfort / itching

The first 10 minutes are the hardest in terms of these things, after this period tactile sensations fade. Try to ignore any itch. This is very difficult as you think 'I'll just scratch it quickly and get back to the relaxation'. However, if you give in and scratch or shift you can guarantee there will be another half a dozen itches along shortly. As far as discomfort goes, it is impossible to be properly comfortable at first, but when you become relaxed all discomforts fade.

How often

You have to be dedicated and practice every day for the full half to full hour. In the evening before bed is a good time - going to sleep is much quicker and easier.

Eventually once you have to some degree mastered the method it can be applied at any time, any place in as little as a few minutes. Sitting in a seat, waiting for someone - concentrate on your smooth breathing and relaxes body feelings for a few minutes - you don't even need to close your eyes.

Eventually a relaxation training tape should be unnecessary. You should be able to sit down and go through the same ideas in your mind without the tape.

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