Relaxation

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Another and increasingly common method of getting in touch with one's inner self using one's own resources is through meditation. Mention has been made in the preceding section of how an interest in Eastern religions and spiritual movements arose in the West in the 1960s. This in turn inspired an interest in meditation, which is often an essential part of such religions, even among people who do not embrace the whole religion.

An essential part of meditation is relaxation. Some people begin with relaxation and move on to meditation. Others find that relaxation alone fulfils their needs. They find that through relaxation they can unwind totally and free themselves from a buildup of stress. By devoting time and space to completely relaxing themselves and to making their minds completely free of the accumulation of thoughts and worries that usually occupy our 21st-century minds, they feel that through relaxation alone they can commune with themselves and so explore their inner selves. In screening out the world, they give themselves the chance of looking into their subconscious, in the way that other people achieve through meditation.

Of course, there are degrees of relaxation, and some people use relaxation techniques simply to de-stress themselves. It represents a therapeutic pause in an overcrowded life. Others, again, see it as an opportunity to make time for themselves, to clear the mind of all the impediments that have built up there, and to unleash emotions and memories. For this second group, relaxation is a stage on a journey of exploration, even a final stage.

Relaxation techniques vary with the preference of the individual, and it is important for everyone who is interested in relaxation to find the method that is right for him or her. Some people, even if they lead highly stressed lives, find it easy to relax. Others find it extremely difficult, often thinking that they have no time for such a pursuit and often imagining that they will find it boring since they assume, quite wrongly, that deep relaxation is essentially a zombie-like state in which your level of consciousness is markedly dimmed.

It is usually the case that to relax, people like to find a comfortable position, although not a position that induces sleep. This applies especially to those who are just begining to learn relaxation techniques. Such a position varies from person to person. For example, some like to lie on the floor and others prefer to lean back in a comfortable chair. As long as you are comfortable, but not too comfortable, it really does not matter. People who have mastered the art of relaxation after much practice can go into their relaxation routine anywhere, but there is no point in putting obstacles in your way to begin with.

Comfort should also be considered when choosing clothes for relaxation sessions. Loose and comfortable clothing is considerably more conducive to relaxation than the rather tight suit that you may have worn to the office. If you are trying to slough off the worries of the day, you are less likely to achieve your aim if you are constantly aware of the tightness of your waistband.

It is important deliberately to set aside some time each day for your relaxation session. We all know how easy it is to have good intentions but somehow never find the time to carry these out. A little self-discipline is necessary to make some time for oneself, and it is easier to do this on a regular basis, rather than simply snatch a few minutes at a different time each day, at least until your relaxation session becomes a central part of your life. Again, people who are experienced in relaxation techniques can snatch a few minutes anywhere to go into their routine and relieve their stress, but it takes some considerable time to achieve such expertise.

If you are just embarking on a relaxation programme, it is also important to provide yourself with somewhere quiet and private to set about the process. Until you have learnt something about the art of switching off, it is not fair to yourself to try out your relaxation technique in busy or noisy surroundings. It is all too easy to become distracted and then to assume that you are not a suitable candidate for relaxation. In time you may become one of those lucky people who can go into a relaxation programme anywhere, no matter how noisy or stressful your surroundings are, but it is rather foolish to assume that you will be able to do this right away.

Physical considerations must be thought of if you are contemplating a relaxation programme. Not only do clothing, place and time have to be considered but also the state of one's stomach. If you have just eaten a very heavy meal and go into your relaxation technique, you are very likely to fall asleep. On the other hand, if you have not eaten all day and are absolutely ravenous, you will very likely find it difficult to take your mind off your hunger long enough to concentrate on your relaxation technique.

Time, space, clothing and the state of the stomach are important to the person embarking on a relaxation programme, but there are other things that will help would-be relaxers to achieve their aim. One of these is a concentration on breathing techniques. Most of us, although we are probably unaware of the fact, have a shallow, erratic breathing pattern, in keeping with our busy, erratic lives. Controlled, regular breathing, however, is important both in relaxation and meditation.

Apart from anything else, it induces a sense of calm that is central to both of these. In order to master the breathing techniques used in relaxation and meditation programmes, it is worth becoming aware of the timing of the four-second breath, which is the basis of many breathing techniques. You breathe in to a count of four and breathe out to a count of four, often holding the breath at the top of the lungs to a count of two in between breathing in and breathing out, and holding the lungs empty to the count of two in between breathing out and breathing in again. If you practise this a few times by the clock, you will learn to judge the timing without recourse to a clock or watch and will be able to perform automatically the breathing techniques based on the four-second sequence.

Concentration on breathing directs one's thoughts away from the day's concerns and problems and enables one to concentrate purely on oneself. Perhaps the best-known example of using breathing techniques to induce relaxation and to divert concentration from problems, or in this particular case pain, is its use in natural childbirth.

Expectant mothers are taught a series of regular breathing techniques at antenatal classes so that they might put these into practice during labour and so decrease their pain levels and the levels of drugs that are otherwise necessary.

Breathing techniques are thus an important part of thought-control or concentration-direction. Another effective way to accomplish this is by muscular relaxation techniques. This involves concentration on parts of the body in turn, for example, on the legs, and on how to recognize tension and relaxation in the muscles related to these. Total relaxation occurs when you are able to concentrate on the whole body part by part, getting each part to relax.

More information on relaxation of body parts is given further on in the chapter in the discussion on meditation. As with concentration on breathing, concentration on relaxed muscles or parts of the body helps to direct one's concentration away from the problems and pressures of one's life.

Obviously, there is more to advanced relaxation and meditation techniques than are described here. For anyone interested in the subject, however, there is a great deal of help available. There are various books on the subject obtainable either from your public libraries-although these are so popular now that you may have to reserve them-or from bookshops. Also there are various classes and courses run throughout the country so that people can acquire the essential techniques of relaxation that they can then practise by themselves.

Whether or not you join a class is a matter of personal preference. Some people find that it helps them to get started on something if they make the commitment to join a class. Others find it more difficult to follow written instructions given in a book than spoken instructions given by a teacher or class leader. Both such groups will obviously opt for a class, but many others are quite happy to follow written instructions at home at their own pace, perhaps seeking the advice of a friend with some knowledge of the subject.

Some people who opt for the home-based situation find that relaxation tapes are extremely helpful. These are readily available, and many of them talk would-be relaxers through relaxation techniques or a whole relaxation programme. A degree of self-discipline and concentration is required to get started on such a tape scheme. As with most things in life, the tapes tend to vary in quality.

Ordinary music tapes are often just as helpful in a relaxation programme. Such tapes should not be too stimulating, or they will defeat the purpose, or too soporific, or they will send the would-be relaxer to sleep. Something reasonably quiet and repetitive is usually what is required, but choice of music is very much a matter of personal taste and preference.