A technique based on the work of Edmund Jacobson, this is an excellent way to begin if you have never done any sort of relaxation or meditation technique before, because it gives most people some sense of what relaxation feels like even the first time you try it. As you repeat your technique (it is best done for fifteen minutes at least twice a day), you will find you enter a state of relaxation that is progressively deeper and deeper.

The first few times you try the technique, you may find you have trouble picturing all the images as they come, or preventing your mind from wandering. It doesn’t matter if you don’t `see’ anything – some people are more visual in their imagery, others more feeling; both work superbly well – just approach the exercise from your own point of view.

become aware

When you find your mind wandering (this is a common occurrence because your concentration is not used to focusing so intensely, or because you are experiencing something new to you, which naturally enough causes a little anxiety) ask yourself, `Why is my mind wandering?’ Pursue that thought for a couple of minutes, then go back to the exercise and continue to go through it as best you can. All difficulties will iron themselves out automatically after you have practiced the technique long enough – so persevere to overcome any initial difficulties.

Find a quiet room, preferably one without too much light, and sit in a comfortable chair that gives support to your back. Place both feet flat on the floor and close your eyes.

Become aware of your breathing and just let the air come in and out of your body without doing anything.

Take a few deep breaths. Each time you breathe out, slowly repeat the word `relax’ silently to yourself.

focus

Focus on your face, and let yourself feel any tension in your face or eyes, your jaw or tongue. Make a mental picture of tension – you could picture a clenched fist, a knotted rope, or a hard ball of steel – then mentally picture the tension going and everything becoming relaxed, like a limp rubber band.

Feel your face and your eyes, your jaw and your tongue becoming relaxed, and as they relax, experience a wave of relaxation spreading through your whole body. (Each step takes about ten seconds.)

Tighten up all the muscles in your face and eyes, squeezing them as hard as you can. Then let go and feel the relaxation spread throughout your body again.

Now apply the same instruction to other parts of your body, moving slowly downwards from your head to your neck, shoulders, and upper back, arms, hands, chest, mid- and lower back, your abdomen, thighs and calves, ankles, feet and toes, going through each area until every part of your body is relaxed. With each part, picture the tension in it mentally and then picture it going away; each time, tense the muscles in that area and then let them go and feel the relaxation spreading.

When you’ve relaxed every part of your body, sit quietly in this comfortable state for up to five minutes.

Now let the muscles in your eyelids become lighter; get ready to open your eyes and come back to an awareness of the room.

Open your eyes. Now you are ready to go about whatever you want to do.