Why do meditation or relaxation exercises? Meditation and relaxation exercises help you to quieten your mind and go within, disconnecting you from your busy brain. It reduces stress and enables you to ground yourself from the busyness of daily life and find that still place where you can gently allow your deeper thoughts and feeling to surface. Meditation/relaxation exercises can be done by themselves or before you do other creative exercises, as taking a moment to centre yourself can be helpful.
This relaxation technique can be used before you embark on any one of the following creative exercises as a centring process, or purely for relaxation. If it is possible to find a quiet space that is great. You may wish to light a candle. You may also wish to put on some very gentle relaxation music of your choice.
- Sitting or lying down, however you feel most comfortable, close your eyes if this feels right. With your mouth slightly open, relax your jaw and open your throat. Take some full breaths – deep yet gentle inhale and exhale.
- While you are breathing rhythmically in and out, start by relaxing the muscles in your eyes, nose, mouth, your jaw, your head and the back of your neck.
- Relax the tension in your shoulders and down your arms. Then slowly move down your spine, relax your buttocks (and if sitting, feel the chair beneath) and your vagina.
- Relax your chest, your solar plexus, your belly and be aware of your baby’s presence.
- Release the tension in your thighs, your knees, your calves, your ankles and all the way down to your feet and let any tension out through your toes.
- Take some more deep breaths and allow all the tension to just melt away as this is your time to be with YOU and everything is taken care of right here, right now.
- Know that YOU are welcome in this moment and anything you wish to express is welcome too, however new you are to unlocking your creativity. And remember, your being is innocent and it is safe and acceptable to feel ALL of your feelings.
- Take some time to just let go and breathe, allow thoughts to drift in and out, not paying too much attention to them and relax.
- Then bringing your awareness back to the room and with your eyes still closed, wriggle your fingers and toes, yawn and stretch your arms and legs.
- When you feel ready, you may ask yourself the very gentle, non specific question: ‘What do I need to express?’
- Take a deep breath and lightly hold the palms of your hands over your eyes. When you are ready, slowly open your eyes. In your own time, move your hands and adjust yourself to the light. When you feel ready….begin your chosen creative exercise.
Enjoy a relaxing week!
Warm wishes,
Alex xx
Painting by Alex Florschutz
