Complete Relaxation

Complete Relaxation

The Complete Relaxation is an excellent practice to do before meditation. It is subtler than the Tense and Release practice above (Body survey is online). Following is one of many versions of this practice:

Lie in the corpse posture with your eyes closed. Lie in such a way that your head, neck, and trunk are aligned. You want your spine to be straight, not turned left or right anywhere along the length of the spine. It is most comfortable to be lying on a soft surface, such as a folded blanket placed on top of a rug. To lie in a bed may not give enough support to your back and body. A thin cushion, maybe an inch or two, makes a nice support for your head. Allow the breath to be smooth, slow, and with no noise or pauses.

Allow your attention to move through your head and face, including the top of the head, forehead, eyebrows, eyes, cheekbones, and nostrils.
Be aware of the breath at the nostrils for several breaths.
Continue to survey mouth, jaws and chin.
Then survey the neck and throat, shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, fingers, and fingertips.
Feel as though you are inhaling from the tips of the fingers up to the shoulders, and then exhaling back to the finger tips. Do this several times.
Then move your attention from the fingers, back through the hands, wrists, lower arms, upper arms, shoulders, upper back and chest.
Concentrate at the center of the chest, and exhale and inhale completely several times.
Be aware of the stomach, abdomen, lower back, hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, feet, and toes.
Exhale as if your whole body is exhaling, and inhale as if your whole body is inhaling. As you exhale, let go of all tension, worries, and anxieties. Inhale as if you are inhaling new energy, as well as a sense of peace and relaxation. Exhale and inhale several times.
Then move your attention from the toes to the feet, ankles, calves, thighs, knees, hips, lower back, abdomen, stomach and chest.
Concentrate at the center of the chest, and exhale and inhale completely several times.
Survey the upper back, shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, wrists, hands, fingers, and fingertips.
Feel as though you are inhaling from the tips of the fingers up to the shoulders, and then exhaling back to the finger tips. Do this several times.
Then move your attention from the fingers, back through the hands, wrists, lower arms, upper arms, shoulders, neck, throat, chin, jaws, mouth, and nostrils.
Be aware of the breath at the nostrils for several breaths.
Move your attention to the cheekbones, eyes, eyebrows, forehead and the top of the head.
For about one minute, allow your attention to be aware of the smooth, slow, serene flow of the breath. Let your mind make a gentle, conscious effort to guide the breath so that it is smooth, calm, deep, and without any noise or jerkiness.