Journey on Relaxation

The journey on relaxation exercise was something that I have done many times. However, the circumstance under which I completed this exercise was very different. Prior to completing the exercise, I had worked a full eight hour day (11:30 am - 8:30 pm), I had slept only five hours the previous night, and I had been up since 6:00 because each of my children had to be at school early for extra curricular activities. I was extremely tired, sleepy, and agitated. I found the music to be very soothing in addition to the man's voice on the tape. As I took the first initial deep breath, I was sitting on the edge of my bed with my right left bent and my left leg just dangling off the bed. Needless to say, I was not able to relax. I stopped the tape, re-positioned myself into sitting with my legs folded in front of me with my hands resting on my knees and took a deep breath to prepare myself to relax. I started the tape again and I found that I was able to relax as I followed the instructions.

I had no idea that 80% of the blood reside in the body's core. I was excited about the prospect of willing my body to move blood from my core into my extremities by just thinking it. I could feel the blood moving from my core into my extremities and I felt the heaviness and heat in my arms and hands. When the male voice on the tape instructed me to try to lift my arms, I was not able to, though I could wiggle my fingers a little. Simply amazing what the mind can do when it is focused on the task at hand. I was able to feel the blood returning to my core and the warmth dissipating from my hands and heaviness lifting from my arms as well. This was a very short exercise but a very effective one for me. I am looking forward to what this course will present in the next few weeks and becoming a better, more enlightened ME.