Day 3: Relaxation

Relaxation is a state of being where boundaries become invisible, the breath becomes deep and effortless, and the business of mind fizzles to an echo.  Relaxation is a space where the desire for movement vanishes, and the constant need for stimulation ceases.  Relaxation is a state of inner peace and centered presence which is the very ground of our being…

Relaxation is our primal state, it is our true baseline.  But, the modern adult body has no understanding of relaxation whatsoever.  I remember the first time I received a professional massage.  It was my birthday and my manager found out just as his masseuse had arrived at the office, so he offered the session to me as a gift.  There I was naked, in the bosses office, and worried about becoming excited when all of a sudden I lost my connection to my body.  I couldn’t move it, or at least I didn’t want to.

Then I lost my mind, I have no idea where it went, but it wasn’t there.  I can’t say, “when I woke up…” because I wasn’t asleep, but when I discovered my mind again, she was finished.  My body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds but in the best way you could imagine.  Every moment was slow and controlled and could be felt throughout the entire body.  It was a mildly ecstatic experience and all I wanted to do was lay by the pool and drink a margarita, but no, back to work, back to the desk and hunching over a computer.

Two hours later I was shocked to notice that I couldn’t even tell that I had had a massage anymore!  My habitual stiffness had already erased this hour of blissful release.  So it was at this point that I began trying to figure out ways of relaxing my body consciously.  I wanted to be able to make myself feel that good and I wanted to be able to maintain this level of softness and full body awareness.  After years of studying and practicing yoga, tai chi, and qi gong in an attempt to heal chronic pain, the exercises and techniques that worked best to keep me loose and open became the system we now call Bodyjuggling.  This is not a prefab fitness class of random exercises, but a systematic process for healing the body, mind and spirit by creating unity in every thought, feeling and action.

Exercise:

Wherever you are sitting right now, sit up straight, take a deep breath and when you exhale let your entire body relax.  Notice the change in sensation.  Whenever we relax there is always a change in sensation, we feel more, and we feel better.  Now, take another deep breath and this time try to relax even more.  You most likely were able to feel something release the second time that you didn’t release the first time.  A tendon, a rib, the diaphram.  When this happens deeply it often feels like chills running through the body from warm water being poured on the hands and feet.  If you were able to relax fully, you are probably feeling slightly woozy.  This sensation is the first stage of bliss created through full body awareness.  There are several stages of this full body awareness with each stage being stronger and deeper than the last.  The simplest and most powerful method to discover these levels is through relaxation.  Relaxation is something we must cultivate in every moment. We must stay present with all the sensations of the body in order to ensure that every aspect is comfortable and effortless.  We are always trying to sink deeper and deeper into our effortless state of being.  Effortless Being is both the goal and the way of this practice.

In the comment section below, tell me how did this relaxation make you feel? How would you describe it? Is there anything in your daily life that makes you feel like this?

Assignment:

Log into WordPress and write a blog to the main page here entitled, “Promises to Myself”.  Write this post about the promises you are making to yourself about this program specifically and your life in general.  Really reach deep and only offer promises you know that you will honor, all others you can save for your new years resolutions;)  Then tell me why each of these is important to you.

After this, press play below and begin your BJ session for today.  This is a repeat of Monday’s session.  Now that you are familiar with these movements search to gain more control over them and to execute them with less energy than before.  The way to do this is to incorporate relaxation into every movement consciously.  Continually strive to do each movement with less effort. This is where you will discover grace. If you have any questions or learned something new from the last time leave another message in the comments section.

Checklist:

1. Read lesson
2. Leave comment
3. Post to main page
4. Do BJ session

Peace,

SaTek