- Close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply.
- As you inhale, imagine air filling your whole body. Feel your body expanding.
- As you exhale, imagine the air leaving your body gradually. Feel your body deflating.
- Cycle through the first three steps about three times.
- Continue this relaxed breathing throughout the rest of the meditation.
- Focus on your hands and clench your fists (not too tight) very briefly as you inhale and then relax them as you exhale. Feel the blood rush to your hands as they relax.
- Open your fingers wide and stretch out your arms in front of you as you inhale. Feel the tension of the stretch, and then relax as you exhale. Return your fingers and arms to a resting position.
- Tense your shoulder muscles by slightly raising them toward your ears. Then drop them down and relax as you exhale. You should feel your upper back and neck relax as well.
- Take a deep breath in, and then let all the air slowly flow out.
- As you inhale, tense all the muscles in your face and neck, including your forehead, cheeks, and jaw. Clench your jaw, squint your eyes, tighten your cheeks, and tighten the muscles in the front of your neck. Then relax, letting your jaw open as you exhale.
- Inhale slowly, pull your abdominal muscles into your back, squeeze your bottom and your hips in, and draw your sides into your waist. Exhale and let everything relax again.
- Take a deep breath in, and then let all the air slowly out.
- With your next breath, tense your legs as you stretch them straight out, just like you did with your arms. Now relax and exhale.
- Last but not least, flex your feet and toes upwards and then point them back toward your shins, so you feel some tension in your calves and feet. Then relax and exhale.
- Now, for the grand finale, tighten every single muscle in your body for one big deep breath. Then relax and exhale, releasing every bit of tension in your body.
- Continue a slow inhale and exhale cycle for 5 more breaths.
- Open your eyes slowly and rest for a few minutes.
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Wellness Weekly Column
by Manette LaChance | RISE Fitness and Wellness Expert
> Manette's bio
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About This Column
Here you'll find advice on how to take a more comprehensive approach toward managing your rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Keep in mind, this column is intended to advise you on how to complement your treatment, not replace it. Please consult your doctor to determine what advice may be right for you.
Featured Article
Here you'll find advice on how to take a more comprehensive approach toward managing your rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Keep in mind, this column is intended to advise you on how to complement your treatment, not replace it. Please consult your doctor to determine what advice may be right for you.
Tension Release Meditation
Jan 23, 2008
Here's another meditation that's great for releasing tension throughout your body. But unlike the meditation we discussed last week, there's a lot more to it than just 3 steps. I recommend you record these steps on tape so you can play them back as you practice the meditation. Just remember to move through the meditation at your own pace. The goal is to release the tension in your body, not create it.
Managing Pain and Stress
