What is relaxation?
According to the Oxford dictionary: To Relax means, to become less tense, or less tight. It is an action to release, to let go. A process which reduces muscle tension and eases mental stress. Relaxation focuses the mind to the present. Our minds very often indulge in a senseless chatter. A haphazard thought activity, which produces stress.
Very often our minds are worrying about the future or brooding over the past, missing out on the present. Relaxation realises the present. The very moment which is occurring.
Relax...
For yesterday was history
And tomorrow is a mystery
It is Today, the present to cherish.

Why is it important to relax?
Relaxation is one of the fundamentals of Real Fitness.
Real Fitness cannot be achieved without a harmonious mind-body relationship. Relaxation is prophylaxis and therapy for stress. A very potent antidote to the mental and physical effects of stress. Today stress is surfacing as a leading cause of mental anguish in many people, leading to countless health problems. These are termed psychosomatic illnesses.
It all begins with worry and continued mental chatter, which leads to release of stress hormones. The body, under the influence of these hormones responds adversely. Rapid shallow breathing, palpitation and muscle tenseness are the visible effects. Relaxation aims at slowing the breathing, making it deep and rhythmic. Relaxation helps in slowing the resting heart rate. The mind focuses on the present activity, thereby reducing the irrelevant mental chatter. Relaxation eases the muscle tension, giving way to a blissful mind-body equation.

Relaxation and performance.
Whether it is sport or business the best results are obtained when one is relaxed. A calm mind can function better under duress. Any top golfer will tell you that winning a major tournament requires as much stress management as course management. When you want the ball to fall in the hole, if your mind is tense with the thought of what if it does not, you can be sure of disaster. The calm relaxed mind focused in the act of stroking the ball, with all the attention on the act, has more chance of success.
In business very often you lose your cool and also the deal.
Many poor decisions are made in heated moments on a reactive basis. A relaxed mind can give you an opportunity to become more proactive and focused, without letting stress affecting your thought process and your performance. Relaxation helps you douse the fire of stress whose smoke can often suffocate the mind.

How to relax?
"A lot of stress is created in an effort to relax"
Yes.. To achieve relaxation is a tough proposition.
Whenever I perform surgery under local anesthesia, I want my patient to be in a stage of mental and muscular relaxation.
Initially if I would ask the patient to relax, I would usually get a solid response of tenseness.
" Please relax.. Just try and relax".
" Doctor, I am trying my best" and the patient would hold limb more rigidly.
" No, no keep the leg as loose as possible".
" Is this OK?"
" No, no less tight"
And it would go on, creating even more tension.
This went on till I came across the "stop tense" formula.
This is borrowed from the boss’s "stop flirting" formula.
Boss rings up his neighbour’s wife:
" Will you come out with me alone tonight?"
" Are you crazy. What do you think I am? If I tell my husband he will kill you." She shouts.
" Don’t worry. I am just trying to obey your dear husband."
" What do you mean?"
" Yesterday he threatened to shoot me if I did not stop flirting with his wife. How can I stop flirting without starting? So will you come out?"
When it comes to relaxation "The stop tense" formula works.
I ask the patient to first tense his thigh muscle and hold it really tight. Then I tell him to UN-tense. Let go.
And there is relaxation. UN-Tense is easier obeyed than the command.... Relax.
PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION is a technique employing the stop-tense formula. In this method various muscles are directed to first contract and tense voluntarily. After holding them tense for a few seconds they are told to un-tense and relax.
Technique:
The first phase is establishing breathing rhythm.
Wear loose clothing and remove your shoes. Lie down flat on your back on a mat. Now close your eyes.
Breathe in deeply feeling your abdomen rising up as you inhale. Hold the breath momentarily and then exhale completely. As you exhale you could whisper the word relax.
Reeeeelllaaaaaax. Your mind is focused on the breath coming in and going out. Picturise a tiny aircraft. As you inhale, this aircraft is sucked in. It picks up speed and travels deep inside the body. It floats freely for a while. When you exhale, the plane maneuvers expertly through your windpipe and out of the body. It takes a smooth circle in front of you till you inhale again. Repeat this till you establish a comfortable rhythm.
The second phase is the actual muscle relaxation.
Start with your toes. As you inhale extend your toes of the right foot towards you. Hold this posture for a few seconds and then start exhaling. As you exhale tell your muscles to drop the tension and relax. Repeat the same for your left foot.
Next flex your right foot so that your toes point towards the floor. Create a tension in your leg muscles as you inhale. Exhale to banish the tightness you have created and allow your right leg to relax. Repeat the same for the other leg.
Press your heel of each leg hard against the floor and then progressively release.
Tighten the thigh muscle make it rock hard and then release.
Raise both your legs six inches off the ground. Hold tight and then relax.
Tense your abdominal muscles as if to receive a punch in the stomach and then relax.
Raise both your legs six inches off the ground. Hold tight and then relax.
Arch your back to slightly raise your waist above the ground. As you relax feel as if your back is spreading along the floor.
Shrug your shoulders as high as they can possibly go. Drop them and feel them widening totally relaxed.
Press your hands down against the floor. Un-tense them so that they drop limp and completely relaxed.
Tighten the muscles of your face to create a horrible frown. Then un-frown. Clench your teeth and tighten the jaw muscles.
Then let your jaw loose.

MEDITATION:
There have been countless definitions and equal number of techniques for meditation. Persons have danced, laughed, chanted, ruminated and even jogged for meditation. Meditation remains a controversial topic spoken of by many and understood by few. Without going into controversies and discussions regarding the pros and cons of various techniques, I propose to recommend a simple technique practiced by my patients with great success.

Hum Meditation:
Select a quiet place. Sit comfortably. Close your eyes. Keep your hands on your laps with your palms pointing upwards. With your mouth closed take in a deep breath through your nose. Focus on the air entering your body and filling up your chest. Pause for a moment. Now start exhaling. Create the sound of humming as you exhale. Let your body and thoughts reverberate with the sound of the hum. Hum till all the air is exhaled from your lungs. Now pause and start inhaling again. To begin with you could perform a dozen cycles.
The objectives of relaxed respiration and focus of thought are both possible in the Hum Meditation. Stress management with deep breathing techniques has been practiced for a long time. Hum meditation first ensures that rhythmic deep breathing is established during meditation. Deep breathing by itself brings about calmness. Chant of Hum helps you direct all your thoughts towards a sound. This method keeps your thoughts from wavering. If you catch yourself drifting elsewhere all you have to do is direct your mind towards the sound or breath depending on whether you are inhaling or exhaling. The syllable Hum with its prolonged M’s maintains a soothing sound HMMMmmmmm …..

ARE YOU RELAXING???
After scaling the Mount Everest Sherpa Tensing was resting on a park bench. Seeing him there a passerby asked him:
" Are you relaxing?"
" No" replied the Sherpa; " I am Tensing".
The next day as Sherpa was taking a walk in the park he saw a man resting on the same bench.
" Are you relaxing?" He asked.
" Yes indeed" replied the stranger.
" So here you are. There was somebody looking for you yesterday and mistook me for

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