Relaxation Practice: Progressive Muscle Relaxation
From Ariana’s 2015 book: The Magic of Mojo: The Creative Power Behind Success (Chapter 14)
I believe that meditation not only makes you more radiant and youthful, but it adds years to your life. Certainly, the research on stress reduction backs this up.
So, if you don’t know how to relax, what do you do? And what if you think you’re relaxed, but you’re not quite sure? The easiest way is to start with a progressive muscle relaxation. The goal of this is to help you relax your body from your toes all the way up to your head (or vice versa).
If you’re used to carrying tension in your body, you may not know what it feels like to be completely relaxed. Instead, focus on what you do know: tension! Starting with your toes, clench your toes as tight as possible. When you can’t hold them any tighter, quickly allow them to relax. They will naturally relax as much as they can after being held so tightly. Then, progressively do this with each muscle group, moving all the way up to the top of your head.
If you don’t have a lot of time, you can use bigger muscle groups as follows: tighten your feet/legs and release, tighten your hips/lower back and release, tighten your abdomen/shoulders and release, tighten your arms/hands and release, tighten your neck/ face/head and release. Voila! A full-body, relaxation quickie!
Want Ariana to lead you through this? Nice manifesting, you — here you go!
Meditation written and performed by Ariana Ayu.
Music (“The Shores of Eternity”) by Christopher Lloyd Clarke. Licensed by RoyaltyFreeMeditationMusic.com.
Author, activist, international speaker, multi-preneur, mentor, wife, and mom, Ariana Ayu is a Transformational Mystic and a Catalyst for Conscious Change.
She is the creator and lead educator for the CannyNurse™ Certificate Program, a 50-hour CEU program for nurses from LPNs through doctoral degrees, and the first comprehensive cannabis nurse training program designed for working nurses. An ordained priestess, holistic healer, and lifelong student of ancient/ modern wisdom, Ariana’s nursing background includes pediatrics, labor & delivery, nurse education, and Holistic Health/ Integrative Nurse Coaching.
She earned her MSc in Advancing Nursing Practice from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland (UK), and her Cannabis Nursing Certification from Pacific College of Health and Science.
She is passionate about racial justice, social equity, environmental preservation and conservation, and empowered health, wellness, and joy for all. Her practice is governed by the ethical principles of integrity, nonjudgment, empowerment, and respect for her clients’ autonomy.