Relax Online

The beginning!

Your first step to complete relaxation is abdominal breathing which is a precursor to the next article ‘Now begin to relax & breathe again'.

Effective relaxation requires correct breathing. After you’re familiar with this routine gently close your eyes at the start of your practice each time, this will help you focus without visual distraction.

Stage one:
Now begin to focus your breath, just follow the air as you inhale, feel the air as you breathe out. If your mind should begin to wander just bring your thoughts back to your inhalation and exhalation. Now let your stomach rise and fall, on your next breath release all the air from your lungs without force, just relax and exhale fully without force, now preparing your lungs to receive fresh air on the next inhalation.

Breathe deep and full 'feel' your lung expand then allowing your stomach to rise as if it were being filled with your inward breath. Do not force this action.

Now start to empty your lungs, lightly compress your stomach as you breathe out fully, expelling all the stale air. Remember do not force the action.

Now breathe in fully and completely once more; oxygen enters the blood via the lungs nourishing and revitalizing the internal organs nourishing your internal energy - Qi.

Now breathe out fully; release all the poisons and toxins with the outward breath. Your breath is cleansing, healing, revitalizing and replenishing your Qi. Breathe in and breathe out slowly and deeply.

Imagine exhaling darkness and inhaling light. Each time you exhale allow yourself to feel peaceful, calm and relaxed. Once again if your mind wanders bring your attention back to your breath.
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Stage two:
Now breathe in through your nose and sigh out through your mouth. Fully empty the air from the lungs, pausing at the end of the outward breath, and then take a deep breath through the nose, pausing at the end of the inward breath. Continue this rhythmic breathing for ten outward breaths. If you loose count just start again.

Now return and repeat the Stage One routine, keep the breath smooth, low and deep, keep your breathing steady and silent.

Practice you’re new found breath for about ten minutes each day, gradually extend this time if you feel confident and comfortable.
Author: Colin Orr/TCQHC

'Now begin to relax & breathe again' part one

Relaxing your mind and body:
Now make yourself comfortable, slow you’re breathing, now using your minds eye to travel through your body from head to toe, and completely relax every joint and sinew in your body. Begin by relaxing your facial muscles, and work down from your head to your neck, then to your right and left shoulders on to your elbows, wrists, hands and fingers. Relax the front of the body and your back; continue down through your ribs and backbone to your pelvic girdle and then down through your thighs and knees to your calf muscles, ankles and toes. As your mind makes its slow journey downward, search for tension and tell each muscle group to relax. You can talk silently to yourself: “Now I am reaching my left shoulder... I want it to relax... Relax… Now it is relaxed ... I can move on now” so on and so forth following the route of your entire skeleton.
(Part two will cover correct breathing)
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'Now begin to relax & breathe again' part two

Breathing:
Most people breathe by raising and opening the chest cavity. Many people who do conventional fitness exercises and take part in strenuous sports breathe from the chest. This is how our breathing has wrongly developed in the years since birth. Our breathing is different at the TCQHC; we want to return to the powerful deep breathing we were born with in order to enhance the power of our vital energy. Natural ‘abdominal breathing’ is centred on the Tan Tien inside your abdomen. This way of breathing is very different from the shallow quick action that is common in people who breathe only with the chest. Breathing from the TanTien refocuses your energy in the original centre of your body through which you were nourished before birth.
(Part three will cover the tantien & correct abdominal breathing)
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'Now begin to relax & breathe again' part three

The Tantien position:
The Tan Tien position lays 3cm below your navel, one-third of the way into your body. It is in line with the suspension point at the top of your head, when in an up right standing position.

Tantien or Abdominal Breathing:
Practise the following exercise while relaxing. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward. Fold your hands over your abdomen, putting your right thumb over your navel and resting your left hand on top of your right hand. Keep your mouth gently closed and place the tip of your tongue on the hard pallet behind the front teeth, do not clench the teeth. Quietly and slowly breathe out through your nose. As you exhale, draw your belly ‘in’ so that you feel you are squeezing the air out of your torso from the bottom up; breathe out smoothly and soundlessly, until you feel you have emptied your lungs. Now when you are ready to breathe in, inhale through your nose and allow your belly to expand outward as if the incoming air is filling your abdomen. Allow this to happen naturally: don’t force your belly out. Just let the air filter in smoothly and steadily without tension. (Part four will cover hints for beginners & refining the technique)
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'Now begin to relax & breathe again' part four

Hints for Beginners:
As a beginner, you can use your hands to help establish the correct belly movement. Press in slightly as you breathe out. As you breathe in, feel your belly filling up under your hand. You can practise Tan Tien breathing with your eyes open or closed, but avoid staring with your eyes fixed open, as this will generate tension. If you have trouble relaxing, place a glass of water or even a green coloured glass object on a table a few feet in front of you and look at it while you stand.

Refining the Technique:
Once TanTien breathing becomes a habit and you incorporate it into your practice, only concentrate on breathing out, if you should concentrate on the inward breath you will tend to tense up. Concentrate on the outgoing breath only, it will help you relax and your inward breath will automatically have a natural full flow. Don’t wait to practise this technique during your session, take the opportunity anywhere any time, perhaps while standing in the super market check out or even when sitting down watching TV. Relax and enjoy your newfound breathing. (This part four finalises this series.)

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