Physical movement from tension to relaxation

Relaxation is a natural biological process.  When I state a relaxation, I am aware and note that within seconds every biological system within me states changing from arousal to relaxation.

For me, when I move from tension to relaxation, I sense my muscles simply letting go – relaxing the body and calming the mind.   I particular am aware of holding tension in the shoulders, often at work when I am using the computer.  I love just rolling and/or letting my shoulders drop.   Relaxing doesn't have to mean total slothfulness. 

I also like to intentional apply tension and then let it go.  The tension process I apply to a muscle is essentially the same regardless of which muscle group I am are using.   First, I focus my mind on the muscle group; for example, my right hand. Then inhale and simply squeeze the muscles as hard as I can for about 8 seconds; in the example, this would involve making a tight fist with my hand.

Then I let all the tightness flow out of the muscles as I simultaneously exhale. In the example, this would be imagining tightness flowing out of my hand through my fingertips as you exhale. I feel and if possible watch the muscles relax and become loose and limp, tension flowing away like water out of a faucet.

Mental movement from tension to relaxation

Moving to clarity and detachment. Just as it is necessary to release the tensions in the muscles, it is also essential to release the tensions in the mind. When living in the now, events are experienced as much less stressful and difficult since there is less worry about the past and less fretting over the future. I get mental tension by preoccupations about the past or desires for the future (bills, arguments, etc). Whereas if and when I bring myself in the here and now, I find it very easy to stay relaxed and happy (therefore I do more yoga); my mind becomes calm, clear and relaxed and I am able to see what is going on with clarity and detachment.  

Subtle movement from tension to relaxation

In relaxation, subtly all the biological systems in the body are returning to balance.  The muscles soften; the racing heart slows down; and the digestive system starts working again.  The body is repairing and balancing itself. Subtly this instinctively feels good, which is why we do love it. 

The tension-relaxation cycle has several different settings/levels: from maximum to minimum as: panic, stress, balance, relaxation, sleep’.   We can even get benefit from relaxation moving from even panic state down to a stress state.

Summary relaxation to tension
      Relaxation     vs.    Tension
      Centeredness   vs.    Fight/Flight
      Expansion      vs.    Contraction
      Acceptance     vs.    Resistance
      Being Now      vs.    Future Striving