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FIRST EXERCISE OF SESSION (1.5 minutes)
Lie with your forehead resting on the floor or a couple of folds of towel, legs straight, parallel and relaxed along the floor. Have arms resting out along the floor at shoulder level, palms face down. Exhaling, press the hands down into the floor and, inhaling, gently release this pressing downwards of hands and imagine an elongation spreading sideways from spine to finger-tips. Repeat for a couple more breaths. Then hold for about 5 breaths, pressing the hands downwards as much as you are able before gently releasing. Roll onto your back and bring your legs to the crooked position – feet on floor and knees pointing upwards.
SECOND EXERCISE OF SESSION (3.5 minutes)
Cross one leg over the other at the thighs. Bring your knees close to your chest and, keeping your knees as close to your chest as you are able, roll over to the hip side of the leg least close to your chest. Place the hand of your lower arm on the knees (to help keep them in place) and straighten the top hand forwards along the floor at shoulder level. Inhaling, lift the top arm to vertical, pointing upwards with a sense of the chest opening - the head turns to face upwards. Slowly lower the top shoulder backwards towards the floor – the arm follows and the head turns to face along the length of the arm. Inhaling, imagine breath flows from lower hip, diagonally across front of trunk to the opposite shoulder, with a sense of a slight lifting and expansion. Exhaling, imagine the breath flows from the back of the shoulder, diagonally across the back of the trunk to the lower hips, with a sense of sinking and relaxing. Continue this for about 5 breaths, then, inhaling, lift your arm and shoulder so they point upwards – head turning at the same time so it is now looking upwards. Exhaling lower the arm and turn the head to face forwards (along the length of the arms). Roll onto your back and cross your legs over the other way to repeat to the other side.
THIRD EXERCISE OF SESSION (1 minutes)
Lie on your back with your legs straight along the floor. Interlink your fingers, and straighten your arms upwards so hands are over your chest. Turn your hands to face upwards. Exhaling, lower one hand sideways, taking one elbow to the floor and, inhaling, lift arms back to pointing upwards over chest. Repeat to the other side. Repeat 2 to 4 move times to each side. Turn palms to face down and lower and release fingers.
FOURTH EXERCISE OF SESSION (4 minutes)
Lie down in a comfortable position and practise a relaxation method of your choice. You could try the following : Inhaling, imagine breath flows from one hip diagonally through your trunk to the opposite shoulder; exhaling, imagine breath flows back diagonally though the trunk back to the starting hip. In the brief pause following the exhalation move your awareness sideways to the other hip – and repeat starting from this hip. Continue this for a few breaths (being sure to practise equally to both sides) and then bring your awareness to your sacrum, then to your feet. For a couple of breaths imagine, while inhaling, that breath moves from feet to crown of head and, while exhaling, from crown of head back to feet. Pause and enjoy a few moments of stillness. Remember not to rush sitting up (and then standing) after practising relaxation as it causes one’s blood pressure to drop, which can cause dizziness if one moves too quickly.