Of the four psycho-energetic disciplines proposed in Emoenergetica, relaxation is the only one that could be considered to be secondary. This notwithstanding, significant benefits can be found when it is practiced regularly. In addition, it is the ideal exercise to do prior to meditating.
Relaxation is the ability to limit or eliminate the tension that the mind induces on itself and, especially, on the physical body. If we observe babies during their process of psycho-motor learning, it is quite easy to realize the enormous effort that they make in order to maintain their balance when they start to walk, or to make delicate movements with their hands, and so on. When we are small, we struggle to control a body that still does not respond very well to our will. This is why, when we are adults, it is difficult for us to stop controlling the body and putting tension on it, even when this is not necessary. The sensation that the body obeys our orders in a harmonious way is due to the incorporation of automatisms, in this case psycho-motor automatisms, which allow this interaction to be increasingly refined and reliable. Basically, learning is the process through which new automatisms are generated. When we want to do something, the body (which is an automaton) responds thanks to the small indications that we give it from our consciousness, via attentional processes of a manifestational nature. Our will is manifested in the body and so, through it, in the environment. Let us recall that the energy-information of consciousness circulates producing interactions and changes that are reflected in the five classes of attention. In this way, the subjective internal world (memory and representation) interacts with the objective external world (automatisms) thanks to the intertwining of both, which is induced and reinforced through the processes of perception and manifestation. Learning to relax, in essence, is learning to temporarily stop the volitional, that is, manifestational, signals that the mind emits towards the body, while we remain conscious.
The two techniques that I recommend are highly effective. You may be naturally better at one than the other. The first of these is supported in a primary way in the visual sense and, in a secondary way, in the kinaesthetic. The second technique makes more use of the kinaesthetic and linguistic senses. Ideally, one or both of them should be practiced on a daily basis. With time, it is possible to achieve sensations of deep relaxation and also highly beneficial trance states.
However, at this juncture, I have to give a couple of warnings:
The first of these is that, if you suffer from any type of pathology and, especially, if you have a heart condition or mental illness, you should consult your doctor before carrying out these techniques. This recommendation is only due to an excess of caution, because, as I have already mentioned, for the great majority of people, regardless of their condition, the practice of relaxation is very beneficial.
Aside from the above, it is necessary to keep in mind that through relaxation it is possible to reach a state in which the physical body falls completely asleep, while the mind remains fully awake. We have become accustomed to thinking that when the mind sleeps, the physical body also sleeps and vice versa. However, by practising relaxation we want and make it easier for the body to fall asleep, while we remain fully conscious. That is why, sometimes, at the end of a relaxation exercise, some people may have occasional difficulties in opening their eyes and starting to move; this is because they are still in a state called sleep paralysis. If this happens, there is no problem; you have simply reached a very deep stage of relaxation and it is taking a little longer than expected to function again in ordinary wakefulness. Just take a few seconds, try to gently open your eyes and move your fingers and shortly you will be able get up in a normal way. A very small number of people may experience visual, kinaesthetic or auditory hallucinations during this process. This can also happen when you meditate. Although you are not in danger, not everyone is prepared for this. If it happens to you, try not to panic, remember that you are in a protected space, perhaps comfortably at home, and that all that can happen to you is that you get a scare, as if you were watching a very real movie. That said, most people only experience very pleasant sensations.
Below you will find a detailed description of all the steps of the two recommended relaxation techniques. Although it is obvious, before starting, it is necessary to create a comfortable and, if possible, quiet environment with the notifications disconnected on phones and other devices. Both exercises are designed to be done in a supine position (lying on your back), with your arms at the sides of your torso, slightly apart and the palms of your hands facing downwards. If you wish, you can record the exercises with your own voice in order to do them in a guided way.
Emoenergetic relaxation with light:
1. This exercise lasts about five minutes, although the final part can be extended as much as you want.
2. With your eyes closed, bring your attention to the big toe of your left foot and imagine it beginning to glow and fill up with white light. Remain there for a few seconds and continue to do the same thing with the second toe of the same foot, then with the third, fourth and little toe. It is important that you try to visualize how each toe lights up separately. Once you have done the five toes of the left foot, carry out the same process with the toes of the right foot, starting with the big toe.
3. Now bring your attention to the left foot and visualize how it lights up all over with white light. Continue to focus your attention on the left foot, radiating light for about four to five seconds. Then follow the same process with the right foot.
4. Now focus on your left ankle. Fill it with white light and stay there for a few seconds while, additionally, you are again aware that the entire left foot is illuminated. Do the same with the right ankle and foot.
5. Shift your attention back to the left foot. Bring the light up to your left knee and watch for a few seconds as your left leg is illuminated, from your foot to the knee. Do the same with the right leg.
6. Continue to fill the entire left leg with white light, travelling from the thigh to the groin. Be aware of how the left leg is now fully illuminated. Do the same with the right leg.
7. Now illuminate both sides of the groin at the same time and fill the entire area of the buttocks and sacrum with light then, advancing forward, the genitals and lower abdomen. Fill the inside of the pelvic cavity with light and be aware at the same time that your whole body beneath it is already full of a white radiant light.
8. Continue ascending with the light, first along the back, from the lumbar area, and then forward to the abdomen and thereon into the abdominal cavity. For a few seconds visualize the abdomen completely filled with light and be aware for a moment that your whole body beneath this point is illuminated.
9. Now it is time to extend the light towards the area of the upper-back up to the shoulder blades, then forward to the front of the shoulders and chest, and then to completely fill the chest cavity and thus the entire torso with this white shining radiance. Be aware that the whole body, except for the arms, neck and head, is now full of light.
10. Now, bring your attention to the thumb of your left hand and imagine that it illuminates and fills up with white light. Stay there for a few seconds and continue doing the same thing with the second finger of the same hand, then with the third, fourth and little finger. Once you have finished with the five fingers of the left hand, repeat the process with the fingers of the right hand, starting with the thumb.
11. Next, bring your attention to your entire left hand and visualize how it is completely illuminated by the white light for a few seconds. Do the same with your right hand.
12. Now focus on the left wrist, fill it with white light and remain there for a few seconds while you are also aware that the entire left hand is illuminated. Do the same exercise with your right wrist and hand.
13. Bring the light up the left arm up to the elbow and then to the shoulder, which was already illuminated, and observe how the whole arm is filled with white radiance. Do the same with the right arm up to the elbow and then to the shoulder.
14. Now, for a few seconds, be aware that your entire body, except your neck and head, is illuminated.
15. Extend the light from the top of your back towards the back of your neck, then forwards and then inwards. Keep raising the light up the back of your head, then forwards and inwards. Fill your head with light all the way to the top, as though it were a container.
16. Concentrate on the crown of your head. Although your whole body is now illuminated, there is an even brighter light at this spot. From here, you will imagine a relaxing expansive wave, a pulse that will radiate through your whole body – right down to the bottom, then up again. Thud-thud, thud-thud, a beat of light travels all over your body from top to bottom and from bottom to top, approximately every second.
17. Now hold your focus, letting yourself be carried away by that descending-ascending pulse. You can stay like this from just a few seconds up to a few minutes or more, as you prefer.
18. Finally, stop the pulse and visualize your whole body beaming white light for a few seconds.
19. Now bring your attention to your fingers and toes, and move them. Focus your attention on your eyes, now you can open them. Get up slowly.
Emoenergetic relaxation with weight and lightness:
1. The different steps of this relaxation should be performed quickly, without pauses and as mechanically as possible, exactly as described. Unless the exercise is voluntarily extended at the end of the main sequence, it scarcely takes three minutes. It is necessary to take a mental attitude in which one assumes, without further consideration, that one is capable of carrying out each of the steps perfectly. Beyond learning and following the script, the body and mind of any person already have the necessary resources to make the exercise work.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Adopt as comfortable a position as possible.
4. Make the decision to remain completely and absolutely still for the rest of the relaxation. This is very important because this step most definitely influences the depth of the state that will be attained.
5. Bring your attention to the eyes and mentally say "eyelids disconnected", with the intention that the muscles of the eyelids really disconnect throughout the exercise.
6. Bring your focus to the entire physical body as if it were a single compact block and mentally say: "skeletal muscles disconnected", with the intention that the skeletal muscles really disconnect throughout the exercise. The skeletal muscles are what allow you to change position, open, close and move your eyes, as well as change your facial expression and speech. The rest of the muscles (respiratory, cardiac, visceral, etc.) will continue to function normally and autonomously. Our body already knows how to disconnect the skeletal muscles, as it does so every night during the cycles of normal REM sleep. This is a very favourable state, since it is where one rests, regenerates and cleans all the body's organs and tissues.
7. Main sequence:
- Draw your awareness to the entire physical body as a single unit and focus attention on its solidity and weight, perceiving it as if it were a block of stone. At the same time as you continue to focus your attention on the sensation of weight, mentally say "My body is heavy", seven times in a row, without pausing, as if it were a mantra or a litany.
- Without further ado, bring your attention to the idea that you have an energetic or subtle dimension. Envision this as a luminous egg that extends up to one metre beyond the physical body in all directions, upwards, downwards, left, right, forward and backwards. Focus attention on the light and expansive sensation when feeling the cocoon of energy that we are. At the same time as continuing to focus attention on the sensation of lightness, mentally say "My body is light", seven times in a row, without pauses, as if it were a mantra or a litany.
8. Repeat the main sequence again, a total of seven consecutive times, always starting with the feeling of weight, and moving immediately to the feeling of lightness.
9. At the end of the seven repetitions of the main sequence, maintain focus on the sensation of lightness. Keep your focus on the feeling of lightness for a few seconds to a few minutes.
10. Whenever you want, make the decision to end the exercise.
11. Then, bring your attention to your eyes and mentally say "Eyelids connected".
12. Immediately draw attention to the physical body and mentally say: "Skeletal muscles connected".
13. Next, open your eyes and gently move your fingers and toes.
14. Finally, get up slowly and stand up.
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Relaxation by Chema Sanz is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.