Welcome to this body and mind training exercise,
Alert and relaxed.
You can complete this exercise anywhere,
But it's helpful perhaps to try it first in the seated position.
Ideally with your feet flat on the floor,
Seated in a chair that's comfortable and that allows the body to be upright.
It helps if you close your eyes,
But this is not essential.
Allow the hands to rest gently on the thighs,
Supporting the weight of the arms.
Pulling in the tummy slightly,
Allow the spine to elongate upwards,
Allowing the head to be pulled upwards.
Pay attention to the sensations in the torso and the spinal column as you do this.
Here we're asking the skeleton and particularly the spine to be alert and upright.
Notice what happens through the rib cage and the shoulders as you pull the tummy in slightly and create this alert and upright posture in the body.
Whilst maintaining this intention,
This alertness in the spine,
Now bring your awareness to the muscles,
The tendons,
The flesh and the skin.
Allow all of this to release and relax.
Spine and head are alert,
Muscles and flesh relaxed.
Breathing in,
Creating alertness through the spine.
Breathing out,
Allowing the muscles,
The skin to relax.
Keep your attention as best you can on these qualities throughout the torso.
If the mind wanders,
No problem,
This is perfectly normal.
Just see if it's possible to release from the need to analyze,
Plan,
Reflect and come back directly to the sensations of the body.
You might become aware of the pelvis and the lower half of the back and the torso.
Here,
Particularly in the lower back,
Seeing if it's possible to release,
Drop,
Let go.
Notice any change in the sensations through the bottom and the back of the thighs when you release a little bit more.
Through the front of the thighs and the hips,
Also see if it's possible to let those muscles really relax.
Breathing in,
Creating this alertness through the spine.
Breathing out,
Releasing and relaxing everything else.
Periodically checking the face,
Seeing if there's any place in the forehead,
Around the outside of the eyes or the jaw,
Where you can also release and relax.
These qualities that we're exploring in the body,
We also aspire to these in our minds and we use the body to help support that process.
So we wish for an attention that is alert,
Watchful,
Engaged and at the same time relaxed.
No need to meddle,
No need to fix,
No need to follow those chains of thought.
Just observe they've arisen and then relax,
Let go.
In the same way we can release any tightness and tension in the body,
Perhaps in the region of the jaw or around the outside of the eyes.
So we can release and drop and let go of any need to think and plan,
Analyze,
Reflect.
Just notice alert to mental phenomena,
But relaxed,
No need to do anything with it.
Breathing in,
Alert in body and mind,
Breathing out,
Relaxed in body and mind.
Finishing the exercise now with three breaths.
Really taking your time,
No need to rush.
Paying attention to what it feels like in the body and in the mind to have this optimum alertness plus relaxation.
Seeing if you can carry that with you into your next activity today.
