4 Ways to Do Relaxation Techniques

1. Practice Meditation

Japa meditation is done using a string of 108 beads, and a chant is recited once for each bead. "Om," "Ran Nam" and "Om Nama Narayana" are typical japa meditative chants. Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and rest your arms comfortably in your lap. Move your finger along the bead strand as you complete a recitation so you can keep track of where you are in your meditation. The same type of meditative state could be accomplished saying the rosary.

2. Try Autogenic Relaxation

Another great meditative technique is called "autogenic relaxation," which uses self-awareness to relieve stress. Close your eyes, take long, slow breaths and repeat thoughts and ideas that are calming. Extend your self awareness into specific parts of your body. For example, make yourself aware of your arms, their weight, how they are relaxed on your lap and how your fingers tingle when you think about them. Repeat that self-awareness throughout your routine, using various parts of your body.

3. Learn Yoga or Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Yoga is a more focused technique than autogenic relaxation, and requires training to get the full benefits. Yoga incorporates strength training, balance and exercise with clarity of thought and controlled breathing to help create relaxation while providing a workout. Yoga will take time to master, but even beginners can enjoy the benefits of increased flexibility, improved muscle tone and a marked decrease in stress. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique in which tensing and relaxing muscles as you meditate also helps to alleviate stress. Start with tensing your arms, then your legs, neck and shoulders and so on. Hold each repetition in the tensed and relaxed states for between five and 10 seconds. This will reinforce within you the difference between the two states. As you grow familiar with the sensations you'll be able to notice whenever you are tense even when you are not meditating.

4. Try Visualization

Visualization involves picturing places and events that are relaxing and pleasing to the practitioner. More importantly, however, visualization involves using your imagination to incorporate each of your senses, not just your mind's eye. For example, if you visualize sitting on a beach, the feel of the ocean wind and the sound of the palms rustling can help strengthen your visualization. Visualization can also be coupled with progressive muscle relaxation and autogenic relaxation.