Introduction
When the body and mind are consistently overworked, their natural efficiency diminishes. Modern social life, food, work, and even forms of entertainment, such as disco dancing, often make it challenging for modern individuals to relax. Many have even forgotten that rest and relaxation are nature's way of recharging. Even during attempts to rest, the average person expends a significant amount of physical and mental energy due to tension, resulting in wasteful energy consumption.
More energy is often spent keeping muscles in a state of continual readiness for work than in actual productive tasks. To regulate and balance the body and mind's work, it's essential to learn how to economize the body's produced energy, which can be achieved through relaxation.
It's worth noting that over the course of a day, our bodies usually generate all the substances and energy needed for the next day. However, it's common for all these substances and energy to be depleted in mere minutes due to negative emotions, anger, injury, or intense irritation. Repetitive eruptions and repression of intense emotions can become habitual, leading to detrimental effects on both the body and mind.
During complete relaxation, very little energy or "Prana" is consumed. Most of it is used to maintain the body's normal functioning, while the rest is stored and preserved.
In the pursuit of perfect relaxation, yogis employ three methods: "Physical," "Mental," and "Spiritual" relaxation. True relaxation is only attained when one reaches the stage of spiritual relaxation, a level known to advanced spiritual aspirants.
Physical Relaxation
We understand that every action originates from thought. Thoughts translate into action, with the body responding to thought. Just as the mind can send a message to muscles to contract, it can also transmit a message to relax tired muscles.
Physical relaxation typically begins from the toes and progresses upwards. The process of autosuggestion travels through the muscles and reaches the eyes and ears at the top. Gradually, messages are sent to the kidneys, liver, and other internal organs. This state of relaxation is known as Savasana, or the "Corpse Pose."
Mental Relaxation
When experiencing mental tension, it's advisable to breathe slowly and rhythmically for a few minutes. Soon, the mind becomes calm, and you may experience a floating sensation.
Spiritual Relaxation
However, full relief from all tensions and worries cannot be achieved until one attains spiritual relaxation. As long as a person identifies with the body and mind, worries, sorrows, anxieties, fear, and anger persist, leading to tension. Yogis understand that true relaxation can only be realized when a person withdraws from the idea of the body/mind and separates themselves from ego-consciousness.
The yogi identifies with the all-pervading, all-powerful, all-peaceful, and joyful self, or pure consciousness within. They recognize that the source of power, knowledge, peace, and strength lies within the self, not the body. This connection is affirmed by asserting one's true nature, saying, "I am that pure consciousness or self." This self-identification completes the process of relaxation.
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