Relaxation for all the family

‘”Total harmonious relaxation cures the body. To achieve this, there must be a co-ordination between the three facets of ourselves: body, mind and spirit”……Yogi Bhajan
Quite often it is thought that when we relax we need to divert the mind with distracting activities such as the television and computer games. These activities only act as added stimulation to what is already active inside the body and mind.
   To experience true relaxation, it is important to stay consciously aware. This can be achieved through the practice of Yoga nidra or deep relaxation.
   Yoga is to unite and Nidra is to sleep.
   Yoga Nidra and relaxation are achieved by the ability to look inwards and not to be distracted by outside influences, although to do this there is no need for concentration. It is not about allowing yourself to fall asleep but about being on the edge of sleep and wakefulness. In this way, it is possible to feel complete mental, physical and emotional relaxation.
   The world is changing and lifestyles are not the same as they used to be. Children are being brought up in a world so full of technology and constant stimulation that it is no wonder they have difficulty finding peace.
   There has been a large increase in conditions such as asthma, migraine diabetes and digestive disorders over the past 10 years. There are no real medical answers to these problems because their main source lies rooted in the change of lifestyle. The need for more money and materialistic desires all add to the upheaval in our natural rhythms.
Tension
   Whether you’re a tense person or not, it is very rare to live life totally ‘tension free’. Somewhere in the body tension accumulates. It may be physical, mental or emotional.
   Yoga deals with the individual as a whole, ’the union’ of all the body systems. If there is tension in one part of the body, this will usually affect another area and we can be caught in a vicious circle. When we practise Yoga Nidra or deep relaxation, this affects the body on every level and is very rejuvenating. Thirty minutes of Yoga Nidra practice is said to be equivalent to 2 hours of deep sleep...“

Written by Indra Singh, the article continues to outline a series of simple relaxation exercises for all the family.