Thanks to Lorraine relaxation therapist from our West London Centre for these quick and easy ways to help release any build up of tension in these uncertain times.
Breathe
Allow your breath to flow......... Relax your shoulders .............Feel/sense your feet on the ground .......
Allow your breath to drop down into the abdomen.................. Count each in-breath and out-breath if it helps
Progressive muscle relaxation
Start with the feet....tense the feet on the in-breath and loosen them on the out-breath.
Continue with calves, then the thighs, the buttocks and lower abdomen, middle torso, upper back and chest shoulders, etc. up to your face.
Focus on each section at a time and co-ordinate the in- breath and out-breath with the tensing and release of each area. (Even just doing several co-ordinated breaths with the feet helps).
Ground and balance yourself in your surroundings using your senses
First sense your feet on the floor and allow your breath to flow.
Then soften your eyes and take a moment to look around you and, without labelling, just see the shapes, colours light etc..
Release around your jaw, neck and shoulders and listen to the sounds both near and far.
Gently touch your hands together and sense skin again skin or air on your skin.
Bring your hands over your heart area and feel the pulse of your heart, so as to create a sense of kindness and acceptance towards yourself.
Three stage mindful breathing space
(it need only take a few minutes) (MBCT, Segal, Williams, Teasdale)
With intention take a relaxed and dignified posture of being awake and alert.
1) Closing your eyes and become aware of what is here right now. Notice what thoughts, emotions and physical sensations are around. Whether pleasant or unpleasant, not pushing them away but acknowledging and welcoming them with kindness and accepting that is how it is right now.
2) Gathering your attention start to focus and become aware of the movement and flow of the breath down through to the abdomen, sensing the movement of the abdominal wall, moment to moment, breath by breath as best you can.
3) Having gathered the awareness and anchored the breath into the body expand that awareness and include a sense of the body as a whole, holding everything in a slightly softer, more spacious awareness.
Journaling
At the end of the day write/draw all your thoughts, feelings, fears, highs, lows, moments of gratitude and kindness.
Acknowledge and release them onto the page, and then let it all go as best you can.