Elephant and Flea

Relaxation And Awareness

A way to take yourself through a 4-tiered method of letting go into deep relaxation and awareness.

1. Conscious relaxation of the body

Sitting or lying down comfortably, when you are ready you can allow your eyes to close now. Bring your awareness to your body… and consciously invite your body to relax….

The body is relaxing…the body is relaxing… The body is relaxing. Noticing, as you relax, the softening of every part of the body – your feet… legs… thighs… softening; genitals and belly softening… Your chest …shoulders… …hands and arms softening…  Your face… scalp… and the back, right down to the base of the spine, softening.

And as you consciously relax deeper and deeper, letting go, deeper and deeper, feel the connection with the body loosening… From inside, noticing a distance from the body…. Slowly, slowly, the body feeling further away… Watching it almost as if it is someone else’s body. … From inside, seeing the body being left like a shell. Simply watching. Yes.

2. Conscious relaxation of the breathing

The body is deeply relaxed, bring, awareness to breathing… gently allowing the breathing to relax… Noticing that, with each breath out, there is a feeling of letting go… The breathing is relaxing… The breathing is relaxing…  The breathing is relaxing…

By and by, as you relax, easily and naturally, deeper and deeper, notice how the breathing can become longer, of its own accord. Or, perhaps, how the breathing becomes more and more shallow.

Slowly, slowly, as the relaxation continues, it is as if the breathing is separate from you… Watching it almost as if it is someone else’s breathing.

Breathing out, just like the wave returning to the ocean – to a place of stillness and calmness.

Simply watching. Yes.

3. Conscious relaxation of the mind

Continuing to be relaxed and aware, in the same way notice how thoughts can slow down and become calmer, quieter… Observing that thoughts can become distant as the mind becomes more peaceful, more silent… The mind is relaxing… The mind is relaxing… The mind is relaxing…. Slowly, slowly it is as if the mind moves far away…

It is  just as if a river is flowing by, and from the bank, watching thoughts drift by… Noticing the distance between you and the river, noticing the distance between you and the mind. Simply watching…. Yes

4. Only watching is

All the energy is withdrawn from the body, from the breath and from the mind… Now, the energy is centred inwardly…. At the centre, the watcher and the watched dissolve into one…into one, vast  ocean of awareness  A vast ocean of awareness…. Only awareness is.

Are there any boundaries to this ocean inside? And any boundaries that might be there, allowing them to dissolve now.

5. Coming Back

And when you are ready, slowly take some deep breaths… No need to hurry…. And  when you come back you can remember this space – the space of deep relaxation, the space in which you can observe the body and mind as separate from you… The space of peace, the joy… the oneness of awareness. You can remember this – your essential being – throughout your day. Sammasati: remember!

And when you are ready, now, having a stretch. Wiggling your toes, opening and closing your fingers, and gently coming back…. Coming back to this body here and now… Coming back feeling refreshed. And in your own time, allowing your eyes to open.