Mindfulnessrelaxationclassexercise(doubleclickdoctoopen)

Mindfulness3x3Breathing(Doubleclickdoctoopen) Mindfulness Relaxation Classroom Exercise

We begin by settling into a comfortable posture. • Start to disengage the mind from busy thoughts and ideas. Close your eyes softly. • Gently gather all your attention into the centre of your body. • Try to reel in all thoughts that take you to the outside world • Allow the outside world to gradually melt away and dissolve into empty space. • Begin by bringing your attention to the area around the crown of your head and gradually work down through your body to the tips of your toes. • Focus on the area around the crown of your head. Gradually focusing on this area, imagine that all the tension in the muscles gradually dissolves away. • Then focus on the temples and forehead, imagining any tension headache or pain dissolving away, disappearing as you place your mind on this part of the body – imagine the tension in your head draining downwards through your body & into the ground. • Then imagine the tension in your jaw and ears gradually melting away – as you place your mind on this area, imagine any tension there leaving and draining down through your body into the ground… • Pause for a short while and become aware of how comfortable and relaxed your head is feeling. • We will now gently work our way down the body relaxing each part and letting the tension drain away. • Focus on the area around your neck and shoulders... let any tension melt away. • Try to relax your shoulders...lift them up gently and roll your shoulders forwards and then back, and as you do so imagine all the tension dissolving away. Repeat this again, and as you do imagine the tension dropping away...feel as though you are really letting go of all the tension that is being held in your shoulders. • be mindfully aware of how relaxed your neck and shoulders are now feeling. • Relax your arms and hands by imagining all the tension in these areas drains out of your fingertips and far into the distance. • Now focus on your back and bring your mind to the top of the spine… focus on any area of tension that may have built up around the top of your spine. Place your mind on these areas of tension and allow the knots to unravel as you focus on them and the tension dissolves down your spine out through the soles of your feet, and into the ground. • Mentally work your way down the spine, slowly relaxing and unravelling all the knots of tension and stress that may have built up. As your attention reaches the base of the spine, think to yourself how comfortable and relaxed your back is now feeling. • Bring your attention to the front of your body, by focusing on your stomach. • Try to identify any areas of stress or tension in this part of your body. Imagine that all the tension drains away as you focus on it – imagine any fear, tension or stress that may have built up within your stomach just disappear… • Then focus on how comfortable and relaxed your stomach is now feeling… • Now we will focus on our legs and feet, imagining any tension in these areas draining away, disappearing out of the soles of your feet – leaving you feeling so relaxed. • Gradually scan down from the crown of your head to the tips of your feet, checking to see if there is any tension left in your body. If you locate any, then engage in the simple exercise we have just completed, by focusing on the area, and imagining the tension just dissolving away… dropping out through the soles of your feet. • Now that your body is feeling nicely relaxed and free of tension, you can enjoy this feeling of release and relaxation. • Gradually bring your relaxation to a close, by becoming aware of your body… sitting in your chair, and your position in the room. Wiggle your fingers and your toes as you gradually become more aware of your surroundings… Gently open your eyes. !

Mindfulness 3 x 3 Breathing ! Gently(close(eyes(&(focus(on(natural(breathing(rhythm(! Sit(comfortably(in(your(chair,(with(your(back(straight…(shoulders(back(&(

upright(to(enable(the(breath(to(flow(easily(in(and(out(of(your(body(! Focus(on(how(different(parts(of(your(body(feel…(as(we(move(through(

each(area(focus(on(relaxing(the(muscles(here(that(might(be(tense…(shoulders,(arms,(legs,(back,(neck,(face.(

! Slowly(breathe(in(to(the(count(of(3…(HOLD(to(the(count(of(3…(slowly(breathe(OUT(to(the(count(of(3(

! Focus(on(this(breathing(cycle(by(quietly(counting(each(in(breath,(hold(&(out(breath…(

! Bring(focus(back(to(your(body(sitting(in(your(chair(in(this(room…(! Wiggle(your(fingers(&(toes(&(slowly(open(your(eyes(as(you(are(ready(

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