In today’s offering, Jenny Johnson guides us through teachings about why and how to practice deep relaxation, along with always-on meditation.
Rest is not a “reward” for working hard enough. It is human needs and birthright.
This week’s episode is a little different. We share guided meditations from mindfulness leader and professional coach Jene Johnson, as well as her teachings about some of the brain sciences behind relaxation. It is essential for our happiness, how it works, and how we incorporate intentional relaxation practices into your daily life.
Gene Johnson is the founder of the rights in experiences working to cultivate an inner calm, resilience, narcissism and joyful experience through the practice of meditation and mindfulness for African ancestors. She is also a former program innovation leader in San Francisco Public Health, Mindfulness, Trauma and Racial Healing.
Education and meditation that welcomes relaxing and deep rest
At some point during the day, the body signals us that it is time to rest, rest, withdraw from activity, become quiet, and make a journey from sound to silence. The mind and body need moments of peace, upset, push, planning, or celebration for them.
Stress, trauma and tension play a role in your ability to rest and relax. Therefore, it is extremely important to perform a “relaxation drill” every day to counter the negative effects of stress on the human body. According to Dr. Frank Staggers Jr., those who do daily relaxation drills remain healthier, have more energy and think more clearly. This is why it’s important to take 20 minutes once or twice a day to get deep and relaxed.
Effective deep relaxation techniques are known as quiet sitting or free relaxation. You simply sit quietly for about 20 minutes, allowing your mind to float freely until you are calm. Don’t think about anything in particular. Don’t focus on anything. Make sure your mind and body are naturally settled down.
Effective deep relaxation techniques are known as quiet sitting or free relaxation. You simply sit quietly for about 20 minutes, allowing your mind to float freely until you are calm.
To be deeply relaxed, you have to go back and forth between thoughts in a way that they are happy to be. When you are relaxed, some thoughts may spontaneously run through your mind. it’s okay. Don’t worry about these thoughts. Don’t try to block these thoughts and show yourself. Don’t be too attached to these ideas. It remains passive. Leave your thoughts alone. This way, your thoughts will gradually fade into the background, allowing you to continue to relax.
The scientific term for deep states of awakening relaxation is the alpha state. This is because when the brain is completely relaxed, it calms and produces smooth, harmonious waves called alpha brain waves. Alpha EEG frequencies range from 8 to 12 cycles per second, while awakening or excitation EEG, known as beta EEG, is much faster at 13 to 40 cycles per second. Alpha states are usually associated with extensive relaxation throughout the body and a healthy decline in the body’s metabolism.
Activities like watching TV, listening to the radio, reading, sewing, fishing, and more do not hit Alpha’s deep state of relaxation. These activities still place demand on the brain, and they are too busy to completely relax. This means that these activities may take you to a shallow state of relaxation, but they cannot lead you to a deep state of relaxation. Even sleep does not hit the deep relaxation state of the alpha. This is because the brain remains very active during sleep, especially during dreams.
Even after sleep, you can still be stressed. Relaxation drills allow your mind and body to bump into deep states of relaxation.
So, while obviously essential for multiple other functions, sleep does not completely relieve the brain and counterstress. Even after sleep, you can still be stressed. Relaxation drills allow your mind and body to bump into deep states of relaxation. So calm down and try practicing together.
Read and practice the guided meditation script below and pause after each paragraph. Or listen to audio practice.
Sit in an upright but relaxed position, either drop your gaze or close your eyes. Take a deep breath and exhale audible breath. Inhale and exhale, sit quietly, float freely, relax and invite your body. It activates the body’s calming response when you simply sit and breathe. It allows the brain to display gentle, smooth and harmonious waves called alpha brain waves. Like the waves of the ocean, they come to the shore and come back. I’ll go in and go out. Breathing and breathing. relax. Drop your shoulders, relax your chin, and spread your forehead. Leave your mind free to float until you feel calm. Go back and forth between ideas as they please. Gently return your attention to it to your breath. Don’t try to block your thoughts and show yourself. Just be passive and remind your body that we are sitting now, we are breathing now, we are relaxing now. Sit quietly and breathe. Breathe and exhale like ocean waves. Fade with thoughts against the background. relax. To be quiet, feel at ease. This is a gift for relaxation.
