Relaxation therapy will only evoke natural reactions from the body and the mind. This is a true advantage over sleeping pills, whose therapeutic action lies on provoking sleep artificially.

This relaxation therapy is higly recommended by every psychiatrist before the use of drugs as a very first step which has a high effectiveness.

The basis of this therapy is the following: functional disorders such as primary insomnia are due to emotional tensions rather than a pathologic agent (i.e. a virus, batcaeria, etc).

How can our life change after relaxation therapy?

Sometimes one can spend the whole life looking after happiness, without finding it. But relaxation therapy is a real way to get emotional stability and serenity. It is also a valid means for treating depressive disorders. For example, it is not rare to leave bad feelings behind such as excessive guilt for anything that surrounds us after a successfull series of relaxation therapy sessions.

Personality disorders also may be stabilised and relax may contribute to anxiety and other psychiatric syndromes, once the technique is fully learnt.

Normally, it will take a month of relaxation sessions in order to appreciate the results: physical and psychic serenity.

The main aim of the therapy is to leave behind all preocupations and day to day concerns. The first step in which this shall be done relies in acute concentration. An analysis of the own emotional difficulties will be practiced. Facing them will leave us nearer to relaxation benefits.
At the same time that in our society there is a must about experiencing emotions for escaping routine, there is also a common fear respecting those experiences.

With relaxation, the patient discovers painful zones of his or her body and obtain control over those parts. Self defenses are normally increasing fears of failures. Learning to be free includes leaving these thoughts behind. Besides the corporal experience, one can also go trough discovering some "zones" of our own mind that remained unconvered until relaxation therapy. So relaxation may be a great adventure in self wisdom.

We will follow the steps a german psychiatrist called Schultz described for concentration previous to self induced relaxation.
These are the issues that must be transmitted to different parts of the body:

• serenity
• heat
• coldness
• heaviness -for the limbs and for the eyes

Dr Schultz suggested this technique should not be practiced without the supervision of a specialist.

The process will follow these steps:

• Choice of a position for the body
• concentration over serenity
• concentration over heavinness of the limbs and eyes.
• concentration over the body's hot zones
• concentration over the heartbeat
• concentration over breathing
• concentration over the solar plexus
• concentration about coldness.

3 conditions are needed for a correct posture

• reduce all pressures over your body
• the posture must be comfortable for your back and limbs
• it should allow a fine concentration

Choosing the place for the excercise

the place must not have any disturbing noises or sounds

Choosing the clothes

We recommend big clothes, letting the body have the normal temperature, natural tissue if possible, smooth for the skin.

How to choose the posture

Once you pick up a position, you will always need to repeat it, so it is very important making  good choice.

First posture

SIT DOWN on a sofa or big chair, with the legs running parallel 90 degrees respect the body. Legs should not be crossed. Check if the whole body is well supported.

Second posture

Sit down without support for your back, which needs an inclination slight ahead. Hands must fall between the legs.

Third posture

Body is laying down on the floor completely. Use a blanket for the ground, or a thin matress. A tiny pillow for the head can also be used.
Arms are perpendicular to the body, with hands facing the floor.

The three of them are good postures for you to choose.

Focus on serenity

You must feel your limbs are carrying a heavy weight. In order to get tht sensation, follow th:ese steps:

• Close your eyes
• Say to yourself: "my body is calm, so calm... so calm" up to seven times.
• wait until the serenity invades the whole of your body.
• Keep this sensation up to 50 seconds until a minute

Go back to your normal condition very very slowly, by moving your arms, flexing them smoothly, and take 7 deep breaths until you open your eyes.

Focus on heaviness.

• Close you eyes softly
• Say to yourself: "I feel my right leg so heavy, so heavy... so heavy" repeating it 7 times.
• Wait until the heaviness invades the whole body
• Keep the sensation upto a minute.

Go back to your normal condition very very slowly, by moving your arms, flexing them smoothly, and take 7 deep breaths until you open your eyes.
 

Focus on heat

• Once you control serenity and heaviness, you can go through heat. In your chosen posture, say to yourself: my left leg is so hot, so hot... so hot" up to 7 times.
• And then again with each one of your limbs. Go back to your condition very very slowly, by moving your arms, flexing them smoothly, and take 7 deep breaths until you open your eyes.

FOCUS on heartbeat
 

• For taking conscience of your heart beating use the third posture.
• Put your right hand open over your thorax
• use a little pillow below your elbow for reaching the same hight of your body
• Focus on serenity, heaviness and heat clearly directing the sensation to your chest
• Say to yourself: I feel my heart beating, calm and strongly

This excercise must be made 14 days before you can stop using your hand on your chest.

FOCUS on breathing
 

• use the third posture
• Put your right hand over your chest
• Focus on serenity, heaviness and heat clearly directing the sensation to your chest
• Say to yourself: I feel my breath so calm, so calm... up to 7 times

Wake up very very slowly, by moving your arms, flexing them smoothly, and take 7 deep breaths until you open your eyes.

Focus on coolness

We must bring up something important: the sensation should not be of a terrible cold but that of a pleasant coolness.
 

• Use the third posture
• practice the whole sequence of serenity, heaviness, heat, heartbeat and breath but always focusing your forehead, with your hand placed there.
• Say to yourself: "I feel my forehead so cool, so cool... so cool" 7 times.

Wake up very very slowly, by moving your arms, flexing them smoothly, and take 7 deep breaths until you open your eyes.

This excercise should be practiced 3 weeks before you can get the sensation without the use of your hand. Do not forget the order mentioned.
Give life to your autonomic body and enjoy!