Relaxing Hands and Arms

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Next: Relaxing shoulders and chest

Continuing to breathe deeply and comfortably, exhaling your mantra, we next begin to work on your upper body.

Allowing your relaxation to proceed, now tense your hands. The fists are tensed.

Study the tension in your fists. Hold that tension and study it.

And now relax and extend the fingers. The fingers are extended and relaxed. Every twitch of the fingers throws off tension and deepens their relaxation.

And now tense your hands once again. Tense the fists tightly. Study the tension in your fists and forearms. Hold them tightly. Study it.

And now relax and extend the fingers, continuing to breathe deeply and comfortably, and exhaling your mantra.

Allow the tension that was in your hands to leave, and enjoy the contrast.

Continue to exhale your mantra as we move on to your upper arms.

Flex your elbows. Feel the tensing in the muscles in your upper arms while you allow your hands to continue to be relaxed, with your wrists limp.

Your hands can hang limply as your elbows are flexed and your upper arms are tensed. Allow the hands and wrists to relax, and allow your breathing to continue comfortably, while it is only the upper arms that are tensed.

Study the tension in your upper arms as you continue to breathe comfortably.

And now relax your arms, let your elbows extend and your arms fall down to your sides, and allow the tension that was in your upper arms to leave.

Notice the contrast between tension and relaxation, and choose to be relaxed.

Breathe deeply and comfortably, exhaling your mantra, as you relax deeper and deeper.

Continuing to exhale your mantra, let’s once again tense your upper arms. This time keep your hands, and fingers, and wrists completely relaxed.

Now, flex your elbows, feeling the muscles in your upper arms, feeling the tension and stretching there, allowing your hands to continue to be relaxed.

Study the tension in your upper arms. Notice the tension. Feel the tension.

Hold the tension there. Continue to breathe comfortably. Continue to exhale your mantra.

And now relax your arms, extend your elbows, and let your arms fall down to your sides, and allow the tension that was in your upper arms to leave. Enjoy the contrast.

Allow the relaxation to proceed.

Next: Relaxing shoulders and chest