Anxiety and Panic Attacks In Emphysema ... - Mind Publications

“Short” Relaxation Methods (5 to 10 minutes)
Preparation for Short Relaxation
After 20-30 practices of “full relaxation” sessions, you may begin utilizing the
short relaxation.
This relaxation exercise can be done lying down or sitting down. If you prefer to
lie down, make sure you have proper pillow support under your neck and low back or
knees if needed. Lie if you prefer, sitting, make yourself comfortable. Sit with arms and
hands in the lap or the thighs, back, neck and head straight but relaxed.
Body Scan--Putting the Mind into the body
Scan and relax one body part at a time and silently say to yourself the name of the body
part just scanned
• Eyes, ears, nose, cheeks, lips, inside mouth, palate, throat and guts, silently saying
"face."
• Right arm and hand silently saying "right arm"
• Left arm and hand saying "left arm"
• Scan shoulders, neck and head "shoulders, neck and head"
• Entire right side of the body "right body"
• Entire left side of the body "left body"
• Scan the lower body "lower body"
• The upper body "upper body"
• Scan the entire body "whole body"
“Joints” Breathing--Putting the breath and the mind into the body
We all know that we breathe in and out through the nose and if the nose is blocked we
breathe through the mouth. So just for the sake of relaxation exercise, if I ask you to
“Breathe in as if through the crown of your head and breathe out as if through your toes”
it would sound silly. Wouldn’t it? But, it is a relaxation exercise and we use our
imagination a lot to relax the body and the mind. So, do the exercise “as if” it is true.
Remember as children how we played “Let’s pretend” games? Play the “game” and
enjoy it.
Basic Instruction