releasing held tension
Written by Desmond Olubunmi · Founder of Sunya
The most accessible practice of all, and a fine place to begin: you tense each part of the body in turn, then let it go — teaching the body, by contrast, the felt difference between holding and releasing. Especially good when the body feels far more tense than the mind feels restless.
Most tension is held unconsciously — you don’t notice you’re clenching until you stop. By briefly exaggerating the tension and then fully releasing it, you make the holding conscious, and the sharp contrast trains the nervous system to recognise, and drop into, genuine ease. It works on several levels at once: the muscles let go, the nervous system calms, and the attention rests in the body.
For each zone below: inhale as you tense the muscles firmly for about five seconds (never to pain), hold briefly, then exhale with a sigh and release completely. Rest a few moments, noticing the relief, before moving on. Feet and legs. Curl the toes, flex the feet, squeeze the thighs and buttocks. Hold — then release, and feel the legs soften.
Stomach and chest. Draw the stomach inward, tightening the abdomen. Hold — then release. Arms and shoulders. Make fists, tighten the arms, lift the shoulders toward the ears. Hold — then let the shoulders drop. Face and jaw. Lightly clench the jaw, squeeze the eyes shut, scrunch the face. Hold — then let it all soften. The whole body.
Finally, tense everything at once, toes to forehead. Hold a few seconds — then release, and let the body lie loose and heavy, settling into deep rest.
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