Relaxation
People desperately pursue relaxation and the release from stress: illicit
drugs, alcohol, caffeine, sex, television. There are a vast number of
escapes, all predicated on the belief that life is too hard and that it
demands relief. We think of relaxation as a way out, a retreat from the pain
and pressures of our lives.
True relaxation embraces life, does not declare "time out" from it.
(Wolfe Lowenthal)
Relaxation
Relaxation is a condition of ease that arises from feeling
comfortable.
You may do many things in order to relax:
Sit
Walk
Read a book
Talk with friends
Spend time with your family
Gardening
Cooking
Eat a nice meal
Watch TV
Socialise
What is relaxing for one person
may not be relaxing for another.
It is important to discover ways in which to relax.
You may even choose to do absolutely nothing...
Rest & relaxation
Rest is not the same as relaxation.
Whilst relaxation can take many forms,
rest is more
straightforward.
When you stop doing altogether, you rest.
An example of rest is sleep.
Mind & body
Relaxing both mind and body will improve your health and make you
feel better.
Your
quality of life will change.
It can be hard for busy people to relax, so you must be
patient.
The commitment you make towards being relaxed will prove itself worthwhile
when you start to feel fresh and energised.
Kung fu aims to make you feel rested, relaxed and energised.
Nervous system
Relaxing will have an effect upon your nervous system.
The nervous system is spread throughout your entire body and affects the
internal balance.
Calming the nervous system changes how you move - you will feel less jerky
and more fluid.
There are two ways in which we can work on the nervous system:
The body can be
slowed by practicing kung fu every day and the mind can be calmed by reading
books that encourage
healthy thoughts, by watching
nature and by meditating.
Positive attitude
It is easy to become annoyed and frustrated in a culture that has
embraced competition and selfishness as a way of life.
In kung fu, we are encouraged to remove the difference between thinking and
doing.
We try to figure out the nature of obstacles and work with them rather than
against them.
This creates a constructive attitude.
Creativity, and freedom from conditioned thought is
crucial in kung fu.
Awareness
Meditation is the process of growing
awareness.
You must root your attention in the 'here and now' unless deliberately
allowing yourself to
dream.
As you sit right now, what is your body doing?
How is it is positioned? Are you relaxed or
tense?
What are your thoughts?
Do you feel at
ease?
Relaxation 2
Page created 24 June 1994