Yoga and relaxation
Yoga teaches you how to achieve deep muscle relaxation, first by following a muscle contraction in one asana with complete muscular relaxation in its complementary resting pose. Second, by using autosuggestion in Final relaxation, asking each part of the body in turn to relax until you experience a feeling of total release.
A strong muscle contraction requires a large number of nerve impulses to command muscle fibres to shorten; complete relaxation requires the fewest nerve impulses to be directed to the fibres. These processes seem opposed, but the more you relax before moving into an asana, the more efficiently you will be able to focus on muscle contraction, and the deeper you will be able to breathe. Follow the asana with its relaxation pose; then the complete release of the contraction plus slow breathing stimulates deep relaxation.
Using autosuggestion
To achieve deep muscle relaxation in Final relaxation , lie comfortably, then create a mental picture of the muscles of the body in turn, and send them a mental command to relax, which travels via impulses from the motor cortex in the brain. The command is followed quickly by a feeling of relaxation.
Location of cortexes
The motor cortex and the somatic sensory cortex sit alongside each other in the brain.
Brain mapping
The sequence of autosuggestion during relaxation is “mapped” in the motor cortex (see location in the brain). The sensation of relaxation that follows corresponds to the “map” of the somatic sensory cortex. Although there is no direct motor control to the intra-abdominal organs, the autosuggestion reaches the target organ via the subconscious mind.
