Lesson 909: Body Tension Release and Relaxation Training
Duration:80 minutes
Topic Introduction (Overview):
Many traumatic experiences don't just "exist in the mind," but are locked inside the body: stiff shoulders and neck, a constantly clenched jaw, curled toes, an inability to relax the back, and a posture that always seems ready to get up and run away. You may verbally say "it's over," but your body is telling you with persistent high tension: "The danger is still there." This lesson isn't about "forcing yourself to relax," but about learning step by step to listen to your body's language and release long-standing defensive postures within a safe framework.
This lesson will guide you through understanding the connection between trauma and muscle tension, shallow and rapid breathing, and difficulty lowering your heart rate. You'll practice several simple yet effective relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle tension-relaxation exercises, body scans coordinated with breathing, and using touch and weight to resettle yourself. You'll practice sending a signal to your body without forcing yourself: I am different now than I was then, and I can slowly remove my armor a little bit. Mandalas are not about drawing something, but about observation—we must also learn to observe and feel our body's state, rather than simply demanding that it "be normal."
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▲ AI Interaction: Mapping Your Body Tension“
Please describe to the AI:
① The three body parts you are most prone to tension (such as shoulders and neck, chin, chest, stomach, palms, etc.).
② What sensations occur in these areas when triggered or when pressure suddenly increases (hardening, tingling, numbness, coldness, heaviness, etc.)?
③ Have any relaxation methods you have tried in the past (stretching, bathing, massage, exercise) provided any temporary relief?
AI will assist you:
① Create your own "body tension map";
② Mark the 1-2 body parts that are most suitable for relaxation practice at the moment;
③ Propose mini relaxation steps that can be completed in 3–5 minutes, helping you give your body more frequent opportunities to "relieve the alarm" in your daily life.
○ Body Disarming & Music Guidance
Choose a piece of instrumental music with a stable rhythm, without strong drumbeats or sudden transitions, and keep the volume at a level that is "audible but doesn't fill the entire space." Sit on a chair or cushion with your feet flat on the ground and your back gently against the chair back or wall, feeling that your body is supported.
As the music plays, slowly move your attention from the top of your head to your toes: wherever you pass, mentally say to that part of your body, "You've worked hard, you can rest for a little while." Don't aim for complete relaxation, just aim to reduce the tension by 10%. When you're willing to approach your body with this attitude, instead of blaming it for being "tight again," your nervous system can be more likely to believe: now is the time to let your guard down a bit.
Herbal Tea Healing Drinks: Lemon Balm Soothing Tea
Recommended reasons:Lemon balm has a gentle calming and relaxing effect, making it suitable for drinking during the day or evening. When paired with a small amount of peppermint or chamomile, it can further relieve tension in the shoulders, neck, and stomach, helping the body gradually shift from a state of "being on standby" to a rhythm of "being able to take a short break."
Basic procedure:Take 2 grams of lemon balm and 1–2 grams of chamomile, steep in hot water at approximately 90°C for 5 minutes, then cover and let it steep. It is recommended to drink a few sips before and after relaxation exercises, allowing the aroma and warmth of the herbs to linger in the mouth, throat, and chest, as if telling the body: you no longer need to be tense.
○ Chinese Food Therapy: Yam and Longan Muscle-Relaxing Soup
A body that is in a state of prolonged traumatic tension often feels both exhausted and unable to truly rest. Yam invigorates the spleen and replenishes qi, while longan nourishes blood and calms the mind. Combined with the soft and gentle texture of the soup, it can provide the body with stable energy without increasing the digestive burden, allowing muscles to transition from "stretching" to "being nourished."
Basic procedure:Cut 100 grams of yam into small pieces, add 15 grams of dried longan pulp and a suitable amount of goji berries, add water and simmer over low heat until it becomes a thick soup. You can add a small amount of rock sugar to taste. It is suitable as a snack after dinner or 1-2 hours before bedtime, and can be eaten before or after stretching, muscle-stretching or progressive relaxation exercises, so that the body can truly remember the "relaxation" and not just remain a mental instruction.
○ Medieval Gothic calligraphy: The sentence reads, "My body is learning to feel safe."“
Practice sentences:
My body is learning to feel safe.
Key points of writing (Gothic Script):
- In Gothic script, the vertical strokes should be slightly thicker and straight, like pillars, symbolizing that you are rebuilding a stable structure for your body.
- “The word "body" can be emphasized slightly, allowing you to consciously bring your attention back to your body while writing, rather than just staying in your mind.
- “The word "learning" is written a bit longer and more elaborately, reminding myself that relaxation is a skill in learning, not a failure if I can't do it.
- When writing "safe", you can slow down slightly and gently finish the last stroke, making the whole word seem to land slowly, conveying the message that "it can finally stop".
Mental Healing: Mental Mandala Imagery 47
Please observe a mandala whose lines gradually soften with each circle: the outermost lines may be sharp, taut, and intensely colored; as you move inward, the lines become rounder and the colors gentler. Imagine these layers as your body—the outer circle represents heightened alertness and defense, the middle represents relaxing muscles, and the center represents your inherent, tranquil core.
Mandala drawing isn't about creating something; it's about observing. You don't need to force the outer circle to soften immediately. Simply, while observing, acknowledge that it has protected you for a long time; and also acknowledge that now you have the opportunity to slowly move towards the inner circle, little by little. Every breath is a small step towards the center.
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Lesson 909: Drawing a Body Outline that Combines Tension and Softness
Purpose:It allows you to visualize where your body is still straining and where it is starting to soften, instead of simply summarizing it as "my whole body is tired".
step:
① Draw a simplified human figure on paper. It doesn't need to be accurate; just make sure it has a head, torso, and limbs.
② Mark the areas where you are most often tense with red or dark color, and write down the corresponding sensations (soreness, hardness, numbness, stiffness);
③ Use light or warm colors to mark areas where you occasionally feel relaxed (such as your calves after a foot bath or your shoulders after a shower).
④ Write a message next to the picture that you would like to give to your body today:
“"Thank you for holding on until now. I'm willing to slowly help you unload the weight."”
⑤ After completion, please keep this image safe. It will serve as a continuously updated "body change testimonial image" for your future practice.
Please log in before submitting your drawings and feelings.
○ 909. Log Guidance
① What was the moment today when you felt the most obvious tension in your body? Please write down what happened at that time.
② At that moment, which part of your body sent the first signal? Did you try to soothe it even a little?
③ Write down a small relaxation exercise that you are willing to repeat in the coming week (e.g., gently circling your neck and shoulders, clenching your fist and then slowly releasing it, feeling the weight on the ground with your feet).
④ Summarize today in one sentence:
“I’m learning to work alongside my body, instead of just demanding that it hold on.”
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When the body's tension is seen, understood, and responded to gently, the healing of trauma is no longer just a concept, but will gradually take place in the muscles, joints, and breath.
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