Lesson: 5

The Science of Relaxation

Prayer:
I was prisoner, carrying a heavy load of bones and flesh, but I have broken
the chains of my muscle-bound body by the power of relaxation.
Affirmation:
Today I will open the door of my calmness and let the footsteps of silence
enter the temple of all my activities. I shall perform all dutiful actions
serenely, saturated with peace.

Question: 1
How may one practice sleeping at will?
Relax the body and think of drowsiness you usually feel just before you fall
asleep. Then try actually to reproduce that state. Use imagination not will,
to do this. Most people do not relax even while they sleep. Their minds are
restless hence they dream. Therefore conscious mental relaxation is better
than relaxation that is the by-product of passive physical relaxation or
sleep.

Question: 2
Define Physical relaxation:In the process of tensing to energize the body, one should tense gradually
from low to medium to high and relax gradually from high to medium to
low, willing the energy to flood the body part, or the entire body. In the use
of tension to untie the energy knots in the muscles and induce perfect
relaxation, one should tense gradually low to medium to high and then
throw the breath out forcefully and relax tension quickly, instantly
withdrawing energy and consciousness and active will.

Question: 3
Define Mental Relaxation:-

Mental relaxation should signify complete mental rest. Everyone needs to

let go of his worries and enter into absolute silence of every morning and
night. At such time we should try to remain for one minute at a time
without thinking negatively especially if worried, fixing the mind on the
peace within. Then we should try to remain several minutes with a quiet
mind. The think of some happy incident; dwell on it; visualize it; mentally
go through some pleasant experience over and over again; until you have
forgotten your worries entirely.

Question: 4
Without first consulting the lessons define in detail Conscious sensorymotor-organic relaxation?
Conscious-Sensory-Motor-Organic relaxation consists in the switching off
and on at will of the life current and the consciousness in the limbs,
muscles, inner organs, lungs, and diaphragm and especially in the heart
and spine.
In death, the body bulb is broken but in conscious sensory motor organic
relaxation one learns to switch off consciousness and to switch them on
again at will. This power gives victory over death.

Lesson: 6
Question: 1
Why has sorrow not being of its own?
Sorrow has not being of its own. It has no objective existence but arises
rather in the subjective nature of the sufferer. Constantly you affirm
sorrow, therefore it exists. Deny it in your mind and it will exist no longer.
The assertion of the self is what I call the hero in man. It is his divine (or)
essential nature. In order to acquire freedom from sorrow, man must
assert his heroic self in all his daily activities.

Question: 2
What does Paramahansaji say of Tears and Signs on the battlefield of
life?
(This is a worthwhile quotation to memorize. It will help you to rise
victorious above the struggle of human existence)