How to train your ribs to come apart so your mind will not come apart
Solar Plexus Relaxation Training Exercise. A very good way to start and end your day:
Many of our upper body muscles are very sensitive to our perceptions of stress, especially our shoulders, neck, forehead, jawline and ribcage. These muscles, in particular, stay strong and reflexively tense most of the time just in case we encounter danger, awake or asleep. Think about your shoulders, neck, jaw and rib cage now and begin relaxing them just a little bit. When the ribcage muscles are tense it is not possible to get a satisfying deep breath, which can trigger sudden mental and physical anxiety and panic experiences. If you focus your attention on your muscle relaxation, your breathing will naturally relax and your thoughts will become more tolerant and creative again.
Sit in a comfortable chair and begin relaxing your upper body muscle tension just a little bit as you mindfully exhale slowly and completely. Relax deeply more and more in your shoulders, your neck, your forehead and your jawline on each slow and complete exhale. Enjoy the sensations of simply sinking deeply into the furniture more and more and allowing it to support your head, shoulders and ribcage completely. Allow your head, shoulders and ribcage to begin to feel heavier and heavier on the furniture now as you continue exhaling slowly and relaxing deeply just a little more. Next, gently move your attention to your ribcage muscles and relax your whole ribcage front& back, left & right, just a little bit more. The area of your ribcage just under your heart in the center of your chest wall where your left and right ribcages join is called your solar plexus region. Relaxing your solar plexus region allows your ribs to release your lungs more fully so they can fill more easily with fresh air. Placing a hand on your solar plexus can aid further relaxation of this important region. Do that now if you like. Exhale fully and relax deeply in your solar plexus muscles so that you feel your left and right ribcages come apart just a little more on each exhale and inhale. Relax deeply a little more in your upper body and your solar plexus muscles. Choose to notice your ribcage and solar plexus muscles often each day so that you can undo your reflexive muscle tension there in all of your stressful non-emergencies. Relaxing your solar plexus muscles often each day can improve your performance under the pressures of all of your daily life activities at work and home. Exhale completely and mindfully relax the muscles underneath your hand a little more. Enjoy the feeling of your ribs separating just a little bit more in your solar plexus region. Enjoy the sensations of more relaxed muscles in your upper body and your solar plexus region today. Continue relaxing your solar plexus muscles often today and everyday. You have completed the Solar Plexus RTE.
©Pamela Whitworth, Ph.D. All rights reserved. whitworthstressometer.com
