Practise this routine 3 days a week for about half an hour and you will soon become skilled at ‘letting go’. Then use it whenever you are tense, when life feels overwhelming, when you can’t sleep at night or simply to restore energy levels. You could ask your partner or friend to read out the steps as you work your way through them.

1. LIE DOWN ON A FIRM BED OR FLOOR MAT

Place a small cushion under your head and take a large cushion pillow under your thighs, to take the strain off your abdomen and ease the small of your back. Make sure you are warm.

2. BECOME AWARE OF YOUR LEGS

Push your legs into the support, hold them there for few seconds and then let go. Now let your legs fall apart a little more. Feel them sinking down more heavily into the support. Let go a little more and the relaxation flowing through all your leg muscles.

3. LET YOUR FEET FLOP OUT

Stretch your toes and hold for a moment, then let your feet flop out sideways. Feel your feet in contact with the support.

4. WORK YOUR SHOULDERS

Pull your shoulders towards your feet. Hold them there for a few seconds, then let go. Now feel as if your shoulders are tipping backwards towards the support you are lying on.

5. STRETCH YOUR FINGERS

With your hands supported, stretch out your fingers and thumbs. Hold for few seconds.

6. BE AWARE OF YOUR ARMS

Move your arms away from your sides and bend the elbows outwards. Let your hands rest apart from each other on your lower abdomen or on either side of the body.

Push your arms down into support, hold for a moment, then stop pushing. Feel your arms sinking down heavily into the support. Tell yourself to let go through all the muscles in your arms.

7. RELAX YOUR ABDOMINAL NUSCLES

As you breathe out, let the muscles below the waist feel loose, limp and easy. Now feel your buttock letting go. Feel the whole of your lower body being supported more fully and relaxing more completely.

8. BE AWARE OF YOUR DIAPHRAGM

Feel as if the part of your body just above the waist is expanding slightly. Let go all around your middle and feel how you breathe naturally into your diaphragm area as you relax. Be aware of your middle expanding as you breathe in, and then feel yourself letting go even more as you breathe out.

As you breathe out, say to yourself ‘let go’ and feel this letting-go all through your body.

9. FEEL YOUR BODY GETTING HEAVIER

Press your body down a little more heavily into the support, hold for few seconds, then stop pushing and let go.

Feel your whole body relaxing deeply.

10. BECOME AWARE OF YOUR EYES

Let your eyelids be lightly closed i.e. let your eye muscles relax. Don’t focus on anything. Simply let your eyes rest.

11. IMAGINE A SCALP MASSAGE

Imagine those gentle hands smoothing up over your head, gently massaging your scalp. Feel as if your head is expanding a little, as you let go of any tension in your scalp.

Imagine the tension floating away.

12. THINK ABOUT YOUR FOREHEAD

Imagine that gentle fingers ar esmoothing it outwards from the centre to the temples. Feel as if it is widening out.

Imagine it being gently smoothed upwards. Feel as if your forehead is becoming higher.

13. TURN ATTENTION TO YOUR MOUTH AND JAW

Make sure your top and bottom teeth are slightly apart and not clenched together. Let your tongue rest near the bottom of your mouth behind your lower teeth.

Let your lips touch lightly.

14. IMAGINE THE START OF A SMILE

Starting from your mouth, let the smile spread slowly out into your cheeks. Feel as if your cheeks are widening a little, so that the whole of your lower face feels relaxed and calm.

15. ENJOY THE FEELING OF BEING DEEPLY RELAXED

Rest in the calm that comes with letting go completely. Stay in this relaxed state and rest your mind by picturing a beautiful place that feels safe and calm. Rest here for few minutes. This is your inner sanctuary, where you can return for rest whenever you choose.

When you are in a state of deep relaxation, hold the awareness that all the repair mechanisms of the body are enhanced and the immune system is boosted.