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Rest Relaxation 3 minutes · closer

Softening half a turn

Card 33 of 52

Put it on the board and read it out. Nothing to prepare.

A person on a chair beside a window, stretching one arm up, with a plant on the sill

Illustration by RecipesforWellbeing.org, CC BY-NC 4.0

Open this drawing in the library

Before you pack up, we will take a minute to let go of some of the grip the day has put into your body. You can keep your eyes open.

Start with your jaw. If your teeth are pressed together, let them part a little behind closed lips.

Now your shoulders. If they have crept up towards your ears, let them drop a small way, only as far as feels easy.

Last, your hands. Let them rest open on the desk or in your lap for a few breaths, and notice anything that feels a little softer.

That’s the practice.

Listen for Some students will notice very little change, and some may find attention on the body uncomfortable. Keep every step optional, and let anyone simply sit.

The skill of relaxation. Consciously releasing tension from the mind and body to reach a state of calm and comfort.

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The skill of relaxation

Consciously releasing tension from the mind and body to reach a state of calm and comfort.

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Adapting it

Ages 13 to 15
Model each step yourself, small and ordinary, so that nobody feels watched while they try it.
Ages 16 to 18
Mention that tension builds quietly during long study, and that a small release counts.
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    Arrow keys move between steps. F is full screen.