When was the last time when you were at complete peace of mind? When was your mind not generating any stories or worried about future and what it has to bring along? Does your busy work routine give you enough time to ponder upon your own self? A completely relaxed state of mind is something that most of us lack these days. If you think that taking time out for your own being would do you any good, you must be thinking about meditation retreats. Together with yoga retreats, they tend to bring out that peaceful side of yours. Also they are a nice way to relax your mind, body and soul.

A relaxed body is a key to a healthy you. Good sleeping habits and exercises not only make you healthy and efficient, but also keep you in proper shape. When you are seeking a relaxed night’s sleep, you should learn about a proper sleeping posture. A progressive relaxation technique will help you on this before you doze off. Close your eyes and lie straight on your back. Now starting with your toes, feel each muscle of your body, gradually moving to your thighs. Feel all the weight, release all your muscle tension as you do so. Repeat the same procedure as you gradually move to upper parts of your body. Starting with toes, move to your thighs, abdomen, arms, shoulders, and finally, the head.

Another helpful technique that has proved to be quite useful to many is imagery. Also known as visualization or guided imagery is a way of releasing stress at the end of your day. It is basically thinking about a place that is your favorite and even the thought of which calms you down. Visualize yourself at such a place with all the peace of mind. Lay down straight, close your eyes and feel yourself to be there with the fresh air touching your body. Feel the warmth of the sun and the sound of nature, as it starts to mesmerize you. Activate all of your five senses and you will be surprised to know how relaxed you might feel.

You must also learn to breathe deep. Deep breathing allows each muscle in your body to relax and keep them synchronized with the rest of your body. Lie down on your back and relax your body. Deeply inhale through your nose. Fill your lungs until you cannot do it anymore, but do remember to do this slowly. Now hold your breath for 1 or 2 seconds. Now exhale slowly. If coupled with the imagery technique, this will help you a great deal.

Relaxing your ears may also hold a lot of importance when you are to release your stress. To give some peace to your ears, either move to a quieter place or put on some soft music that is calm to listen to. Instrumentals are a good choice for this.

Some people might assume that relaxing is just leaving your daily chores for some days, grab a pillow and fall into deep sleep. However, this may not hold true at all times. When your body needs to relax, it needs more of your attention. Relaxation means to think about all the ways you can give more time to your body and ways that will make it feel better.

Learning deep relaxation is a must if you want to astral project. Once you have prepared yourself for your deep relaxation exercise by wearing comfortable clothes and sitting comfortably in an arm chair with pillows beneath your feet and behind your neck and lower back, you can follow these simple steps to deep relaxation.

To relax deeply, you don’t have to put in any effort. You simply have to tense and relax certain muscle groups. You can follow any technique of full-body relaxation that you know. Or you can make use of this simple guide. Ensure that you don’t leave a single muscle without tensing and relaxing it.

1. Stretch Your Entire Body

Stretch your legs and arms the way you usually do when you are exhausted and accompany the stretching with slow, deep, and long breaths.

2. Calves and Feet

Curl your toes, tense your calves and feet, and then let go. Repeat the process.

3. Thighs and Knees

Tense your knees, calves, and thighs simultaneously and then let go. Press your heels to the floor and again tense your knees, calves, and thighs before letting go. Repeat the process.

4. Buttocks, Hips, and Groins

Press your buttocks toward the back, tense them, and let go. Push your hips forward, tense them, and let go.

5. Lower Back and Stomach

Push out your abdomen and tense all the abdominal muscles before letting go. Suck in your abdomen, tense your buttocks and lower back, and let go. Try this again.

6. Upper Back and Chest

Raise your shoulders, pull in your chest, and screw up all the muscles of your upper back and let go. Throw your shoulders back, push forward your chest, tense all muscles, and then let go.

7. Arms

Ball your hands into a fist and tense your arms, shoulders, and hands before letting go. Raise your fists to your shoulders, tense, and let go.

8. Neck

Push your chin onto your chest, tense all the muscles, and then let go. Throw your head back, push your chin up, and tense your jaw and throat muscles before letting go.

9. Face, Head, and Jaw

Throw your head back, open your mouth as wide as possible, and screw up your face. This will tense all the muscles of the head. Now let go. Tense your facial muscles and let go several times. Frown and smile in turns.

10. Full Body Stretch

Now stretch your entire body. Tense all the muscles as much as you can and let go. Repeat the process.

You might have to repeat the above steps several times before you are completely satisfied that your body is totally relaxed. As you follow this relaxation technique, focus on the muscle groups that you are working on. While relaxing, relax them completely.

The more you repeat the process, the easier it becomes. Soon, you will achieve the ability to relax any muscle at will just by focusing on it. And the more you relax; the better becomes your ability to astral project.