Preksha Dhyana Perception of Breathing

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 38

First Step of Preksā Meditation
Relaxation (Kāyotsarga)
For a successful session of meditational practice, it is necessary to relax the whole body and eliminate muscular tension. Relaxation and meditation are not identical, but the latter cannot be performed properly unless the body becomes motionless. As long as the body is tense and the muscles contracted, the free flow of energy (prāna) is inhibited and mental steadiness and concentration is not possible. Kāyotsarga is thus an essential precondition of meditational practice.
Kāyotsarga is not only total relaxation of the body but also a real experience of self-awareness.
Exercise
1. After completing the recitation of ARHAM, maintain the posture, keeping the spine and neck straight but without stiffness and eyes closed softly. Relax all the muscles of your body and let it become limp.
2. Concentrate your mind on each part of the body, one by one. Allow each part to relax by the process of auto-suggestion and feel that it has become relaxed.
3. Starting with the big toe of the right foot, allow your mind to spread throughout the toe; suggest to the muscles and nerves to relax; experience the resulting relaxation and pass on to the other parts of the right leg-toes, sole, heel, ankle, upper part of the foot, calf muscles, knee, thigh and buttocks. In the same way, relax the left limb upto the hip-joint.
4. Next, relax the trunk from hip-joint to the neck; starting with the back and front of the lower abdomen and the upper abdomen going up to the ribs - front and back, the chest muscles, collar bone upto the neck muscles. Then relax both limbs from palms to the shoulders i.e. right hand - thumb, fingers, palm, wrist,
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