Care for Myself-ta
Care for Myself
Step 1 : “Firstly, sit in a comfortable position on your chairs, or cross legged on the floor. Make sure your back is straight and head is upright. Take a deep breath and relax as you breathe out. Take another deep breath… and another…”
Step 2 : “Now relax any tensions in the body. Stretch your toes, then relax them. Tighten and tense the calf muscles, then relax them. Tense the muscles in your upper legs and thighs, and relax them. Pull in your stomach muscles, then relax them. Pull the shoulders back, then relax them. Shrug the shoulders up and down. Look left, look forward, look right, look forward. Now screw up the face muscles and relax them. Feel your whole body relaxed – all tensions have gone. You feel good.”
Step 3 : “Now become aware of your breathing. Take a deep breath, filling your lungs. Then in your own time, breathe out slowly. Let your eyes be gently closed and, as you breathe in, imagine clean healing energy is entering your body, filling you with happiness, love and peace. As you breathe out, imagine any uncomfortable feelings you have, such as sadness, tiredness, anger, annoyance, fear, boredom, jealousy or any other, being breathed out, leaving you feeling happy and free from worries. Repeat this 3 or 4 times. One by one, the things that upset you are breathed out and drift away.”
Step 4 :Think of all the things that make you what you are… All the things that make up your body and mind: the food you eat… the things you read, the things you watch on TV… the things you listen to: music, things other people say, things you say yourself. Are you taking care that they are all good things? Take care of yourself because you are valuable.
Step 5 :“Now bring your attention back to the classroom, open your eyes and stretch, as the exercise has finished. Smile at the person next to you and tell them the date and time.”
(After these silent sitting exercises students may wish to share their experiences and this should be encouraged, especially asking how they feel. It is a good time to do some creative work such as drawing a picture of their experience.)
Adapted from ‘Sathya Sai Education in Human Values’, Published by BISSE Limited