ALERT RELAXATION
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This technique is taken from LUCID DREAMS IN 30 DAYS, by Keith Harary
and Pamela Weintraub, ISBN number 0-312-03389-3, St. Martin's Press. I
am sure this brief excerpt won't violate the copyright... Give the book a
look-see -- it's greatly helped my pursuit of lucid dreams, and this
technique for alert relaxation has helped me fall asleep much faster than
I used to, as well.     --Andy Wallace
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Begin by lying down in a comfortable spot, away from any distractions.
Dim the lights. It would help, for the first time, if you have a friend
read these instructions to you, or else make an audio tape for yourself.

     "Take a deep breath, let it out slowly, stretch your muscles, and
relax. Now, imagine that warm currents of mental energy are very slowly
moving up through the soles of your feet toward your ankles.
     "Feel the muscles in your feet gradually warming and relaxing as you
imagine the currents passing through them [Pause]. Imagine that the
currents continue moving up through your calves [Pause], into your thighs
[Pause], through your hips [Pause], and buttocks [Pause], and into your
lower back and abdomen [Pause]. Proceed very slowly, giving yourself time
for each group of muscles to become fully relaxed before allowing the
imaginary currents to move on to the next area of your body [Pause]. Feel
the muscles in your legs becoming heavy, warm, and relaxed and sinking
down into the chair beneath you [Pause].
     "When you feel your legs becoming deeply relaxed, imagine the
currents moving in a clockwise motion around your abdomen [Pause], up
along your spine [Pause], and through the front of your torso into your
chest [Pause], and shoulders. Feel the muscles in your stomach and lower
back releasing any tightness or tension as the current passes through
them [Pause]. Allow a feeling of great well-being to begin flowing
through your body along with the imaginary currents as you continue to
relax [Pause].
     "When the lower half of your body feels relaxed [Pause], imagine the
currents flowing upward through your ribs and shoulders [Pause], warming
and relaxing the upper part of your body [Pause] and leaving your back
and chest feeling completely warm and free of any stress or tension
[Pause]. Imagine the currents turning around to move move downward
through your arms and toward your fingertips [Pause]; imagine the
currents swirling around through your fingers and hands and then moving
upward once more [Pause], back through your arms and neck [Pause], toward
the top of your head [Pause].
     "Now feel the muscles of your face and neck gradually becoming warm
and relaxed as the imaginary currents pass through them [Pause]. Then
imagine the currents flowing out through the top of your head [Pause],
leaving your entire body feeling comfortably warm [Pause], heavy [Pause],
and relaxed [Pause]. Feel your body sinking into the chair beneath you."