We can begin by simply allowing ourselves to find a position of comfort. Whether sitting, lying down, or reclining, the only rule is that the spine feels supported and at ease. With this small adjustment, we consciously dedicate these next few moments to the care of our own body. Taking a full, pleasant breath in, and a slow, easy breath out, we make a simple decision: to relax.

The Gentle Unwinding

Let your attention drift to the sensations in your body. Notice the even, calm rhythm of your breathing. A pleasant warmth begins to spread across your face. Give your facial muscles permission to release their hold. The forehead, the small muscles around the eyes, the cheeks and jaw, the lips—the entire face softens and lets go, feeling smooth and peaceful.

This feeling of release travels downward. A pleasant heaviness settles into the arms, a sign of deep relaxation. The arms are at rest, and a gentle warmth fills the hands, making the fingers feel light. This warmth rises from the hands into the forearms and shoulders. There is a profound rightness in this state. When the body is relaxed, the blood vessels become more elastic, they expand, and the heart beats with a steady, calm rhythm. The breath remains even and calm.

The Inner Explorer

All of our attention can now turn inward, like an explorer venturing into a quiet, familiar land. We begin to sense the body’s internal tempo synchronizing, becoming slower and calmer. The body is resting. It is, above all else, living matter with a profound capacity for self-healing. We can trust its ability to function autonomously, without any need for our conscious effort. The only task is to establish this contact, this dialogue with the body, and allow it the space to rest.

In this moment, body and mind are one. The breath is the bridge, helping to quiet the noise and cultivate peace. A gentle inhalation and a slow, smooth exhalation are the simplest tools we have, yet they are what allow the body to live, to restore its strength, and to fill every cell with life-giving oxygen. It is remarkable how much this simple act of breathing can do. Inhale, exhale. With each conscious breath, the lungs fill, the abdomen rises, and the chest expands. This deep breathing encourages a greater flow of blood and oxygen to all the internal organs. With quiet attention, one might even sense the subtle flow of circulation through the body.

The Radiance of Warmth

Imagine a source of gentle warmth in the solar plexus, like a soft, glowing ember. This area, a complex network of nerves behind the stomach, is often associated with our sense of vitality. Feel this warmth begin to spread throughout the entire body. It flows into the back, across the shoulders, and down the arms to the palms and fingertips. It radiates down through the legs, warming the thighs, the calves, the ankles, and the feet, right to the tips of the toes. The body is in a state of deep restoration.

The head now feels heavy, but it is a pleasant weight. It is a heaviness in which there is no room for thoughts or memories, only a soft emptiness, a profound calmness and silence. This is a refreshing pause. In this stillness, we can imagine every cell in the body offering a sense of gratitude for this moment of attention, for this chance to simply be.

As we continue to breathe, we can gradually begin to return. Wiggle your toes and fingers. Stretch gently, as if waking from a pleasant and deep sleep. And when you are ready, slowly open your eyes.

• Benson, Herbert. The Relaxation Response. HarperCollins, 2000 (updated edition). This foundational work provides the scientific basis for the physiological changes described in the article, such as a decreased heart rate and the expansion of blood vessels. Dr. Benson scientifically identifies and explains how meditative practices can elicit a specific set of bodily changes that counteract the stress response, a process he termed "the relaxation response."