How to Relax

The present day world is full of worries, troubles and conflicts. When the mind is upset or preoccupied, one can never relax and is tense. That leads to all sorts of upsets physical and mental. Therefore it is of utmost importance that the body, mind and heart get the necessary relaxation.
What is relaxation ?
It is the process to recharge the body with cosmic prana(life-force) after its wear and tear and bring it back to vitality. When the body gets relaxed, the life-force flows into and the nervous system is free from tension. Once this is achieved the spinal column develops elsticity, joints get flexibility and the body functions in a health way.
The best way to relax is by lying straight on the floor on the back, with heals touching eachother and arms resting on both sides with palms facing the floor. Eyes should remain closed. Breathe deeply as if you are drinking nectar and then exhale slowly. Go on with this for a number of times. Then inhale but do not exhale. Let the nature do it. Do this exercise for about dozen times.
Now detach yourself from these exercises. By sheer will force ask your body to relax from the toes of the feet to the crown of the head. Feel the relaxation sweeping over the body. Fill the prana flowing into your body as water flows from a higher level to fill the lower level.
Imagine, you are walking out of the body. It is a mystic process of separating the mind from the body.
In order to give relaxation to the body, yoga exercise shavasana performed.
Shava Asana
Shava in Sanskrit means dead body. In this exercise a practioner lies down like a dead body. In Hathayogapradipika, it is defined as "lying down with the face up like a dead body". The asana gets rid the body off fatigue and gives rest to mind.
How to do : Lie down on the back on a levelled floor with legs spread, with a distance of two feet between them Arms are placed on the sides of the trunk. Heals Should be together. Eyes should remain closed. All the muscles of the body are relaxed. This relaxation causes the body to reduce intake of oxygen and production of waste materials. During the process inhale deeply but exhale slowly. Focus attention between the two eyebrows.
This exercise is done after other exercises.
Duration : One can spend 15 to 30 minutes in this pose.
Gains : This exercise gives complete rest to the body, removes fatigue and gives vigour to the body. With memory power going up, one can concentrate and meditate in a better way