EXERCISE: 61-POINT RELAXATION

1. Study the figure

The above figures illustrates 61 points on the body. To do this exercise, you need to memorize the sequence of points. (This is not difficult, because the points are arranged in a simple pattern. ) They begin at the forehead, travel down and up your right arm, then across to your left arm, down your torso, down and up your right and left legs, then back up your torso to the forehead.

2. Focus your attention on one point at a time

Begin at your forehead. Focus your attention between your eyebrows and think of the number one. Keep your attention fixed at Point 1 for several seconds until you feel that your awareness of the location is clear and dis-tinct. Think of your self being located at this point. Be-fore moving on to the next point, you should feel a sense of warmth and heaviness at this spot.

3. Move through each point in sequence

In the same manner, successively focus your attention on each of the first thirty-one points. Proceed slowly, and imagine your self being located at each point as you reach it. Feel the sense of warmth and heaviness before moving on. Do not allow your mind to wander. At first you may find this difficult to do; you will discover that at times you suddenly will forget that you are doing the exercise and start daydreaming or thinking about something else. If you lose your place, return to the beginning or the last numbered point you attended to, and continue. Practice with thirty-one points until you can attend to them all in sequence without daydreaming or losing track.

4. Extend your practice to include all sixty-one points

When you can attend to thirty-one points in sequence, repeat Steps 1 and 2 with all sixty-one points. Practice this until you can do all points without losing your focus. Now you are ready to use this exercise with lucid dream induction techniques.

During the 61-point exercise, the goal is to bring attention to one point at a time, moving through all 61 points.

If you go outside at night and look up at the sky, you'll notice two colors of stars: white and blue. The blue stars have a slightly more bluish hue than the white ones. That blue point of light serves as the focus.

However, I don’t visualize very well—perhaps others here experience the same difficulty. I can try all day, but I won’t see a blue star for more than a fleeting moment, and I struggle to hold onto the image. However, I am very attuned to perceiving the feeling of a point of energy. So whether it’s a point of energy or a point of light, once you nurture it through a few chakras or energy points, it becomes easier to return to that image and continue moving it along from point to point.

That’s the basic idea. It requires a bit of visualization or imagination to initially grasp the point—whether as energy or light—and then stay with that image or sensation.

Virtually everyone who has studied even a little yoga is familiar with the term "chakra." A chakra is a place where lines of energy intersect—or better yet, it is the hub from which these lines of energy spread. The word "chakra" is related to the English word "circle" and refers to the center of a wheel from which energy radiates.

We often think of chakras as the major energy centers in the body, but there are many other points of energy. While these lesser points may not be as prominent, they are still energy hubs. These are called marma sthanas, meaning "places of energy." Each of these points—whether located in the elbow, shoulder, wrist, or elsewhere—is also a site of intersecting energy and serves as a hub from which energy flows.

Because of this hub-like nature, these points contribute to the body's flexibility. Without them, everything would be locked into place. You would have a very stable arm, but you wouldn’t be able to move it fluidly. Each of these points is a marma sthana, and some of them are also chakras. The major chakras are always located along the spinal column.

When working through all these points, the idea is to bring your attention to the core of each circular energy center—whether in the elbow, shoulder, or wrist—so that you move from one energy center to the next. During the 61-point exercise, certain areas may reveal themselves as sites of dysfunction. By directing your attention and breath to these areas, you aim to restore function where dysfunction exists.

To explore how to do this more consciously simply focus on bringing your awareness and the prana (the life force inherent in breathing) to each of these points. Let that breath and awareness radiate outward, filling the energetic domain of each point.

For example, the domain of the elbow extends somewhere short of the shoulder and just above the wrist. The domain of the wrist is below that, while the domain of the shoulder is above it. Each of these domains requires harmony, which is what the 61-point exercise helps cultivate.

In total, there are actually 108 marma sthanas, with over 30 located in the head. However, if I told you to focus on Marma 23 in the head, most of us wouldn’t know exactly where to direct our attention. The best we can do is to focus on a single point, which then encompasses the others.

The chakras—or sub-chakras—above the eyebrow center become increasingly difficult to perceive. The higher we go beyond ordinary awareness, the less involved our normal mental faculties become. While we may speak of the crown chakra, we are often uncertain of what exactly we mean, as it exists beyond conscious perception.

In this practice, we are gradually cultivating a more subtle awareness to access these higher points. But when beginning, it is enough to start at the eyebrow center and move from there.

Guided Meditation

During this practice, you will be guided to focus on different parts of the body and the breath. The goal is to bring the body into a state of complete relaxation, similar to deep sleep, while the mind remains conscious. Make every effort to stay awake by following the instructions carefully. During the period of silence at the end, go deep within yourself while maintaining awareness.

Begin by lying down on a firm surface and closing your eyes. If you experience discomfort while lying on your back, place a rolled-up towel or blanket under your knees and a thin cushion under your neck and the back of your head. Lengthen the neck away from the shoulders by gently lifting the head and pressing the crown away from you before resting it back down. Spread the shoulder blades wide across the upper back and allow the arms to relax, palms facing up or down—whichever feels more comfortable. Rock the hips gently back and forth, then allow the legs to drop open, either with or without support under the knees.

Bring your awareness to the breath as it flows in and out through the nostrils, gently brushing against the inside of the nose. Take a deep breath in through the nose, and as you exhale, feel your body relaxing and melting into the earth beneath you. Repeat this several times until you feel completely at ease.

Now, return to a natural, gentle breath. Allow it to flow without any need to control it. Be aware of the comfort in your body and make a commitment to stillness. Know that while you have the ability to move, you are choosing to remain still.

Take a moment to set an intention. This can be as simple as experiencing a state of being, such as joy, or it can be a goal you are working toward in your life. State your intention in the present tense, as though it is already happening. For example, use “I am” rather than phrasing it as something that will happen in the future. Keep it simple and don’t force it—just remain open. Once you have found your intention, silently repeat it to yourself three times, then release it, bringing your awareness back to the breath.

Remain as relaxed as possible in your physical body while keeping the mind alert and aware throughout the entire practice. Allow the body to fall into deep relaxation while keeping the mind clear.

Guided Awareness Through the Body

Bring your awareness to the space between the eyebrows. Begin to explore this area, noticing any sensations that arise. You may see color, light, or even what resembles a blue star. Whatever you experience, remain open to it. Allow your awareness to expand internally, deepening your focus without forcing it.

As you move your awareness through your body, explore each area in the same way. If your mind begins to wander, gently bring it back to focus.

• Bring your awareness to the throat.
  
  

• Be aware of the right shoulder, then the right elbow, the right wrist, and the tip of the right thumb.
  
  

• Continue to the tips of the right index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky.
  
  

• Move back up through the right wrist, elbow, and shoulder, returning to the throat.
  
  

• Shift awareness to the left shoulder, then the left elbow, wrist, and the tips of the left thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky.
  
  

• Move back up through the left wrist, elbow, and shoulder, returning again to the throat.
  
  

• Bring your awareness to the center of the chest, the right breast, the left breast, and back to the center of the chest.
  
  

• Move your awareness to the navel, the pelvic floor, and the right hip, knee, and ankle.
  
  

• Feel the tips of the right toes, moving from the big toe to the little toe.
  
  

• Trace your awareness back up through the right ankle, knee, and hip, returning to the pelvic floor.
  
  

• Shift focus to the left hip, knee, and ankle.
  
  

• Feel the tips of the left toes, moving from the big toe to the little toe.
  
  

• Trace your awareness back up through the left ankle, knee, and hip, returning once more to the pelvic floor.
  
  

• Bring your awareness back to the navel, the center of the chest, the throat, and finally, the space between the eyebrows.
  
  

Breath Awareness

Now, shift your focus to the breath. Be aware of the natural rhythm of your breathing—there is no need to control it. Simply observe the flow in and out through the lungs.

• Focus on the breath as if you are breathing in and out through the navel. Without deepening the breath, allow it to happen naturally while deepening your awareness.
  
  

• Maintain focus on the gentle rise and fall of the navel with each breath.
  
  

• Shift your awareness to the center of the chest, breathing as if in and out through this space. Again, do not force the breath—just observe the subtle movement.
  
  

• Move awareness to the throat, breathing as if through the throat, feeling the gentle rise and fall of this space.
  
  

• Finally, bring your focus to the nostrils. Be aware of the cycle of breath flowing in and out through the nostrils, maintaining a deep awareness of this sensation.
  
  

Returning to Awareness

Now, release your focus on the breath and bring your awareness back to the space between the eyebrows.

Return to the intention you set at the beginning of your practice. Silently repeat it to yourself three times, experiencing it as though it is happening now. Once you have done this, let it go.

• Shift your awareness to the throat, diving deeper into this space.
  
  

• Move to the center of the chest, allowing yourself to sink into the stillness and silence within.
  
  

• Continue going deeper into this inner space until you are guided back.
  
  

Be aware of the stillness of the body, the quietness of the mind, and the vast space within yourself.

Now, begin the process of returning to full awareness.