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Relaxation has a very profound effect on the body and mind, similar to the breath. It is not easy to relax every limb and muscle of the body. It is also not easy to relax the breath, nor is it easy to relax or free the mind. Our bodily tension pulls us in one direction, improper breath regulation pulls us in another, and our mind pulls us in yet another. Consequently, there is no relaxation. True relaxation means to be relaxed both physically and mentally. In Yoga in Daily Life, we have two definitions for relaxation. The first is outer relaxation, where we try to relax our limbs, legs, and hands—the entire body. This also means creating a distance from the outer world. However, the more important relaxation is inner relaxation. Inner relaxation cannot occur unless you have learned to give up. As soon as you begin to relax, thoughts considered problematic will attack you, creating fear and restlessness. Inner relaxation comes from renunciation. It means detaching yourself from a problem for the time being, though this is not easy. The problem may be social, impersonal, personal, or an emotional fear. To achieve inner relaxation, there are two methods. First, do not fixate on a particular thought or problem. This is very important. Second, consciously give an answer with your intellect and feelings: "For the time being, I do not want this kind of thought in me," or "It is not necessary," or "Now I will only relax." This is easy to say but difficult to achieve. Yet it can be achieved, as we always proceed step by step. Therefore, we have very systematic, stepwise instructions in our relaxation practices as well as in self-inquiry meditation. First, we instruct the person to make oneself comfortable. This is very important. After becoming comfortable, we tell them to simply relax and close their eyes. As soon as we instruct someone to close their eyes, about 80% of the time, one is automatically detached from the outer world. Approximately 81% of the time, the person already withdraws from the outer world. The eyes disturb us with vision, colors, and objects. Then we say: withdraw yourself from the external world and be aware of your being here in this hall. Next, we instruct: withdraw your senses from the outer world and be aware of your being here physically and mentally. At that time, the person is truly withdrawing from external objects. We then come to the next level: now try to relax the whole body. Whether you are sitting in meditation or lying down does not matter. The most significant part of relaxation takes place with the breath, so we give instructions to relax the breath. Then we come to the point of feeling the expansion and contraction of the trunk of the body with the breath. This puts a person into such a deep relaxation that they become very calm; sometimes one even begins to fall asleep. In Yoga Nidrā, when you reach this point, you begin to hear snoring. We then slowly wake them up or bring them back from relaxation: hear the breath sound, feel your body, become aware of the outer world, and listen to the different sounds. Finally, take a deep inhale. Again, it is the breath that will make you extroverted. Relaxation is also a kind of therapy. Many problems can be solved through relaxation. Certain muscles, nerves, or ligaments in the body can become tense, creating headaches, chest pain (which you might think is in the heart but is not), stomach problems, or, for example, very strong spasms during menstruation. These often relate to a lack of relaxation. A quicker way to achieve relaxation is through stretching. You stretch and then relax. When you stretch, you remove energy that is half-dead or blocked. When you release after stretching, fresh blood runs to that area. For instance, if you press your palm, you see a white spot around the thumb. When you release the thumb, the spot is very soon covered with blood again. Pressing means the energy of the blood goes away from there, and when you release, fresh blood returns. This aids in relaxation. Many problems, even psychic ones, can be solved through relaxation. The key is to be relaxed and relaxed. Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Summer seminar