How to Relax with the Yoga Magic Triangles Technique

This Yoga relaxation technique utilizes your power of imagination. If you can picture images easily in your mind, you may find the exercise enjoyable and refreshing. For this exercise, you need a chair and a blanket (if necessary). Allow 5 minutes.

1. Sit up tall in a chair, with your feet on the floor and comfortably apart, and your hands resting on top of your knees.

   If your feet aren’t comfortably touching the floor, fold the blanket and place it under your feet for support.

   

   Credit: Photograph by Adam Latham

2. Breathe through your nose, but allow your breath to move freely.

3. Close your eyes and focus your attention on the middle of your forehead, just above the level of your eyebrows.

   Make sure you don’t crinkle your forehead or squint your eyes.

4. Visualize as vividly as possible a triangle connecting the forehead point and the palms of both hands.

   Register (but don’t think about) any sensations or colors that appear on your mental screen while you hold the triangle in your mind. Do this visualization for 8 to 10 breaths, and then dissolve the triangle.

5. Visualize a triangle formed by your navel and the big toes of your feet; retain this image for 10 to 12 breaths.

   If any part of the mental triangle is difficult to connect, keep focusing on that part until the triangle fully forms.

6. Keeping your eyes closed, visualize again the first triangle formed between your forehead and your two palms, and then simultaneously visualize the second triangle (navel to toes).

   This final step is more challenging. Picture both triangles together for 12 to 15 breaths, and then dissolve them.