Meditation is the process of turning your attention away from your body and mind to your inner self. But before you do that, you have to relax in order to make the process work. You have to focus on your body and mind before you turn that focus away from them; otherwise, your body and mind will try to get your attention during your meditation and that is exactly what you don’t want. So here are a few things you can do to relax before meditation. 

Turn your attention to your body by doing some easy yoga poses. These will both stretch your muscles and relax them. Some good ones:· Cat Pose: Start on your hands and knees with your back flat and your face towards the floor. Breathe in, and when you exhale, tilt your pelvis forward, arch your back towards the ceiling—like an angry cat, and curl your head inward so that you are looking at the floor between your knees. Hold for a few seconds, and then run through the entire pose a few times.

· Child’s Pose: Kneel down and sit back with your bottom on your feet. Then lean forward and place your forehead on the floor, arms behind you at your sides with palms up. Hold this for 5-10 seconds.· Relaxation pose: Lie flat on your back, arms at your sides, head rolled to whichever side is most comfortable. Try to hold this for at least 5 minutes and try not to fall asleep.

If you still feel that your body needs to relax, try tensing and relaxing each muscle one at a time. Sit or lie still, and start with your feet. Tense your muscles, hold them as tightly as you can for a count of 5, and then relax. Move up to your calves, thighs, buttocks, stomach, back, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, and face. Hold each muscle group as tight as you can for 5 seconds and then release. Your body should be more relaxed when you’re finished, but if it isn’t, go through the muscle groups one more time.

Now that your body is relaxed, it’s time to relax your mind. Turn your attention to your breath. Sit very still and quiet, with no distractions around. Your body should be comfortable and relaxed. Turn your awareness to your breath. Notice coming in and out of your body. Does it come in your mouth and out your nose? Notice your chest rising as you breathe. Just sit still and notice. If your thoughts turn away from your breath, simply bring them back. Do this for 5-10 minutes.

If you still feel that you need to relax your mind—if your thoughts are still scattered and jumpy–do a body scan. While some people do this as a meditation, it can also be done as a relaxation before meditation. While lying on your back, focus all of your attention on your toes. See if you can feel the temperature of your toes—do they feel hot or cold, dry or damp? Notice everything you can about your toes. Then, move your awareness to your feet and give them the same attention you did your toes. Move to your ankles, up to your calves, and then to your thighs. Be aware of your buttocks, stomach, chest, and shoulders. Then move your attention to your back, your hands, your arms, your neck, and last, your face and head. Don’t worry if your thoughts drift as you turn your awareness to each part of your body. As soon as you are aware that your mind is not focused on your body, turn your thoughts right back to where they should be. It takes some practice before you will be able to do this without your mind wandering.

When you want to relax, you need to avoid outside stimulation. Turn off the television and any music you have on, unless you are accustomed to having something playing quietly in the background. Avoid eating anything before relaxing, as your body will be focused to the digestion process. Don’t drink anything with sugar or caffeine in it. Relax in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed and don’t do it when you are very tired or you may fall asleep.