an independent guide
For relaxation right now, without moving from your desk, try these short online and mp3 download relaxations. Also included are reviews of other relaxation aids to make life a little more relaxing if you are stuck at a computer all day. Almost everything reviewed here is free, and this is a non-profit site.
new, free browser that's way ahead of Internet Explorer
NEW! reviews of Relaxation Radio
The relaxation page at BBCi Health has a good, seven-minute audio 'desk' relaxation, an ideal technique to use in the office or at home. Or for a really quick relaxation, try BBCi's Egyptian breath, an audio track taking less than four minutes.
The 5-minute Vacation takes you to a beautiful tropical beach. There's nothing to do but wander along the seashore, then lie down on a sun lounger to soak up the tranquil surroundings. The Mind-Body Relaxation uses a tense and release method to relax you, 7 minutes. Both from Relax-Online.
Four Audio Sessions - Dan Darnell (University of N. Carolina Counselling Service). It begins with Breathe Easy, a 6-minute breathing exercise. Relax those muscles is a 20-minute progressive relaxation (tense and release) routine that can be followed by the Develop a Relaxation scene guided imagery audio session. The final session is Cultivate mindfulness.
Streaming Relaxation A collection of slide shows with streaming audio on a number of themes, including Soothing Seas and Relaxation Places (Thailand Sunsets). From Relaxation.com
Meditainment have an online relaxation subscription service offering unlimited online relaxations - you can take a free, full-length Testdrive.
The Secret Garden. 'After a short breathing exercise, you imagine relaxing on a hammock in your own Secret Garden and achieve a meditative state, and have an opportunity to contemplate a personal issue of your choosing.' 20 minutes total. 14.4Mb free download from Meditainment.
Relaxation Tape University of Texas at Austin.
This is actually four guided relaxations available as MP3 downloads. Cruise Imagery is a boat trip to a secluded bay on a tropical island; a waterfall cascades from high cliffs into the sea below and exotic birds fly overhead (12 minutes). Forest Imagery is set on a wooded hillside in autumn; late-afternoon sun filters down as you wander through trees and come to a log cabin. You step inside, and warm yourself in front of the gentle fire (18 minutes). Both visualisations have a simple but powerful style: no music, no sounds of nature, just a slow, rhythmic narrative with plenty of pauses giving time to savour the scenes you've created.
Also includes a 7-minute Deep Breathing exercise and a 'tense and release' Muscle Relaxation (18 minutes). 1Mb per minute of audio, but each relaxation is split into smaller 'tracks' for easier downloading.
Yoga Relaxation (yogic sleep) - Deborah Metzger. This purely mental exercise brings about deep relaxation without moving a muscle. 20 minutes, with beautiful accompanying music. 9Mb download from Princeton Center for Yoga and Health.
Muscular Relaxation - Eva Johansson. A 'tense and release' session designed to relax both mind and body, complemented by some very relaxing music. 12 minutes. Comes as a lo-fi file of only 2.8Mb or a higher quality 10Mb download, from Life's Driver's Licence.
Calm Breathing. This three-minute breathing exercise is free taster for a longer commercial relaxation. 2.5Mb download from CalmSleep.com.
paid-forMeditainment sells a range of guided relaxation mp3 downloads, that run for about 20 minutes and cost only £4 each. Meditainment also has an online relaxation subscription service, which lets you download mp3 relaxations too.
Other mp3 downloads reviewed on this site are Relaxation (also sold in RealAudio format), Complete Relaxation (only available as mp3 from Audible.com) and From Relaxation to Sleep.
Online slideshows Three Virtual Meditation slideshows - choose from waterfalls and streams; sunrises, sunsets and landscapes; mountains and deserts.
The Relaxation Room has a tranquil image of ripples on a lake (animated) with instructions for a brief relaxation, and the option of music.
Online Relaxation - Judith Hamerlinck. A minimalist approach based on a white screen: a few words of text appear and give instructions on, for example, breathing. Every 30 seconds or so the instructions change, leading you through relaxations of 1-5 minutes that cover different techniques including breathing, visualisation and relaxing the body. It's a very calming process. From The BE Company.
Atmosphere This software lets you mix natural soundscapes for your PC. Choose an audio background such as Woodland, then select other sounds e.g. crickets that will be played at random on top - so you will never hear the same combination twice. Free 9Mb Lite version or $30 Deluxe shareware. Downloads from Vectormedia software.
Any suggestions? Please e-mail me if you have any good ideas for relaxation online or on computers.
Photo courtesy of Commander John Bortniak/NOAA.
Links | Site map | About