Relaqua® - dive in and relax
Experience Relaqua®!!
Close your eyes, take a deep breath and set yourself free. Free from all the worries and the stress you feel on a daily basis. As you weightlessly glide through the water your senses are numbed, so you can fully devote your attention to yourself. On the journey through your inner self there are many surprises awaiting you. At the end of this journey, you will encounter a very special gift: A level of relaxation you've never experienced before!
What´s Relaqua®?
Relaqua® is a relaxation concept that is deeply rooted in the fascinating sport of “apnea”. It is designed to teach you the profound level of relaxation that helps freedivers endure incredible amounts of time underwater with just one breath.
When one breath is all you have, the ability to deeply relax is the single most important tool you need in order to succeed. In fact, I don’t know of any other sport where relaxation and physical, athletic performance are so closely related. It’s actually quite simple: The higher your ability to deeply relax, the further, longer and deeper you’ll be able to dive.
In order to achieve the highest possible degree of relaxation, apnea professionals and freedivers use a variety of breathing and relaxation techniques which enable to enter an almost trancelike state of deep relaxation. The purpose of these techniques is to lower the diver's pulse and mental stress level in order to optimally prepare him for the upcoming challenge.
The effectiveness of these techniques which enable us to relax on demand has always fascinated me. So much so that I started to ask myself whether the stress-reducing effects of these techniques could also be used outside of the apnea realm. For example, to help us face our everyday challenges with more calm and serenity, or to deal with stressful situations more mindfully. The idea of Relaqua® was born.
Relaqua® is a course concept that focuses on the mere ability of deep physical and psychological relaxation, completely dismissing the competetive aspects of apnea. It is a combination of calming apnea techniques paired with breathing exercises from Pranayama (Yoga) and certain elements from meditation, autogenic training and floating.
Kontakt
Nik Linder
Hinter den Eichen 19/1
79276 Reute
Telefon: 07641 / 93 50 58 3
Email: office@nikolaylinder.de
The Relaqua®Method
Relaqua® combines many elements from different disciplines to a new innovative relaxation concept:
The elementary power of water
Water is an elementary part of the Relaqua®Method. Inside of the water we combine aspects of floating with Pranayama, kumbhakas (breathing pauses) and meditation. As you weightlessly glide over the surface of the water, to doors to particularly deep types of meditation open. Your dominant senses, such as seeing and hearing, are significantly weakened by the water. In this environment of absolute calm, you can fully focus your attention on your inner self and achieve states of deep relaxation you have never felt before.
Mindful breathing
“Prana” means “life energy”. Since breathing is the carrier of life energy, prana can also be understood as "breath". "Ayama" means "control". Through constant practice, you’ll become more and more aware of the concept of Pranayama and learn to control your life energy through conscious breathing. At the same time, you will learn the importance of breathing pauses, the so-called Kumbhakas. As you take a break from breathing, your “inward-window” opens widely. You are completely mindful and much more receptive to meditation. Proper breathing can help you relax, improve your ability to focus, clean your lungs and much more.
Floating
As mentioned above, water is a major component of the Relaqua®Method. Similar to the practice of floating in a floatation tank, you will float on the surface of water. So-called “pool noodles” are used to keep you above the water and simulate a state of weightlessness. This way your muscles are completely alleviated from any efforts and therefore can fully relax. By excluding external sensory stimuli such as hearing and seeing, you will be able fully focus your attention on your breathing and further deepen your state of relaxation.
Meditation
Meditation is an excellent way to train your ability to focus. Not only does it play an important role in freediving, it is also and indispensable part of the Relaqua®Method. Relaqua® is all about being in the here and now. By training your perception you will learn to create a kind of buffer between your emotions, restless thoughts and unpleasant feelings. You will learn not to let negative emotions take you down immediately, but to identify them and evaluate them as neutral instead. In the Relaqua®Method we will teach you a variety of meditation techniques such as the “heartbeat meditation”, “no mind” or “breathing meditation”.
Autogenic training
Autogenic training is a widely used relaxation technique in which your subconscious is trained through auto-suggestion. The effectiveness of autogenic training has been scientifically proven to the extent, that it is recognized as an official psychotherapy treatment for various conditions in Germany. Because of its effectiveness, autogenic training has deserved to become a key element of the Relaqua®Method. It is particularly interesting because breathing is an inherent part of autogenic training exercises, which will ultimately result in a healthy body awareness and help you direct your gaze on your inner self.
The mammalian diving reflex
The mammalian diving reflex is your body's own relaxation mechanism that triggers various adjustments in your body as soon as you go underwater and no longer breathe. As your pulse drops, your spleen releases more red blood cells, which improve oxygen transportation. The blood supply to your extremities is reduced. Instead, your brain and lungs are increasingly supplied with oxygen-rich blood. The result is a state of attention and relaxation.