try lying on a hot rock

This can be a beautiful thing to try: a sort of do-it-yourself hot stone therapy. You need to find a place outdoors, preferably quiet, and find a smooth rock, one big enough that you can lie down on it, and it needs to be in the sun. It's best to do this exercise in the afternoon, perhaps towards the end of the afternoon, as the air is beginning to cool a little, and the rock has soaked up the heat of the sun for many hours. A dark coloured rock might be best. The rocks should feel hot to the touch, but not so hot that it burns your skin.

If you can do this naked, so much the better. Otherwise wear thin clothing that will allow the heat to pass through to your skin. And simply lie down on the rock, on your back. If you need something soft under your head, for a little comfort, that's okay. Otherwise be in as much contact as possible with the rock.

Allow your breathing to relax and deepen. And bring your awareness to the sensation of the heat coming from the rock. Allow your muscles to soak up the heat. Allow them to relax with that heat.

This exercise is really about relaxation. It's like receiving a massage, only no one is having to do anything. The heat of the rock is doing the work, allowing the tension in the muscles to melt away. And as the muscles in the body relax, the energy channels open up. It's the tense, knotted muscles that block the energy within our body; or they are the physical manifestation of energy blockages. So as the muscles relax, energy can flow more easily within the body, especially in the back.

You can imagine your spine opening up to energy flows, as you are absorbing this heat from the rock. You might like to visualise it in some way. Imagine energy flowing up and down the spine – kundalini. If you don't sense any energy flows, don't worry; just allow yourself to enjoy the relaxation.

Relaxation has great health benefits in itself. The reduction in stress boosts our immune system, and really the vitality of our body. Just enjoy whatever this little exercise is doing for you. You can lie there as long as you like. I would suggest 15 to 20 minutes at least. And if you find that the rock is somehow cooling down – perhaps you've absorbed all the heat from that area – you could always move to a new patch of rock. But usually this is not necessary. The rocks absorb a huge amount of energy, and release it very slowly.

So enjoy it. Give it a try: try lying on a hot rock.