Press and hold gently to gather the field, then release and let your hand rest while the field opens.
Letting go · about 2 minutes · eyes open
The introduction describes Hans Berger's early observation: the moment a person began to strain, their alpha rhythm vanished. Effort and the relaxed, open state do not coexist. Yet most of us carry a low-grade grip all day, in the hands, the jaw, and the way we pay attention, without noticing it.
Grip & Release makes the grip deliberate so that the release can be felt. A gentle hold gathers the field inward. Letting go opens it again. The contrast is the lesson, and the release phase is given more time than the hold.
Press and hold, using the button, the field, or the Space key. A normal press is enough; there is no need to squeeze anything. As you hold, the field gathers. When a ring appears, release, and let your hand rest while the field opens back out.
The on-screen line during release invites you to include your jaw, the room, and its sounds. Holding too briefly is met with a reminder rather than a penalty. With reduced motion, the field changes in brightness rather than size.
Rounds appear as tick marks, with a small phase label for hold and release. Nothing is scored.
The exercise knows when the button is held and when it is released. It does not measure muscle tension, relaxation, or any brain state, and a completed round shows only that you held and let go.
Grip & Release is a good closing exercise, and a good one to return to on its own when you notice you are clenched. The felt contrast tends to make the earlier exercises easier to understand.
After it, the home page suggests the two-minute Three-Breath Reset, eyes open. The Dissolving Tension meditation works the same release through the body.
One of seven attention exercises after Les Fehmi's Open Focus method. "Open Focus" is a trademark of its owners; this independent project is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Source: Fehmi & Robbins, The Open-Focus Brain (2007). A wellbeing and education tool, not a medical device or a substitute for professional care. Created by Matt Knapp.