The first exercise, and one which must be mastered before the succeeding exercises are undertaken, is the control of the muscular movements. This, at first sight, may appear very simple, but a few experiments will convince you that you have much to learn. The following exercises will be of great benefit to you in acquiring perfect control of the muscles.

1. SIT STILL. This is no easy task. It will at first try your powers of concentering, to refrain from involuntary muscular movements, but by a little practice you will be able to sit still, without a movement of the muscles, for fifteen minutes or more. The best plan is to place yourself in an easy chair, assuming a comfortable position, then relax all over, and endeavor to remain perfectly quiescent for a period of five minutes. Continue this exercise until you can accomplish it with ease, and then increase the time to ten minutes. After you have mastered the ten minutes exercise, increase the time to fifteen minutes, which is about as far as you need pursue the exercises. You should not tire yourself with this, or any of our other exercises. The better plan is to practice a little at a time, but as often as possible. Bear in mind that you must not sit in a rigid position; there must be no strain on the muscles; you must relax completely. This plan of relaxing will prove valuable to you when you wish to get a good rest after fatiguing physical exertion. It is an ideal "rest cure," and may be taken either sitting in a chair or lying down on a couch or bed.
2. Sit erect in your chair, with your head up and your chin out, and shoulder thrown back. Raise you right arm until it is level with your shoulder, pointing to the right. Turn your head and fix your gaze on your hand, and hold the arm perfectly steady for one minute. Repeat with the left arm. When you are able to perform this feat, perfectly, increase the time to two minutes, then to three, and so on until you are able to maintain the position for five minutes. The palm of the hand should be turned downward, this being the easiest position. By keeping the eyes fixed on the tips of the fingers; you will be able to see whether you are holding your arm perfectly steady.
3. Fill a wine glass full of water, and taking the glass between the fingers, extend the right arm directly in front of you. Fix the eyes upon the glass, and endeavor to hold the arm so steady that no quiver will be noticeable. Commence with one-minute exercises, and increase until the five-minute limit is reached. Alternate right and left arms.
4. In your everyday life, endeavor to avoid a tense, strained conditions of the muscles, when you should be at ease. Endeavor to acquire a self-poised attitude and demeanor. Cultivate an easy, self-possessed manner, in preference to a nervous, strained, over-anxious appearance. Mental exercise will help you to acquire the proper carriage and demeanor. Stop beating the "devil's tattoo" on the table or chair. Such actions indicate a lack of self-control. Don't tap on the floor with your foot, nor swing your feet backward or forward while talking or sitting. Don't rock backward and forward in a rocking chair, as if you were working a machine at so much an hour. Don't bite your nails, nor chew your lips or cheek, don’t wiggle your tongue around in your mouth, whilst reading or studying, or writing. Don't wink or blink your eyes. Get rid of any habit of twitching or jerking of any part of the body, which may have become second nature to you. You can stop it easily by "carrying the thought" and practicing concentering. Train yourself to bear with equanimity and composure, noises which have been startling you heretofore, such as the banging of a suddenly closed door, the dropping of a book or other object, etc. In other words, keep yourself well in hand. The above exercises will be of great assistance to you in getting yourself just where you want.