Relaxing Your Self & A Relaxing Adventure

Re-Creating Your Self by Christopher Stone

At this time when New Year’s Resolutions are all of the rage, the subject area of Re-Creating Your Self is especially timely.

Let’s welcome 2010 with a relaxation exercise that you can use to expedite meditation and self-hypnosis.

Every aspect of your life is enhanced when you’re relaxed. Adopt an “easy-does-it” attitude. Do everything a little slower, peacefully and more assuredly.

When you are relaxed, your brain-wave pattern changes from its usual beta level to a slower level, called alpha. The slower alpha level is necessary for meditation and self-hypnosis.

RELAXING YOUR SELF:

HOW TO DO IT

Put this relaxation exercise on a tape or digital recorder. When you do so, please read the words clearly, slowly and in a monotone voice.

Assume a comfortable position in a quiet, pleasant place, then close your eyes and begin.

“My whole body is becoming limp and relaxed.

“The muscles in my scalp and forehead are becoming very comfortable and relaxed….My eyebrows relax….The area all around my eyes relaxes….Now the tiny muscles of my eyelids relax, and the relaxation flows deep inside my mouth, and all of the muscles in my mouth relax.

“The relaxation spreads deep into the back of my throat….deep in back of my head and neck….down into my neck and shoulders.

“Now my arms relax….my upper arms relax….As I concentrate on my forearms, I feel them relax, go limp….All the muscles between my elbows and my wrists, relax….I feel the relaxation spreading across the tops of my hands and deep into my hands….deep through my hands to the palms….Now my fingers relax….all the way to the finger tips.

“Returning my attention to the relaxed muscles of my neck and shoulders, I let the relaxation flow deep into my chest and lungs. My breathing becomes easy and gentle. I feel myself becoming more deeply relaxed with each gentle and easy breath. All outside sounds are unimportant now. I do not allow any outside sounds to disturb my deep relaxation.

“Now the relaxation spreads deep into the broad of my back. I feel it flow gently down my back to the small of my back. All the muscles of my body are becoming deeper and deeper relaxed, but I remain perfectly conscious, aware and focused.

“The relaxation spreads around and deep into my sides. All of the muscles of my abdomen relax….deep into my abdomen….All the muscles of my abdomen and hips relax.

“Now my legs relax. I feel the relaxation flowing into my thighs and knees….My calves relax - all the way to my ankles….My feet relax….The heels of my feet relax….The undersides of my feet - deep through my feet to the tops….And, finally, even my toes relax….It feel so very good to release all tension and be completely relaxed.”

RELAXING INTO MY NEW SELF

It’s time to open your Re-Creating Your Self notebooks once again, this time, for a relaxing inner space adventure.

STEP 1: Using the guidelines for basic meditation in a previous column, meditate upon one of your new beliefs.  In your notebook, write about your experience with this initial Re-Creating Your Self meditation.  Write a paragraph, or a page, whatever is appropriate for you, given your personal experience with this meditation.

STEP 2: The following day, make the subject (new belief) of yesterday’s meditation the topic of a self-hypnosis session. Use the relaxation technique in this column to reach a state of self-hypnosis.

STEP 3: After you’ve experienced both of these methods (meditation and self-hypnosis), compare the two. Ask your self these questions, and then write your answers in the logbook. Which method did I like best? Why? Beyond liking one method or the other better, which method do I  believe will best help me to recreate your self? Why?

Use meditation or self-hypnosis on a daily basis to assist you in accepting the new beliefs that will recreate you as the person you want to be, living the life you desire. If you find both methods equally effective, and your time permits, there’s no reason not to use both meditation and self-hypnosis.

A Re-Creating Your Self Thought: Many personal development teachers, myself included, believe that relaxation is magical because it releases worry and tension, allowing the natural order of life to flow unfettered through one’s being.

Coming January 15: Imagine Your New Self.

Have a comment, observation, or question about Re-Creating Your Self? Please send them to me at recreatingyourself@mail2teacher.com.

Copyright 2010 by Christopher Stone