Postcards from the Funny Farm

Yeah, Damien, relax. That’s funny. You’re a funny man. How do you spell that again, M..O..R..E..W..O..R..K…?

I remember relaxation. It happened one time about 20 years ago….:)

I has a therapist teach me how to do this and it does work. My problem is finding the time to do it and when I try…..oops, I usually fall asleep. I’ve actually been trying to focus on getting enough sleep at night (which doesn’t always happen) because I think sleep deprivation is definitely a contributor to feeling stressed.

Jessica The Rock Chicks last blog post..Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

I’m with Jessica on the link between sleep and relaxation. I have never used visualization much - in the way you mentioned. I am more apt to rearrange the house in my head or just sit down and write or read - or look at the photos we have taken. Getting lost in those things I love relaxes me- I suppose I am, therefore, giving myself over to my creative mind, just differently. Looking forward to your next thoughts, Damien

Marcias last blog post..Positive 4 - A letter

@Kimberly Clay: I hope there is sarcasm in there! Then again you may be more of a type A when it comes to work than I. My brother sells Real estate and pulls down 200-300K a year. Then again, I wouldn’t trade because in my opinion, and for my tastes, he works far too much. I have a sensitive spirit when it gets overworked and stressed out so for me, relaxation is not an option. Maybe you’ll find someghing simple in my upcoming series to do to relax. I believe when you are relaxed (within reason), you make more money.

JTRC: LOL I had to laugh when you said visualization makes you sleep. That shows you need it! It did its job.

Marcia: I love the idea of rearranging the furniture with your eyes closed. I want to try that.

Because I live in the midst of a forested island what I do to relax is turn off everything electronic. Then I can actually hear the sounds of nature all around me. I can also walk on my own land and enter what I call my secret gardens. These are quiet meditation spots along the banks of a seasonal stream or creek running through my property or on the banks of my pond, which is very large. My other secret garden spots are in the heart of the forest, on a cliff ledge and in a cave.

I learned candle meditation in a yoga class in college and then the Buddhist form of meditation at a 10 day silent retreat many years ago. I simply follow my out breath without changing it, I transcend everyday consciousness and I reach still point.

In the warmer seasons, when I’m having a particularly stressful day, I get up from the keyboard and do a walking meditation on my own property, through the forest or on the beach or, I enter one of my secret gardens and sit to meditate there.

In the colder seasons I use nature based audio to set the mood for me to relax into, then begin I my breathing exercise and transcend everyday consciousness.

An hour of peace is so refreshing and enlivening that I can’t imagine not giving myself this gift once daily. Without the ability to relax and transcend everyday consciousness I am neither a balanced nor a happy person.

Namaste’

@Namaste: I could visualize what you were talking about. Excellent comment. I hope someone gets the message from it. When I turn everything electronic off, I actually feel my cells regenerating.

Helllo again Damien,
Not long ago I was in the city visiting a friend and was overwhelmed with the noise that is present every hour of every day and all through the night. The pace of life all around me and the sounds seemed deafening but I knew if I continued to think that kind of thought that I would develop a headache. Suddenly I remembered the teaching of my meditation instructors and I asked my friend to give me a 1/2 hour alone.

I shut the sliding glass door to the balcony to get cut down the volume of the music that my friend was enjoying inside the apartment. Then I just sat in a comfortable position on a lawn chair with my eyes closed. Once I felt all my muscles grow soft from the tips of my toes to my eyelids, I implanted the suggestion in my mind that it would be really nice if my hearing was keen enough to turn the volume up on the nature sounds.

Time passed as I followed my out breath, not changing it and not thinking of anything else. I began encouraging my ears to tune into the sound of the wind through the leaves on the trees, the birdsong and, then the insect hum. I had not a single thought about noise and therefore was barely conscious of it and was able to make a gentle shift into a state of deep relaxation.

Twenty minutes later my friend opened the sliding door and asked if I was ready to go shopping. I was. I felt really renewed and quite content.

I have learned that these small shifts are akin to recharging my batteries. They provide me with a power reserve that I draw on to maintain balanced emotions throughout my busy, buzzy days.

Namaste’

Very very well said. Thanks for that.

No matter how hard i tried, still hard to be relaxed when we still have problem hanging on around us.. :)

Dunns last blog post..Magic

Thanks Dunn. I empathize with what you said.

Meditation is a great way to connect with your spirituality. Not only that but we can actually heal our mind and body through meditation.

Meditations last blog post..Seventh Chakra Crown Chakra Sahasraram Chakra

Oh I know because I have experienced that healing.