If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.~Herodotus
Turn inward
Relax, but not as much as Doug !
Doug and I have shared our ideas about the importance of imagination when getting to know your true self.
We’ve provided some exercises to help develop the imagination as well as the different senses we’ll use for imagining.
Our next few posts will be about turning inward and getting to know who we really are.
This is where imagination and visualization come into play… We’re going to imagine our interior life, and the different aspects of ourselves who live there.
The first step on this path is learning to relax. Relaxation is important because it will allow us to shed the cares of the physical world and really connect with our interior self… The true self.
So, get ready to relax… Just don’t fall asleep!
Exercise
Many of you probably have your own relaxation techniques, but if you don’t, the following exercise works well to get into a relaxed state.
- Find a quiet comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. Turn the lights low or off. Sit comfortably or lay flat on your back.
- Take three deep breaths. Hold each breath for five seconds and release it fully. Feel the tension in your body being released with each breath.
- Feel the force of gravity work on your body. Picture each part of your body-your legs, your torso, your head- and feel gravity’s pull on it. Imagine your body being pulled towards the ground. Your body is rooted to the earth…
- Let gravity pull all resistance from your body. Feel it leaving in waves, as gravity drains it from you.
- Once you are free from stress and tension, turn to your thoughts. Notice that they are free from the effects of gravity, and they can float and move however you wish. Leave your physical body rooted to the earth, and follow your free floating thoughts…
Get ready to meet you
Practice this relaxation a few times… Doing it while in bed right before sleep is a sure way to get a full night of rest. Ty not to fall asleep though. We want to relax our body and release tension, not pass out!
We’ll be exploring our inner selves next… Prepare to be surprised by what you find…
Doug Does Life 
I always feel guilty when I try to relax, because I always feel like I need to be productive in some way. I did, however, feel more relaxed just by reading this post. I need to go through these steps… after the laundry is done!
It’s hard to take the time to be quiet mentally, but it’s important to do so. I struggle with it too.
I really like your posts. They’re not to long and really easy to apply. 🙂 shnice!
Thank you!
this is SO important! Emptying yourself out and allowing the new to come in is KEY ! GREAT !
I sometimes skip out on doing this even though I need to… I’m thinking about setting a time each day to make sure it gets done.
truuuuuue
🙂
Fill what is empty and empty what is full. That’s why the practice of meditation has been so important in many cultures throughout history. Taking that time in to stop and bring our bodies into a more relaxed state does wonders not just for our minds but our bodies and brains. Studies have shown that people who meditate regularly actually re-wire their brains, as well as reduce the amount of adrenaline, cortisol, and glucagon, the stress hormones that make us more reactive. This little bit less stress does wonders on our physical health as well as our ability to deal with our everyday lives. I imagine Doug is great at sitting still.