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forearm, and your upper arm. Let your arms go completely
limp. Feeling wonderfully relaxed, completely relaxed, very
calm, warm, limp, comfortable and beautiful, just beautiful.
Now, with your eyes still closed, imagine yourself relaxing
all over...(you can tense and relax each part if you like)...relax
your face, your neck, your shoulders, your back, your stomach,
all over.
I will now count down from 10 to 1. I am going to find
myself deeper and deeper relaxed and I will have a feeling of
well-being, as I count down to 1. Calm and relaxed, and
wonderfully well, just relaxed.
I'm going to count, 10...9...8...7...6...5, very, very relaxed,
4...3, very deeply relaxed, 2...and 1. I am very calm, very
relaxed, and getting more and more deeply relaxed all the
time.
Think of nothing now but relaxation, feeling wonderfully
relaxed, calm, feeling well all over, just relaxed, calm, relaxed,
feeling wonderfully well.
I will now enjoy some quiet time just relaxing. Then when
I'm ready to wake up, I'll start the player again. I'll stop the
tape player at this time so I can enjoy quiet relaxation as long
as I want" ............ (leave a 15-20 second pause on the tape)
"I am now ready to wake up and come back to the real
world. When I count to 10, I will open my eyes and feel calm,
I'll feel refreshed and wonderfully well, 1...2...3...4...5...6,
more and more alert, 7...8, beginning to move, 9...10, feeling
wonderfully relaxed but awake and eager to get on with the
day."
3.
Herbert Benson's method of relaxation is as easy as the
above methods but may take more practice. In his second
book, Benson (1984) recommends using a short meaningful
phrase or religious saying for meditating, instead of the word
"one" which was his 1975 suggestion. For the religious or
values-conscious person, a moral phrase helps involve the
relaxing power of faith--and you may be less likely to forget to
meditate. What words to use? Any phrase of 6 or 8 words or
less that has special meaning for you. Examples:
o
"I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).
o
"Thy will be done."
o
"My peace I give unto you" (John 14:27).
o
"You shall love thy neighbor" (Lev. 19:18).
o
"Joy is inward" (Hindu).
o
"Life is a journey" (Buddhist).
o
"Allah" (Moslem) or "Shalom" (Jewish) or "Peace."
o
"Fear brings more pain than the pain it fears."
