Brain Vacations!
Wouldn’t it be great if we could go on a holiday or vacation whenever we felt like it? Yeah, I know, in whose world right? But I have been thinking about this and maybe there is a way we can take a trip away from the every day normal routine without having to worry about booking the flights, finding a hotel and trying to “move things around” to find the money! What about Guided Imagery?
Guided Imagery is basically a relaxation and stress-reducing technique using positive thoughts and images to relieve pain, slow the heart rate, and stimulate the body’s healing responses. Try having someone describe the imagery to you in person, or listen to a sound recording to guide you through a particular scene. You can also read about the imagery and then try it, or you could sit and create your own.
If you are going to make your own imagery to try, here are some basic principles to follow:
- Make things positive and calming
- The location needs to be either somewhere you have been or more effectively somewhere you would like to be
- Have few or no other people in your imagery
- Sounds of a relaxing nature are helpful, ie: a soft breeze, a babbling brook
- Allow the image to have colours that are natural and soothing, blues, greens, ivory, pastels, etc.
As you imagine your scene, try to involve all of your senses. Ask yourself:
- What does it look like?
- How does it feel?
- What special scents are involved?
- Do I hear the roar of a fire, the splash of a waterfall, or sounds of birds chirping?
Make your vision so real you can taste it!
After you have figured out a scene you would like to use, find a quiet location away from any interruptions for 2-10 minutes, or however long you want to “escape” for. Make yourself comfortable either in a cross-legged position, reclining in a comfy chair, or lying-down. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Breath in peace and relaxation and breath out stress.
Imagine your “surroundings” and everything that you have planned, just as though you have planned a holiday. Let yourself be far away from the things that have been stressing you out. Take your time there and enjoy every second!
When you are ready to come back, count down from ten or twenty and tell yourself that when you get to ‘one’ you will feel calm and alert, and that you will enjoy the rest of your day. When you return, you will feel serene and refreshed as though you have been on a mini-vacation! But guess what? …you won’t have left the room! 😉
So, there we are, Guided Imagery, or just Imagery, can be helpful to relax, de-stress, and just escape for the few moments you may need in your day. Hopefully just having read this little blog, you will feel slightly more relaxed than before you started reading! There’s nothing like taking a little holiday!
