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The following is a relaxation exercise which can be used either
as a preliminary to meditation or as an end in itself.
Select as quiet a spot as possible and, with or without the playing of a suitable piece of
music, lie on a flat but comfortable surface on your back, with or without a small pillow
under the head. If the relaxation exercise is intended as a preliminary to a more specific
meditation, it is better to sit in a comfortable chair with a straight back. Both
relaxation and meditation are usually undertaken with the eyes closed.
Visualise lying in a warm, crystal clear pool in the centre of a quiet forest. Brightly
coloured small fish swim gracefully around us and fronds of water plants gently waft in
the water. We can feel the sunlight penetrating the warm water and flowing around and
through our body. Take the consciousness around the body starting with the toes and feel
the sunlight penetrating every nerve and muscle as they relax in the warm water. Move the
awareness from the toes to the whole foot, the calf muscles, the knees, thighs, pelvis,
digestive organs, heart, chest, shoulders, arms, hands, neck, jaw, tongue, and eyes. At
each step visualise the area relaxing in the warm water. This stage should take between
five and ten minutes, depending on the degree of physical tension.
For a few minutes become aware of the breathing rhythm. Experience the breathing becoming
quieter and slower, with more energy flowing in with each breath. Now change the focus of
awareness from the physical body to the feelings. Take the consciousness into the feeling
or astral nature via the general contours of the physical body. Become aware of patches of
conflict or negative emotions such as resentment, jealousy, greed, anger, hatred, or
depression. Very often these emotions are centred in particular areas such as the stomach,
shoulders, neck, or other parts of the body. Thus, by following the contours of the body
to observe any emotional blocks, we can more easily become aware of emotional tensions.
Do not explore or dwell on any of these emotions, but now visualise the difficult patches
flowing down the body and out the feet into the water where they are transmuted by the
sunlight into energies of light. Experience the feeling or emotional nature becoming
gradually and totally serene, stable, and translucent. This placid state may obviously
take more than a few practice sessions to obtain, so if you get stuck at any spot, move on
to the next stage. At each subsequent session, difficult areas may become easier to
handle.
Now focus the mind and see it as a crystal or diamond able to focus healing energies from
the inner self through the emotions and body. Imagine gentle colours of the rainbow
flowing through the diamond-mind and creating a rainbow aura of light around the body. For
a few moments float in this light and be still, physically, emotionally, and mentally, as
you visualise the healing light flowing into the body. The mind can now be allowed to
become quiet; if it is found wandering into all sorts of thoughts, just bring it gently
back each time to the concept of being a quietly focused crystalline lens.
With the body relaxed, feelings serene, and mind still, stay in this stage for some
minutes to gain maximum benefit. Vary this time according to need. When you feel more
relaxed and energised, gradually become wide-awake by breathing more deeply and visualise
the colours being transmitted into the physical body. Imagine moving out of the pool
gradually and sitting amongst the flowers and fernery around the bank. Have a big stretch
and feel the firm earth under the body. Sit up, breathe deeply, and take up the next
activity of the day or evening, re-charged and relaxed. Do not expect to be totally
relaxed or energised after the first sessions.
This exercise can be varied to take from fifteen to thirty minutes, but unless sleep is
planned at the end, thirty minutes should be the maximum time needed. Tension robs us of
energy while re |
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