This is Dr.
Joan Russell,
And I'm speaking to you from a room filled with sunshine,
The room of endless possibility.
Today I'd like to share with you a practice for deep relaxation,
Sometimes for sleep,
Depending on your wants and needs.
And it's a simple practice to work with your unconscious mind,
And it is based on the work of Betty Erickson.
This practice will end without me saying goodbye,
As you may decide to lie quietly to allow deeper relaxation for as long as you shall wish.
So I thank you from the bottom of my heart for you being here now.
And when you're positioned comfortably,
Then we'll begin.
Set your intention to relax deeply,
To connect gently with your subliminal mind,
And allow yourself to follow this simple practice in a position that is very comfortable,
Because your self-comfort is so important.
You may wish to make a quick body scan,
And just make any adjustments that feel right to you,
Because you know,
Don't you,
What is right for you more than anyone else can tell you.
And when you're ready,
And breathing just as you would like to be,
And I'm going to invite you just to look around you in your environment,
Before you settle in to whatever position is going to be useful for you today.
And allow your eyelids to gently rest,
And allow your tongue to relax,
Maybe your lips to gently part,
Just checking that your face,
Your neck,
And shoulders are just as soft and open as you would like them to be in this moment.
Now I invite you to bring to your mind's eye three things that you know you would be able to see,
Or have just seen,
In the environment around you.
Three sights,
Be they objects,
Plants,
Spaces,
Whatever comes to your mind.
Notice their colour,
The shape,
The essence.
Now bring your attention to three sounds that you can hear from around you,
Or within you.
Maybe the sounds are from within your own body,
From the near proximity of your body,
Or maybe the sounds are further away in your space,
Perhaps they're in the space beyond the space around your body.
And just give them some attention,
Naming three.
Now draw your attention to your sense of what you feel,
What you notice somatically.
Perhaps it's your heartbeat,
Something within.
Perhaps it's the brush of a fabric on your skin.
The gentle caress of the air around you.
The temperature,
Whatever it may be for you,
And name three things that you feel.
Check in with your breathing.
And now bring into your mind's eye just two things that you can see,
Or have seen,
In the environment around you.
And give them colour,
Form,
Shape,
Noticing their dynamism.
Now turn your attention to just two sounds,
Whether they're coming from the inside,
From the near proximity of your body,
Or from the space beyond the space around your body.
Name them,
And notice the qualities that they bring to you.
That's right.
Now bring your attention to any sensation that you have,
Any somatic sense of self.
Perhaps a feeling inside,
Perhaps a touch on your body,
Your skin,
Or a quality in the air around you.
Now just check in once again with your breathing.
Taking your time,
Taking your time,
And noticing.
Just knowing that even as you breathe,
You may be becoming more relaxed.
And now repeat just one time.
So bring into your mind's eye a visual representation of something that you know to be in your immediate environment,
Something that you have been able to see.
Notice their colour,
The shape,
The essence.
Now bring your attention to a sound,
One thing that you are aware of hearing,
And pay all your attention to that sound,
Noticing whether it's coming from the outside in,
Or going from the inside out.
And then feel yourself in touch with one sensation,
A sense of a physiological sense,
Perhaps interacting with the environment immediately around you,
Or even with the space beyond the space,
With all that you are,
With all the elements in which you are right now,
Because you are right now,
And that is all you need.
And allow yourself to continue to relax,
Or drift to sleep,
Whichever feels the right thing for you,
Because nobody knows you like you do,
Do you?
And going well now,
Just now.
