CONTROLLED RELAXATION METHODS (DOING THE TWO STEP)
The state that precedes the awake/asleep line is "relaxed-but-alert". This is basically, relaxation as it pertains to "controlled dreaming" and traveling.
The ideas presented in this chapter (in my usual wacky fashion), may be familiar to you. I've chopped out the mumbo and jumbo so that you won't fall into the same pits that I've encountered over the years.
After you've read a few relaxation notions that I feel are worth blabbing about, I'm sending you to the library. For, as relaxation is a personal preference, you'll need to scan some books and choose methods that work for your way of thinking. Your methods should cover both the physical and mental aspects of relaxation. Your methods should help you to relax your body, stay alert and maintain your control.
Method One: Tape Me, Baby
I can almost guarantee that you'll feel
foolish prepping this one, but it's effective for relaxation.
Take a piece of paper and write a script of you telling yourself to relax. I'm becoming relaxed. I feel myself drifting into relaxation. I'm so comfortable. Blah blah blah. I'm now relaxed. I'm very relaxed. I'm alert and aware while my physical body is sleeping. My body and mind are relaxed. I'm alert and aware. It becomes easier and easier to relax. Blah and more blah. My body and mind are relaxed. I'm alert and aware while my physical body is sleeping. I remember my dreams. I control my dreams (and if you want, I'm alert and aware when I travel). I'm relaxed and comfortable. I'm at ease and in control.
Some folks start with a countdown to
help relax the physical.
Ten, my fingers are relaxing, relaxing,
relaxed. Nine, my hands are relaxing, getting light, relaxing,
relaxed. Eight, my wrists are loose and relaxed, relaxing deeply,
relaxed. Move over your various body parts and use as many
numbers as you need to do so. (Twenty-five is usually enough
unless you're a centipede.)
Following this, you might slide into some out-of-body action plans as I've already mentioned and will mention again (because I'm a loud-mouth). Then you might finish with, "I will not quack like a duck when I hear the word spatula" or "I'm happy and healthy and in control of me."
Okay, read your script over and over about two zillion times until you've memorized all the words exactly. Just kidding. Find your tape recorder in that heap you're calling a closet. I assume that, like myself, most folks have owned a recorder at one time or another. Any recorder will do. A mini-disk recorder by Sony would be excellent. (My clear attempt at kissing up to Sony in hopes they'll give me one. I apologize and that won't happen again. Besides, it's been two years since I first wrote that line and Sony continues not to send me anything, dagnabit.) The first tape I made was on a cheap cassette recorder. I spoke into the claptrap contraption reading a script not much different from what I've just described (except that part about the duck). And ya know what? It worked. Not all at once and not all the time, but well enough to push me along until I found other tricks to supplement my chances of success.
Pick a quiet time to record your script and then, when you're ready, stretch out and listen through a headset. Anytime is fine, even before bedtime, if you can handle it without relaxing right off to sleep. Relax, but stay alert and gently focus on your words.
Use your recording over the course of a few days with a positive attitude. Allow your relaxed control to emerge. Sleep is important, and we all know when we need it, so use your best judgement. Also, if you're too hopped-up to relax, give it a try another time.
The tape you record will provide the dual benefits of relaxing you as you listen and of storing the information in your conscious and subconscious memory. This information may then be used later with just a bit of coaxing directly or indirectly from you.
For those of you that may be hearing impaired and bypassing the recording of these instructions, it's not necessary to rigidly memorize the relaxation and countdown format. Just grasp the basics and run with it.
Another Memory O' Me...
I took my first tape to Florida during my
young (14 or so) solo visit to my grandparents. After about five
plays (once every afternoon at the same time, while they napped)
and three travels, I became humorously aware of my odd behavior.
Thinking from the grandparent's perspective, how many grandkids
do you know that jump out of their body while you nap?
Method Two: Down You Go
Visualization works especially well with
individuals that do not respond to instructions from a recording
they've made of their voice that's played back over and over and
over and over and over and let me know when you get bored of this
and over and over and over and you should be getting close now
and over and over and over and over and come on already and over
and over and over and over and I'm getting pooped form typing and
over and over and over and over and anytime you wanna stop
reading this junk and over and over and over it will probably
stop and over and over and over and over and over and over and
over. See, you visualized an ending and there was one.
You see, there are four types of thinking (simplified). Some of us think primarily like text on a page. Some of us think in pictures. Some of us hit a happy combo. And some of us don't give a rip, so please leave the room. It's a lot like your internet browser. You are offered the options (of your options:) via tool-bars (which are pictures) or menus (which are scroll down text-commands). You could use either one, both, or none. None of course, would make your browser virtually useless as well as this screw up this perfectly good analogy.
You're bound to use visualization in your search for a relaxation method, so even if you're the text-type person, follow along. Don't fret; it's simply a matter of focusing your imagination. It's as easy as ABC. Here's an example.
A. You're at the top of a ladder. Stop reading, I don't want you to fall. Bad joke. Anyway, you're at the top of a long ladder. (Or on the top floor of an elevator or at the top of a huge staircase or on top of a tremendous tree or on top of sixty milk cartons placed just so or on top of ol' smokey.)
B. Step down the ladder. (Or push the down button in the elevator or walk down the staircase or climb down the tree or fall off the milk cartons or look for the meatball.)
C. As you venture down an imagery that suits you, think about how relaxed and aware you're becoming. So relaxed, moving down and down. Relaxing deeply as you move further and further. You're in control and relaxing. When you reach the bottom, you know that you'll be completely relaxed and aware. Down and down you go. It's your choice how far down you need to go. Poink, you're at the bottom. Ah, you're comfortably relaxed and aware.
Method Three: Mental Vacation
This method uses visualization in a way
similar to what I'll be barking about shortly (ruff, bow wow, yip
yap, grrr).
You're on a raft in the middle of a soothing lake or perhaps camping under the stars (or any place you choose). An ant swims or walks by. He tells you to relax and stop thinking about ants. Think about how relaxing your special place is. Think about all the small details that make your place perfect for you and absorb yourself into the place. How wonderful and relaxing. The remarkable ant swims or walks off. You take the ant's advice and visualize your special place. It's so relaxing. You go into your special place, maintaining control of the vision, relaxing and focusing. And when you get back from your special place, you should go to the library like I told you to earlier.