Creative Counselling

Relaxation

Relaxation is useful in itself, and it is also helpful as a first step before visualisation. Here is a suggested exercise to help you relax. As with any of the exercises I suggest, if you find that you need to do it differently then trust your own instincts. It is important to take the steps slowly and gently and to spend as long on each part as you find comfortable.

1. Sit up comfortably with your legs uncrossed and your feet on the floor. Let your hands rest comfortably on your thighs. Shut your eyes.
2. Become aware of your breathing. Notice the air coming in and out of your nose.
3. Notice how the air coming in is cooler than the air going out. You can spend as long as you like on this: it is a form of meditation in itself, simply noticing 'cool in, warm out'.
4. You may like to move on to seeing in your mind's eye that the air coming into you is clear blue, and the air leaving you is yellow. Watch it coming in and out: blue in, yellow out, blue in, yellow out.
5. After a while, see that all the yellow has gone. Now you are breathing blue in, blue out.

   At this point, you might like to introduce a visualisation, but if you want to you can simply stop here. Follow the next few steps to come gently back to the room

6. When you are ready, start to notice your body again. Notice the sounds of the room, feel yourself back in the room.
7. Gradually move your body a little, wriggle your toes, flex your fingers.
8. Slowly, when you are ready, open your eyes.

Most people find that it's best not to leap up straight away after relaxing, or you may feel dizzy. You might like to stretch your arms and legs, move your body around. Then a small snack and a drink (non-alcoholic) may be in order, to bring you right back into your body.

More relaxation

You can also relax by tensing and relaxing each part of your body in turn, starting with the feet. As you do this, you may find it helpful to notice how warm and heavy each part of your body feels when you relax it. So you clench your toes, feel the tightness hold that for a few moments, then let go, and feel the warmth and heaviness. Then your calf muscles, clench, hold, relax and feel the warmth and heaviness. As you work your way up your body, don't forget your neck and shoulders, which often hold a lot of tension, and your face.

If you are troubled by thoughts interrupting while you are relaxing, meditating or trying to sleep, try watching each thought float gently past, without trying to hold on to it or to get rid of it. You can imagine the thought is in a bubble, or just see it floating past. Let it come and let it go.

Both these techniques can be useful if you have trouble in getting to sleep.