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Visualisation relaxation is another way to help you feel calm and relaxed.
This relaxation is used to create a picture in your mind. We all daydream sometimes or we let our thoughts wander. You can use this skill to create a pleasant relaxing image. This helps to relax your body and distract you from any worries you may be feeling. If you are focused on your ‘visual picture’ in your mind, you cannot focus on your worries and stresses.
Everybody will have their own special picture which may help them to feel relaxed such as:
- A walk in the woods or sitting by a loch.
- Lying on a beach on a sunny deserted island.
- A picnic in a meadow.
- Sitting beside an open fire.
- Looking out over a favourite view.
- Baking in the kitchen, with the scent of bread or cake coming from the oven.
- Sometimes you might find it more pleasant to recall a favourite childhood memory.
Only you know what image helps you to feel relaxed. It will help to image as much detail about your special place as possible.
Listen to the audio clip. You can also download this clip to your laptop, desk top , tablet or mobile phone. (click the arrow on the right below the words sound cloud to download) You could also print off the transcript but do not try to read as you are trying to relax, just listen to the instructions on the clip.
Duration: 13 minutes 19 seconds
Voiceover: Grainne O’Brien, Specialist Psychology Practitioner, NHS Lothian
View audio transcript
In this relaxation exercise we are going to be creating an image in our mind, taking a journey to a beach. It doesn’t matter if your mind wanders, just try and bring it back to my voice and the image we are creating…… To begin, I would like you to spend a little time getting into a comfortable position……..Loosen any tight clothing you may be wearing………..uncross your arms and legs…..Allow your body to sink into the chair, the bed or whatever is supporting you……
Once you are in a comfortable position, I would like you to close your eyes or gently lower your eyelids so your eyes are facing the floor towards the floor, whichever you are more comfortable with…………
Now bring your attention to your body……Relax your body by releasing any areas of tension…… take some time to scan your body and notice where your tension lays……..Feel your arms and legs becoming loose and relaxed……..Enjoy the feeling of resting, of being completely supported……… ..Make sure that your jaw is loose, that your teeth are not clamped together……….let your lips be slightly parted…..bring your attention to your shoulders and allow them to drop down away from your ears. It might be easier to shrug your shoulders up towards your ears and then let them fall down….. releasing any tension from your shoulders,… your upper body…….. and your lower body….. (longer pause)
Now we are going to focus on the breath. Bring your focus to your breathing, follow the breath as it comes in and out of your body……..(breathe out on tape….) …….observe the rhythm of your breathing…. You may want to try to breathe out for longer than you breathe in…… As you breathe out imagine your body growing limp and heavy. Each time you breath out imagine that you are letting tension flow out of your body and mind……… As you breathe in you can think “I AM…..” and as you breathe out, “RELAXED”, Try to get an even rhythm, with nice slow gentle breaths. “I AM ….RELAXED”……………………. (longer pause)
Remember- It doesn’t matter if your mind wanders as you are doing this exercise -….., just remember that this relaxation is for you, and bring your mind calmly back to the picture….
Feel your body giving up all tension…..becoming more relaxed…….and calm….. peaceful…………Now that your body is feeling a little more relaxed, I want you to imagine you are sitting on a bench looking out toward the ocean….. the weather is pleasant….you are feeling comfortable and warm…
You can hear the waves up ahead…. and smell the ocean spray…. the air is moist and warm…. you feel a pleasant, cool breeze blowing……
You look a little closer at the ocean…., you see the brilliant aqua colour of the ocean ahead….and feel the warmth of the sun upon your face……
There is a long stretch of smooth white sand…. The beach is wide and long and deserted….the sand is a very soft powder…. if you like you can imagine what the sand would feel like under your feet……, feeling the warm dry sand between your toes………
You hear the waves crashing to the shore….
And smell the clean salt water and beach….
You gaze again towards the water…. it is a bright blue-green….
See the waves washing up onto the sand….. and receding back toward the ocean…. washing up…. and flowing back down….. enjoy the ever-repeating rhythm of the waves…
The sand is warm……perhaps you notice the sensations upon your feet……………… as you get nearer to the sea, the sand becomes smooth, hard and damp….feel this new texture, the sand is completely smooth with only here and there a tiny glint of a pink shell………
You can feel the mist from the ocean on your skin…….and smell the salt in the air…….A wave washes over the sand towards you…. before receding….. more waves washing onto the sand and receding back………. …….
You notice the white sand under the water….completely smooth…. the water is a pleasant, warm temperature….
You decide to enjoy the ocean for a few moments….. notice how the sunlight dances on the water….. the warmth of the sun upon your face………..becoming more and more relaxed… allowing yourself to enjoy the ocean….
The sky is blue and clear of any clouds…….. you decide to enjoy this time out for a little longer…….. relaxing….. basking in the warmth of the sun on your body…….. listening to the rhythmic sound of the waves…….
You feel peaceful and relaxed…. allow all your stresses to melt away…. (longer pause)
Spend as long as you would like at this beach…. enjoying the sense of relaxation……..
when you are ready I am going to ask you to count from 5 to 1 in your own time and when you get to ‘1’ I want you to open your eyes….to stretch…..to yawn……. To slowly bring yourself back to the room….take your time……try to hold onto the sense of relaxation that you have created for yourself………………..
