CENTER POINT THE CENTER FOR SELF-CHANGE NEWSLETTER
Vol. 4, No. 3 - March, 2010
YOU CAN RELAX NOW
J. Kingston Cowart "The Change Maker"
Relaxation is powerful.
That was one of the most important things I had to get across to students and coaches in the five semesters I taught my Sports Hypnosis Clinic at San Diego State University — and to peace officers in the police psychology course I taught for the San Diego Sheriff's Department at Southwestern College.
Both pitchers and batters benefit from brief pre-game relaxation sessions — and from focused, alert relaxation in the midst of the game itself.
Tennis players want to be tension free when receiving a serve so that they can move as smoothly as possible, forehand or backhand, to return the ball.
Relaxed, alert confidence is a vital aspect of officer presence in potentially dangerous situations. Moreover, those officers who are best at swift, effective defensive tactics are the ones who are most capable of relaxation in action.
The many physiological and emotional benefits of relaxation for health and longevity are well known. Just search the web for "benefits of relaxation" and you'll see what I mean.
The very word "relax" comes from the Latin re (again) + laxus (loose), meaning therefore "to become loose again." To relax is to loosen up and be released from all tension both physically and mentally.
Latin and English are both part of the Indo-European language group so we might expect some similarity in meaning.
But did you know that the Hebrew word for "still" in the famous Bible verse "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10) also means "relax" in that same sense of release?
It is the kind of peace of spirit which encompasses peace of mind and heart as well.
For thousands of years people were easily able to find peace and relaxation in the natural surroundings near their towns and villages — and later, in our cities and neighborhoods. Somewhere nearby there was always a woods, stream, meadow or canyon. We often passed or actually walked through these places while heading to or from work or school or the homes of friends and family members.
Sometimes we tarried a bit along the way just to enjoy the sight of the sun through trees, a flight of birds on the wing, the soft sound of a flowing stream.
The natural results of such moments were peace, relaxation, respite from the worries of the world. Those benefits stayed with us as our journeys resumed.
Such places are harder to find now. Often we have to drive some distance to get to them.
But we can still have the wonderful benefits of peaceful, natural relaxation every day anyway.
That's because our human nature is part of nature itself. Therefore nature's relaxing, releasing, restoring moments were made for us and we were made for them.
We carry within ourselves not only the ability to appreciate them, but also to create them. Just look what we have done with man-made gardens and landscapes all over the world!
Even more, we have the ability to create beautifully relaxing places right in our own minds wherever we are, whenever we choose.
It is almost always true that you can relax now — deeply, profoundly, and powerfully — merely by wanting to.
It takes a little practice, of course. Here's a simple, effective way to get started. You may even feel some positive results right now just from reading what follows.
• Get as physically comfortable as you can wherever you are. • Close your eyes if you feel like it — or keep them open (with your gaze angled slightly downward) if you prefer. • Take a deep abdominal breath and hold it for a moment. • As you release the breath, think "I can relax now." • Count down from 1 to 10, naturally breathing freely and easily and relaxing farther and deeper with each count. • After reaching 10, take another deep abdominal breath and hold it for a moment. This time when you release the breath think "I am relaxed now." • Think of a place where you have experienced deep, safe, peaceful relaxation in the past. Remember what it felt like to be there. You will begin to feel that way again. • Let the words "I can relax now / I am relaxed now" come and go in your mind like gentle reminders. • When it is time to return to your activities, simply open your eyes and reengage with the world. You will notice that it seems different now.
• Get as physically comfortable as you can wherever you are.
• Close your eyes if you feel like it — or keep them open (with your gaze angled slightly downward) if you prefer.
• Take a deep abdominal breath and hold it for a moment.
• As you release the breath, think "I can relax now."
• Count down from 1 to 10, naturally breathing freely and easily and relaxing farther and deeper with each count.
• After reaching 10, take another deep abdominal breath and hold it for a moment. This time when you release the breath think "I am relaxed now."
• Think of a place where you have experienced deep, safe, peaceful relaxation in the past. Remember what it felt like to be there. You will begin to feel that way again.
• Let the words "I can relax now / I am relaxed now" come and go in your mind like gentle reminders.
• When it is time to return to your activities, simply open your eyes and reengage with the world. You will notice that it seems different now.
Here are five results you are likely to experience after you have done this once or twice a day for five to ten minutes each time:
1) You will generally be calmer and more relaxed all day long. 2) You will find yourself taking "automatic" deep breaths from time to time — releasing tension you didn't consciously realize was building up. 3) You will begin to sleep better. 4) You will remember your dreams more often. 5) Someone will tell you that he or she has noticed a difference in you.
1) You will generally be calmer and more relaxed all day long.
2) You will find yourself taking "automatic" deep breaths from time to time — releasing tension you didn't consciously realize was building up.
3) You will begin to sleep better.
4) You will remember your dreams more often.
5) Someone will tell you that he or she has noticed a difference in you.
And here's a great "secret" benefit. After you have been doing this for a while, you will have created a conditioned response which you can use with immediate effect whenever necessary — even right in front of people without their ever knowing it. Just take a quiet breath, let it out, and think "I can relax now" and the full effect of the entire technique will kick in right away.
It's a wonderful way to pause for a few seconds before deciding how to deal with the news that your dog just bit the mail carrier — again.
J. Kingston Cowart
JOIN THE CENTER CIRCLE
It's easy. Every Wednesday for a few minutes between 10:00 and Noon sit down and turn inward - through prayer, meditation, self-hypnosis or any modality you choose - and send out good thoughts to everyone else in the circle.
I'll be there. How about you?
J. Kingston Cowart 619.561.9012 Post Office Box 19005 San Diego CA 92159 jkcowart@self-change.com
========================================= If you like Center Point, consider forwarding this issue to friends, family and coworkers.
Or copy and send them this url so they can visit the archive: http://www.self-change.com/ctrpoint_archive.htm =========================================
Visit the Center Point Archive
Subscribe to Center Point
Email Us Your Comments
Home Page
