Let’s Begin. Take a deep, slow breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Keep breathing in and out, focusing on how your body feels at this moment. Feel the pace of your heart and lungs becoming slower. With each breath, breath IN relaxation and breath OUT tension and tiredness. Feel your body sinking more and more into deep relaxation.
It is a bright summer day. It is late in the day. You decide to go for a walk along the beach. The sun is radiating warmth and comfort as it shines boldly. The sky is crystal clear without a cloud in sight. The grains of sand beneath your feet shine from the sunlight and warm the soles of your feet. The sound of the waves beating against the shore echoes in the air.
You feel the warm, light breeze brush against your faces as you walk onward. Far off in the distance, you can hear the cries of sea gulls…You watch them glide through the sky, swoop down into the sea, and then fly off once again.
As you walk further along the shore, you decide to rest. You sit down on a mound of pure white sand and gaze out at the sea, staring intently at the rhythmic, methodical motion of the waves rolling into shore.
Each wave breaks against the coast, rising slowly upward along the beach, leaving an area of white foam. Slowly the wave retreats back out to sea, only to be replaced by another wave that crashes against the shore…working its way up the beach…then slowly retreating back out to sea.
With each motion of the wave as it glides in and then out, you find yourself feeling more and more relaxed. The tranquility creates a sense of calmness, peace.
As you stare off into the distance, you see that the sun is beginning to sink into the horizon. The sky is turning brilliant colors of red…orange…yellow…while the sun sets, sinking down…down into the horizon. You feel very relaxed and soothed. You continue to watch the sun as it descends.
The beating of the waves, the smell and taste of the sea, the salt, the cries of the gulls, the warmth against your body – all of these sights, sounds, and smells leave you feeling very calm, refreshed, and relaxed.
For a moment let yourself drift…For a moment be aware of how deeply relaxed your mind and body feel right now…Remind yourself that you can create these feelings on your own during your daily activities.
Remember that periodically during any day you may scan your body, discover any tension you are holding and then inhale relaxation and exhale the tension and tightness. Come back to this place as often as you like or create your own getaway. Relax – renew – recharge your mind and body.
© 2008 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign