PRE-FOCUSING PRACTICE: RELAXATION #3 — GUIDED IMAGERY: THE FOREST
Free Downloads:
Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)
“Ajas” Instantaneos Mini-Manual
From Creative Edge Focusing: This month’s Relaxation Exercise : Week One —“Ahhhhh….pause with me for ten minutes….and just relax!!! I will send this exercise each week as a reminder to pause…
Being able to set aside the jumbled thoughts of the day and create a “clear space” inside is a first step in preparation for Intuitive Focusing.
Some people find it easy to drop all their stress and enter into an interior Focusing space. But, many people need easy first steps of practice for “going quietly inside.” And even experienced Focusers get caught up in stress and business and welcome a reminder to take a moment to….pause…..(sigh!)…pay attention to their breathing…….(ahhhhhh!)……and…relax…
Later in the week you will receive and practice a formal “clearing a space” exercise. But here is another basic relaxation exercise to encourage you to take those few moments to step out of stress and begin paying attention to your bodily-felt sense of your living.
The quiet time between instructions is an important time for just breathing—and relaxing.
You can lie on the floor or, for most exercises, sit in a chair. If you fall asleep, it’s okay! Means you need more rest! But you may also want to practice sitting up to avoid sleeping.
Especially at the beginning, time those “1 minute” pauses and enjoy relaxing in the imagery. You will be amazed at how long a minute is, how seldom we ever pause for a whole minute!!!
Any of the Relaxation Exercises can be used at the beginning of a longer Focusing session, as a way of “clearing a space” inside, so notice which are your favorites you could call upon.
Guided Imagery: The Forest-Allow 10-15 minutes
These next four weeks, we will do our Relaxation Exercise in the guided imagery of The Forest. A change from The Beach, we will sink into the soft pine needles, listen to the bubbling brook and the scurrying animals.
—Lie down or sit down and get comfortable—Loosen any clothing that is too tight—10 seconds
—Stretch—and relax—stretch—and relax—stretch—and relax—10 seconds
—Notice your breathing without trying to change it—just noticing the breath, going in—and out—in—and out—in—and out—
1 minute
—Now, imagine yourself in a cool, dark, forest—10 seconds
—Walk along a path by a bubbling spring—noticing the ferns and wildflowers—the shy, small forest animals—10 seconds.
—Come upon a clearing with a soft cushion of silent pine needles—10 seconds
—Lie down and listen to the wind whistling through the pine trees—10 seconds
—Hear the spring bubbling beside you—10 seconds
—Feel the soft cushion of pine needles beneath you—10 seconds
— Listen to the breeze blowing the branches—back and forth—back and forth—10 seconds
—The spring bubbling—10 seconds
— The breeze blowing the branches—10 seconds
—Hear the birds calling in the trees—10 seconds
—Birds calling back and forth—10 seconds
—Hear the rustle of small animals around you—curious rabbits—and mice—10 seconds
—Stay here as long as you like—
3-5 minutes
—And, when you are ready, stretch, and massage any tension in your face, neck, shoulders, or feet, if you like—
1 minute
Print and Practice!!!!! Visit The Forest
Here is your relaxation exercise for this month. Print it out, keep it handy, and take those few moments to relax every day, if you can, or as often as possible. Or, you can just open this weekly reminder and walk through the exercise online. Relaxing is one way to “clear a space” inside for a longer-term Focusing Problem Solving session.
You will also find this in the Complete Focusing Instructions download at Creative Edge Focusing, p.5: Pre-Focusing Practice A. Relaxation Suggestions #3: The Forest. You get it by joining our e-support group for further support in practicing Listening and Focusing. Or, you can download Complete Focusing Instructions from the link at the top of this blog.
And, if you order our Self-Help Package, also in the sidebar icons of our website, you can listen on audio CD Intuitive Focusing: Disk one, Track 4, with Dr, McGuire’s peaceful voice to keep you company — and help you stay on track!!
Tell me what you think at cefocusing@gmail.com or comment on this blog below !
Click here to subscribe to our Instant “Ahah!” e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!!
Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-E-course
See Core Concept: Conflict Resolution to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard’s “One Minute Apology,” Patricia Evan’s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon’s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, and much more.
See Core Concept: Intimate Relationship to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the “Sharing Your Day” exercise, Listening/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.
Download complete Instant “Ahah!” Mini-Manual, in English and Spanish, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.
Find links to free articles, personality tests, multi-media Self-Help training, Classes and workshops
Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director
relaxation exercises
| 
anxiety, breathing exercise, depression, Focusing, Focusing Classes, Focusing en espanol, Gendlin, guided imagery, Intuitive Focusing, LISTENING, meditation, relaxation exercise, self-help skills, stress reduction, support groups
Themocracy
[…] the soft pine needles, listen to the bubbling brook and the scurrying animals. Find the exercise here in an earlier […]