Meditation

Introduction

First is a 2-minute explanation about how does deep relaxation helps. A guided meditation is next. It is based upon the "verbal massage" developed by Sister Pat, a hospice chaplain. The images from Iguazu Falls can be enjoyed by a caregiver listening to the guided relaxation. Transcripts of both follow, as well as a link to a podcast about meditation.

Dive deeper into the topic by listening to the podcast:

Psychotherapists Say It Like It Is: A Psychotherapist Gets Counseling

Transcript of the Introduction

This is Victor Bloomberg. Welcome to Deep Relaxation - Introduction: Scientific and Philosophical Foundation.

There is no distinction between mind and body. We simply exist.

And in our existence, we are spiritual beings in this human form.

All of us are equal, and all of us are perfect in the sense that we are simply part of the creation.

And given the right circumstances, we can work anything out with anyone who will work with us.

The body produces compounds in response to stress.

Cortisol and adrenaline increases the heart rate.

When the stress is over and the person can relax, neuropeptides send messages throughout the body to reduce cell wall size back to normal and endorphins counteract the adrenaline and slow all systems down.

The difficulty arises when stress is produced by the person thinking about what is going to happen or having memories of things that did happen.

And there are other ways a person can induce stress, absent external stimuli.

Deep relaxation initiates the flow of endorphins.

Being present in the current moment reduces stress.

We are not anticipating what will happen next or thinking about or reflecting on or re-experiencing what happened.

The focus on now, the current moment, reduces stress because at this moment we know profoundly we are safe.

The sense of safety triggers stress reducing compounds in the body.

The relaxation can be done anywhere at any time a person can sit or recline comfortably and close one's eyes.

***End***

Transcript of the Guided Meditation

Find yourself a comfortable position to sit or recline, and close your eyes.

Allow your awareness to float to the sounds around you.

The sound of my voice.

The sound of air moving, of a fan.

Sounds from within the room or building - a person walking, or talking.

A phone ringing, a cat, a dog, a bird.

Allow your awareness to float to sounds from outside, a plane, a car.

It matters not. Allow your awareness to float to any sound.

Soon you will become aware of the sounds of your own thoughts.

Allow your awareness to float to any thought or image.

These are scenes outside the window.

You are in the train of the moment.

The moment is constant.

The scenes outside the window change and do not matter.

Allow your awareness to float to any sound, any thought, any image.

Soon you will become aware of your own breath.

The breath is our connection to the life force itself.

It matters not whether your breath is short and shallow or long and deep.

It matters not how your breath changes.

Allow your awareness to float from any sound, thought or image back to your own breath.

Soon you will become aware of other sensations.

Maybe your heartbeat.

Your heartbeat is your metronome of life.

Allow your awareness to float from your heartbeat back to your own breath.

Return from any thought, sound or image to your own breath.

You may become aware of sensations in your body, your skin, contacting the air or cloth or your own fingers, palm of your hand.

Allow your awareness to float to any sensation.

Return to your breath.

You may become aware of other sensations, itching, tingling.

Allow your awareness to float to the sensation and return to your breath.

You may feel pressure or pain within the body, the jaw, the abdomen, arm or leg.

Allow your awareness to float to any tingling or itching and return to your breath.

You may become aware of a twitching or a spasm of the muscle.

Allow your awareness to float and return to your breath.

We have been releasing neuropeptides to reduce cell size and endorphins to slow everything down for a time now.

You may feel warmth or heat from fingers or toes, the nose or ears.

This heat release is part of healing.

Allow your awareness to float to it and return to your breath.

You may become aware of coolness, or even chills.

This is also the body healing.

Allow your awareness to float and return to your own breath.

Some of the sounds or images of your own thoughts may reflect back on things that happened or that may happen.

Return to the moment and know that you can work anything out with anyone who works with you.

Return to your breath.

Thoughts and images of things that have happened or might can create the feeling of inadequacy.

Return to the moment and know you are a spiritual being in this life form.

You are perfectly part of creation.

Return to your own breath.

You may experience the sound or image of something that happened or could happen, which leaves you unsafe, or left you unsafe.

Return to the moment.

Know you are safe in this moment.

Float to that awareness of safety.

Float to the awareness of safety and return to your own breath.

Allow your awareness of safety to grow and return to your own breath.

You may continue this deep relaxation for as long as you wish.

Allowing your awareness to float.

Returning to your own breath.

Allowing your awareness of safety and goodness to grow.

Returning to your own breath.

Allowing your awareness of safety and goodness to grow.

Returning to your own breath.

And when you are ready, open your eyes and continue with whatever is next.

***End***