Here is another first for me, I actually sat through an entire relaxation exercise and fully engaged in what I was being instructed. I have tried to do relaxation exercises before but I have never made it through one in it's entirety due to a lack of interest. I am the type of person that enjoys thinking constantly; I thrive off of figuring things out and learning new things. That is how I have always been and I think of this as one of my best qualities so I guess at times I might have feared anything that would truly slow down my mind because I am not accustomed to that feeling. First off, I was a little leery about the exercise when I saw that it was about 15 minutes long; that's a very long period of time for me to sit still but this was probably the best opportunity I would have for several days to try to do this so I jumped right in. I am a very open-minded person so even though I was apprehensive about doing this, I was also really excited to see how it would end. The sound of the exercise was very mellow and calming in itself so I was able to get situated pretty quick. I would have to guess at about the middle of the exercise, I really started feeling relaxed and just as I was being instructed to do, my hands felt as if they were slightly throbbing! I didn't get as much of a warm feeling as I was expecting, but my hands, especially my palms, really felt as if my heart was beating through them. It was such a good feeling, and not just in my hands but my whole body felt great. Even after the exercise was over, my body continued to feel very comfortable and still. One point I would like to bring up is that I was worried I would fall asleep through this exercise, mainly because it's after 9pm, but also because my brain doesn't usually feel this calm except right before I fall asleep. I did not come close to falling asleep so that was interesting to me and I am finding myself thinking that I can't wait for the next relaxation exercise that we will try in class!
Now I am going to go make good use of this calm mental state that I am in and get some homework done! Have a great night everyone.
Mrs. Rogers-
Hi Caitlin,
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that the exercise worked out for you and made you relax. I know what you mean about being afraid to fall asleep during the exercise because it actually got me to the point of nearly falling asleep, so I stopped. And it wasn't even close to my bedtime when I did it! For me though, I think it is because I don't have any problems relaxing, which is probably because I rarely consume caffeine. The only time I have a hard time relaxing is if I've eating something with a lot of sugar, or sometimes, certain cold medicines will knock me out for a bit, and I'll have such a restless feeling coursing through my veins making it hard to stay still. Maybe I should consume a bunch of sugar and then try the exercise again!
Donna
Caitlin,
ReplyDeleteI too was a little bit concerned when I saw that the exercise was 15 minutes as I too have had a bit of trouble with getting centered. I tend to always be thinking about something. I lay in bed at night with my thoughts just racing most of the time. I also had success with the journey exercise and was able to totally focus on the exercise. I felt very relaxed and at peace upon completion and I will actually be trying this out when I lay down to go to sleep to try to get back to that relaxed and focused state. I sure hope it works.
Lauren
It's nice to meet you Lauren, it definitely sounds like we have a lot in common in that aspect. It's like when I go to bed my mind should be tired but that's when it in fact is the most active. I swear, there should be a shut off button for our minds! :)
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