Relaxation

Read this through a few times for the general idea then practice until you get used to finding your safe place for yourself.

Work through it very slowly and pause between lines and numbers.

When you are ready, close your eyes and start to concentrate on your breathing.

Breathe through your nose, feel the breath in the back of your throat and feel the breath pushing out your chest and tummy.

Make your out breath longer than your in breath.

Your out breath helps you relax most.

Allow your shoulders to drop a little more with each out breath.

Count backwards with your out breaths from 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

When you are relaxing and breathing comfortably you can begin to notice sensations in your body.

Notice where you feel most comfortable – maybe it is around your chest or tummy or shoulders.

Imagine that comfortable feeling is caused by a glowing light.

Let the light, relaxing feeling spread through your body – down your legs and into your feet, making them feel warm and heavy.

Imagine all the tension being pushed out through your toes.

Let the light, relaxing feeling spread up your spine into your shoulders – down your arms and into your hands, making them feel warm.

Imagine all the tension flowing out through your fingers.

Let the light spread up through your neck, filling your head.

Feel your body tingle as tension leaves it and the light relaxing feeling fills you up instead.

Relaxation is like daydreaming. You notice words and sounds; you notice your body relax.

You still have thoughts and feelings, but you can still just slow down.

Imagine a place where you can feel safe.

It can be a real place or just somewhere you would like to exist in your imagination - just some place that feels nice to be in.

It should feel comfortable, pleasant and peaceful to you.

Now explore your environment – look all around you in your imagination.

See everything in detail – all the things that are in your place, the colours, textures and movements.

Look at each thing carefully and make it brighter and clearer in your mind.

Notice what you can smell and any good memories those smells bring.

Make those feelings stronger – notice the good feelings they give you.

Notice what you can hear.

Listen for every detail – the sounds which are close to you and those which are small sounds or further away.

Notice any feelings, sensations or impressions you get about your safe place.

Now add anything you would like to make your safe place even more comfortable.

You might want some kind of shelter or just a golden light created around the whole area to protect you.

There might be things that are important to you that you can put in there.

Arrange things around you as you want them to be.

Do this slowly.

Notice what you are doing in detail, how your body moves and feels as you look around and move things, and how good it makes you feel.

This is your safe place.

You can come back here whenever you like and stay here as long as you want.

You can make changes and add things each time you visit.

But it will always be your place where you will find calm, quiet and peace and a feeling of absolute safety.