Two tools for quick relaxation and deeper sleeps.

You're dealing with children, friends, driving, working, gardening, cooking,watching television or on the computer. Your attention is occupied with a task at hand and until you stop you aren't aware of all the background noise going on in your head. Once you are unoccupied by the demands of the world around you an internal din begins to emerge inside your head, a growing stampede of thoughts, emotions, memories possibilities and concerns. At night especially you may be among the millions of people that suffer from an endless churning of head stuff that steals much needed rest for your body, mind and Soul.

In today's installment of "How to be happy in fifteen minutes or less" I'm going to give you two tools I've used for many years that will enable you to quiet your mind  and body almost anywhere at anytime. The activity only takes about a minute though it can be prolonged to last as long as you need to apply it.  If you can, stop what you are doing for a minute and then notice what starts to take place in your mind. If you cannot stop what you are doing at this time, pick another time when it is safe and practical to do.

To get started stand or sit comfortably where you are, or move to a place where you can feel more comfortable, then close your eyes and observe what you can notice going on in your mind. Now put your attention on your breathing and take three long-slow deep breaths, hold them for a few moments and release your breath and feel your body automatically let go of tension as your body exhales. Each time you exhale you will notice more and more muscles relaxing. Take more breathes if you want the relax your body more fully and completely. you may also realize that your mind has also become a little more rested from the breathing.

After you feel you've done enough breathing turn your awareness to what is still happening in your mind. Are there mostly thoughts? feelings? Pictures? Memories? or imaginings about the future? Whatever they are for you look intently for the spaces between words, pictures and feelings...much the same as you could look for the spaces that you see between these written words...for they exist in your mind to. As you begin to notice the space between thoughts feelings and images, notice how those space feel and allow yourself to feel it. Most of my clients find themselves falling asleep at this stage, some just find that everything becomes quiet and they feel peaceful.

As I mentioned earlier you can extend the time you spend focusing on your breathing as this will naturally deepen the relaxation of your body while also oxygenating the inside of the body. Practice this at every opportunity that you can. You may fins this especially relaxing and healing when you are going to sleep at night.

As a footnote to this activity I want to add that sometimes negative mental and emotional states can be a result of poor nutrition in your body. Make certain that you eat frequently enough to give your body and mind the right amount of fuel to run correctly. If you aren't eating enough and properly, some of the mental, emotional static you may have can be an effect of deficiencies in key minerals vitamins and proteins in your body. As a life coach I was recently made aware of this fact through personal experience and have since made the inclusion of nutrition a key component of the guidance process for my self, my friends, family and clients.  Peace

Have a Great Day!!

William Michael Forbes
www.navigatingthesoul.ca
Copyright © 2013 by William Michael Forbes. All rights reserved.