A great way to relax, clear the mind and to develop a form of self-hypnosis is to perform the following:
Find a quiet comfortable place. Sit tall in a chair or lie flat on the ground. Set a timer for 15 minutes to ‘wake’ you up and end the session.
Start the timer, now watch an object, such as a lamp on a table or a pen, or a fleck on the ceiling. Focus on that object for 50 seconds (do not refer to the timer simply judge when 50 seconds is roughly completed).
Now, find a second object, focus on that – again, for 50 seconds.
Once complete, find a third object, focus again on the new object for another 50 seconds.
(All the timings are 50 seconds)
Once you have done three objects, close your eyes. Now find a sound to listen to for 50 seconds. Maybe the birds singing outside, or the washing machine whirring.
Once done, find another sound. Another 50 seconds.
Then, a third sound.
If necessary, listen to the silence (it makes a noise!) or imagine in your mind a piece of music.
Once you have done three sounds (50 seconds each), with your eyes still closed, now find a part of your body, say your neck, now focus your entire attention on that.
Then a second body area, say your stomach.
Then a third.
So, it is three objects, followed by three sounds, followed by three areas of your body. In each case focus on that aspect and nothing else for 50 seconds.
Now, open your eyes, and go back to the first object. Another 50 seconds on that.
Then the second object for 50 seconds.
Close your eyes, repeat the focus on the listening of the first sound. Then the second sound, 50 seconds each.
Then the first body part, then the second.
Once done, open your eyes (if you haven’t drifted into a sleepy, hypnotic state by then, which you probably will have done)
Then repeat the cycle once more – 50 seconds on the first object, 50 seconds on the first sound, 50 seconds on the first body part.
It is almost certain you will not get to go through the entire cycle, either because your 50 second approximations will be out, or more likely you will have ‘gone’ way before the end.
Your timer will alert you to the end point, after 15 minutes. You should then be relaxed, refreshed and have a clearer mind.
