This blog is supposed to be about Sophrology, sort of, so maybe I should give an example of what it is.
So if you're sitting comfortably, then I'll begin.
But first, to digress. I rememeber the very very first Jackanory. And thanks to the wonders of internet, I have been able to check that is was in 1965. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackanory I was (and am) and avid reader, I loved Jackanory.
And what does that have in common with Sophrology. The spoken word. The word that gives. The word that can heal.Perhaps not so surprisingly, the very first story on jackanory confirms the importance of communciation. And listening....
Sooo, if you are sitting comforatably, then I'll begin (and if anyone would like to actually hear me, drop me a line, and I'll send you the file)
I am sitting comfortably in a chair, my hands on my thighs, my eyes closed so that I can better concentrate on myself. I am conscious of the contact points of my body, my feet, my buttocks, and my back. I am conscious of my clothes on my body. I breathe out gently and I relax in this position.
I relax my whole body, system by system, starting with my first system.
I am conscious of my first system, my head and my face. I relax my forehead; it becomes as smooth as a lake. I relax my eyes, all the muscles around my eyes, behind my eyes. My eyelids become heavier. I relax my cheeks, I let my jaw drop, I let my mouth open slightly, my tongue gently touching my palette. I am conscious of the shape of my skull, the shape of my face, the inside of my mouth. My first system is relaxed. I am conscious of the form of my first system without tension.
I am conscious of my second system. I am conscious of my neck and my throat, the means of communication. I relax my throat. I am conscious of my shoulders. I drop my shoulders. I release all tension in my shoulders, and all the way down the outer part of my arms, my forearms, the back of my hands, and right down to my nails. My second system is relaxed. I am conscious the form of my second system without tension.
I am conscious of my third system; the inside of my arms, my armpits, my thorax, my upper back. I turn my hands so that my palms face upwards, so as to better live my third system. All the muscles from my collarbone down to my floating ribs are relaxing. My breath becomes more regular, and less obvious, as my breathing is moving down to my abdomen. I can feel my diaphragm going up and down gently as I breathe. I am conscious of the muscles in my upper back relaxing. My torso is relaxed, and I am conscious of the form of my third system without tension.
I put my palms back onto my thighs.
I am conscious of my fourth system, my abdominal belt. I am conscious of my abdomen softening and relaxing. My breathing is becoming more natural, and my abdomen rises and falls with my breath, like a baby or a kitten. I am aware of my vital organs, and I can sense calm in my entire abdominal area. I relax the muscles in my lower back, those muscles which keep me upright, and which are constantly under tension My entire abdominal area is relaxed, and I am conscious of the form of my fourth system without tension.
I am conscious of my fifth system; my pelvis, my thighs, my knees, my calves, my shins, my ankles my feet, right down to my toes. I relax the entire base of my body, that part which is usually under tension, keeping me upright, or balanced. I relax all of the muscles, my buttocks, perineum, thighs, knees, calves, ankles right down to the tips of my toes, I am conscious of my the form of my fifth system without tension.
I am conscious of my whole body relaxed, and I take a few minutes to welcome all my consciousness into my corporality. I fully appreciate my vivance. With each breath I descend further, I get closer to the edge of sleep, without actually falling asleep. I am in the Sophro liminal level.
I breathe.
My breathing is calm, harmonious, and I can imagine my breath as a wave, that starts from the soles of my feet, enters my body by the soles of my feet, and then rises through my body, through the fifth system, the fourth system, the third system, the second system, the first system, right up to the top of my skull, where it spills out and over, and down my back, following the contours of my back, like a waterfall, until it reaches my feet, where it starts the journey again, through the soles of my feet, and then rises through my body, through the fifth system, the fourth system, the third system, the second system, the first system, right up to the top of my skull, where it spills out and over, and down my back, following the contours of my back.
I welcome all the sensations into my corporality.
I let a positive image of scenery come to me; scenery which is calm, restful, serene. I can imagine what is in front of me, what is behind me. I can imagine the scents, the warmth perhaps, the sounds. I take the time to welcome all the agreeable physical sensations that I can feel throughout my entire body.
I can join my thumb and my forefinger.
To better fix these agreeable sensations, I breathe in, and at the top of my breath I hold my breath. All these positive feeling are fixed in my body, and as I slowly breath out, these positive feelings are diffused throughout and into all the cells of my body.
I repeat, I breathe in, at the top of my breath I hold my breath I am aware of all the positive feelings that come to mind from the image of my positive scene. I fix these feelings in my corporality. As I breathe out I diffuse them and fix them in all the cells of my body.
If I wish, I can do this a third time, at my own rhythm.
I welcome all the sensation into my corporality.
I welcome the capacities of confidence, confidence in myself, and in my environment, harmony between my body and my spirit, and with all those around me, and hope, for the future that I am working towards. I take the time to welcome them into my corporality.
Now I prepare myself to come back. When I am ready I can take two or three deep breaths, I can then start to wriggle my toes, stretch my legs, move my fifth system, my fourth, my arms my third second and first systems, I can , yawn, stretch my whole body, rub my arms, legs, head, and when I am ready, I open my eyes……. I am back in the world.
well, maybe not and dazzling and decisive and delicious and dependable and daring and delightful
