SIMPLE MEDITATION:The Relaxation Response*

Before you begin select a one, two or three syllable phrase that you find peaceful, relaxing and soothing. Some examples are "My Lord", "Love me", "Ooom Sah", "Relax", "Forgive", "Spirit", or "Peaceful". The idea is to pick something that has very positive and relaxing vibrations for you. -Sit or lie in a comfortable position. -Close your eyes and breathe in deeply. -As you breathe out, consciously relax your head, your neck. -Breathe in deeply, imagine you are breathing in love and energy. -As you breathe out, consciously relax your chest, your arms. -Breathe in deeply, imagine you are breathing in life and peace. -As you breathe out, consciously relax your stomach, your legs, your feet. -Breathe in slowly, notice how you are filling your lungs. -Breathe out slowly. Imagine you are breathing out illness. -Breathe in slowly, notice how you are feeling lighter. -Breathe out slowly. Imagine you are breathing out pain, fear, tiredness. -Breathe in slowly, drawing in life and love and energy. -As you breathe out begin to repeat your phrase slowly. -Continue breathing in and out slowly as you relax more and more. -When outside thoughts intrude, notice this, and then return to focus on breathing in and repeating your phrase as you breathe out. -As you relax more and more you might visualize an image which you find beautiful and relaxing, such as a flower, the ocean, clouds on the horizon, a sunlit forest path, etc. Continue this for as long as you wish. Twenty minutes is a good time to spend on this, but don't time it. Try to practice this type of relaxation at least once a day at about the same time each day. After a while, if you feel yourself becoming stressed, take a deep breath and repeat your relaxation phrase as you exhale. Your stress will quickly disapper.

This meditation is derived from The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson, M.D.