Fear is a part of life.Most of us experience it fairly regularly in response to life’s stresses or our inbuilt capacity to worry.
Sometimes we don’t even realise that we are feeling afraid, but this gentle pre-bed visualisation practice may help you to let go of any tension in your body related to fear.
- Make sure that you are prepared for bed and are comfortable. Dim or turn off the lights, and lay on your back in bed with your arms in a ‘T’ position, palms facing up. Place your legs straight, but with soft knees, and check that you are feeling that your body is in a straight line. Take a slow deep breath in and feel your tummy rising. Feel the openness of your position, and reassure yourself that you are safe as you exhale.
- Scan your body from head to toe, noticing any areas of tightness or tension, and just make a mental note of these. Then take another three slow conscious breaths into your belly concentrating on the rise and the fall of your tummy. Again, reassure yourself that you are safe, and right now in this moment, all is ok.
- Begin by concentrating on the left big toe, and consciously will your toe to relax. You may not feel any immediate benefit, but you may be astounded as to how relaxed you feel at the end of this process. Carry on in this manner with each of your left toes individually, and then carry on to the left sole of the foot, top of the foot, ankle, calf, etc., until you arrive at the top of the leg. Then repeat the process with the right leg. Once both legs are done, move on to the main body.
- Relax the buttocks, the lower abdomen, the upper abdomen, the lower back, the upper back, the chest and the shoulders one at a time. It is up to you how long you spend on each area- you may want to spend longer on areas of more tension. Then repeat this process with both the arms, then the neck, the throat, the back of the head, the top of the head, the jaw, the mouth, the forehead and the eyes.
- Take three slow conscious breaths into your belly again, concentrating on the rise and fall of your abdomen. Repeat again to yourself that you are safe, and right now in this moment, all is ok. Consciously scan your body as in the beginning and check if there are any areas of tension remaining. If some still stand out, go back and consciously try to relax these areas again.
- To finish take another three slow deep breaths into your belly and repeat to yourself that you are safe, and right now in this moment, all is ok.
This practice is most effective if done every night. I hope you enjoy the benefits of this simple meditation. Let me know how you go.