Journey On

Well, folks, here we are on our first journey. For class this week, we listened to a clip online aptly titled 'Journey On'. It runs for about 15 minutes and, as it turns out, is a relaxation technique.

So, what was this clip like? It was very interesting. The clip begins with soft chimes and soon a voice comes on, telling us that this session will help us in relaxing. The chimes fade to the background, but you can still hear them. They are rather relaxing to listen to. The instructor tells us to find a comfortable position, loosen any restrictive clothing, and get as comfortable as we can.

The instructor elaborates on the fact that when we are relaxed, around 80% of our blood is housed in our abdominal cavity, while the other 20% is circulating through our bodies. He tells us that this technique will help us move blood to any muscle in our body and help us relax that particular area.

Now, my first thought on this was 'yeah, right'. Still, I do believe in, and have used, meditation before and really this is a form of meditation, but this doesn't just involve the mind. This technique will involve my whole body, so what the heck, let's give it a shot.

As I listen to the instructor, I notice a change in the sounds in the background. The chimes are still there, but there is now a soothing music playing as well and it helps me to relax even more. I pick an area that I want to be more relaxed and I decide to go with my legs, since this part of my body always seems to be tense (the instructor used our hands and arms, which is fine and this can be used for any part of the body. Just change up the areas). I guess that's what I get for being on my feet a lot at my job.

Breathing deeply, I do as the instructor says and try to suggest to myself to get my blood flow to move down to my legs, to help relieve the tension and stress. I think to myself that my legs are getting warm and heavy and surprisingly, I do feel this change. I can tell that my blood is shifting from my abdominal cavity down to my legs.

After a minute or two, I can feel my legs becoming very warm and comfortable, very relaxed and I don't think I could move them right now if I wanted to. I'm too comfortable. I can feel the tension and stress leaving. I stay this way for a bit, before following the instructor and begin to shift the excess blood flow back to my abdominal cavity.

Thinking that the blood is moving back to my abdominal cavity, I feel the heaviness leaving my legs and I know that the blood is moving back to where it originally was. I keep my breathing slow and deep and soon all of the tension has left my legs, the blood is back where it should be, and I feel really relaxed.

Now, you would think that something like this would make me feel tired and sleepy, but it doesn't. I'm relaxed, but energized at the same time and as the music softly fades away completely, I feel like I'm ready to continue my day.

This is the interesting thing about meditation and relaxation techniques. They are designed to get us feeling energized again and not sluggish, relaxed, but ready to continue on. This is definitely one technique that I would recommend to anyone, and for anyone who is skeptical, I will say this. Give it a try. What do you have to lose? If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. But, if it does, think of how relaxed and energized you'll feel.

But, there is a trick to this that I've noticed. If you go into this technique thinking that it simply won't work, then it won't. This is about training our minds and if you're not opened to trying something new, then you will gain nothing.