Transcript
Speaker: Hello and welcome. This is Karen Senor and of course you have joined me on another episode of the Soulful and Wild Show. Now as you would be aware Christmas is racing towards us. There's only a few weeks till Christmas now and I don't know if you've already seen it but I've noticed that there's a bit of a a bit of a buzz in the air building and Truth be told, a lot of people do tend to get kind of wound up as Christmas gets closer. I don't know if it's only just because the the pressure of getting together with family, of performing, gift giving, the added expense, past stuff, whatever it is.
Speaker: And so what I thought I'd do is i thought it would be a really nice thing to Rather than to dissect all of that, to share a little hypnotic relaxation on that spirit of Christmas using you know Christmas as our focus, a way to sort of defrag, in a way, from the pressures of Christmas so that we can slide into the spirit of it.
Speaker: So if that's something you're up for, stay tuned. If this is not for you, that's fine. Roll on by and tune in to another episode.
Speaker: So on the assumption that you're staying the distance with me, just get yourself into a really comfortable position. Now that might mean that you stop what you're doing and you go and sit down, come for chair, put your feet up,
Speaker: Maybe put a little iPad on and um eye covering, you know. Get snuggie, cool, or warm, whatever it is you need to do.
Speaker: And just bring your attention to your breath. There's nothing else that you need to do right now except breathe.
Speaker: And the truth of the matter is that people tend to think about things all the time, thinking about this, thinking about that, The mind is constantly going.
Speaker: And yet people never seem to think about where their next breath is coming from. And yet you and I, we both know that the breath is the most essential requirement to life.
Speaker: Yet no one thinks about it. And of course there's a very good reason for that. Because whenever you need a breath, There it is.
Speaker: It's always there at the exact moment in which you require it. So given that the most essential requirement for your life is naturally and automatically taken care of, you genuinely can relax.
Speaker: Just let go and drift along with the sound of my voice. And as you do, I wonder if you can remember a time, a long time ago, round about Christmastime, when you were much younger.
Speaker: Allow your mind to go back. Think about a past Christmas, a time when the feeling was laid back and cruisy, a time to relax and to feel good.
Speaker: And maybe you can remember a quiet room and time on your own, a quiet place somewhere to just enjoy the season.
Speaker: And maybe you can close your eyes as you are relaxing now and and think about that feeling.
Speaker: Think about that feeling of calm, of peace, and a room somewhere with decorations, lights, Christmas tinsel, all the things that you associate with that time of the year, and a tree, a tree with lights and decorations. and And in your mind, you see that tree now, all lit up with soft lights in a room that's dark and dim, and there's just the light of the tree.
Speaker: and it's dark all around. And as you think about that tree, remembering Christmas's past, relaxing, breathing quietly, become aware of the gentle rise and fall of your breath and allow your focus to rest on that breathing.
Speaker: Breathing in, and breathing out your own natural rhythm.
Speaker: That's right.
Speaker: And as you think about your breathing and those memories of Christmas,
Speaker: you might notice with each breath out those lights appear ah a little more dim. And as you breathe out again, the lights on the tree become darker still.
Speaker: And you become aware that with each breath, you're becoming more relaxed. And you can begin to enjoy a ah pleasant feeling of control.
Speaker: And you can begin to wonder about those lights. And on the next breath, imagine the lights at the top of the tree becoming dim and dark.
Speaker: And then in your own time, another relaxing breath and the lights further down the tree are also growing dim and dark.
Speaker: And another breath. And more of that tree is going dark now and all around in that room. Everything is becoming quiet and peaceful.
Speaker: And as you continue there, Breathing quietly, gently, thinking of those lights and that feeling of peace and contentment.
Speaker: Allow that feeling to spread. And as that feeling spreads, become aware of a heaviness in your arms and legs, a heaviness in you your muscles, your your eyes and imagine that feeling spreading, relaxing all the muscles of your face and letting go and your shoulders becoming heavy, loose and as you feel that spreading, that Christmas tree is becoming darker,
Speaker: and softer and more blurred and all the lights have faded away to nothing. And in that room, peaceful and quiet, a soft, gentle darkness.
Speaker: And as you relax more, everything is simply slipping away.
Speaker: And in that dark place, there's just the hint of dim colours reflecting from wrappings and ornaments. And all the colours begin to swirl around and you feel yourself floating, drifting, swirling as they they carry you down and deeper and deeper, relaxing, breathing gently,
Speaker: And letting it all go now.
Speaker: Letting it all go.
Speaker: And as you're reclining there, relaxed, everything in that room is quiet and dark and feeling peaceful and calm, you begin to focus on that tree.
Speaker: And the tree in the dark seems different now. And you realise that you're thinking about that tree differently now. In your mind, you can see the outline of the tree, the shape of the tree.
Speaker: And the tree seems different now. And you notice that on the branches, here and there, there are curved things, like little hooks.
Speaker: And as you watch, more and more of those little hook-like things appear. And you begin to wonder what they're for. And as you do, you realise they're for hanging things on, like decorations.
Speaker: And you start to imagine what things you might use to decorate that tree with.
Speaker: And something materialises on that tree. There on a hook is a shape. And then there's another on a different hook.
Speaker: And then another appears. And you realise that you're beginning to feel lighter, more open. And you can feel something changing, changing the way you feel, changing changing who you are.
Speaker: And you realise that your worries are ah lifting drifting over to that tree, it's like the tree is attracting them to it and you feel another worry lifting off and it appears on the tree.
Speaker: And more and more, as you're relaxing more and more, you feel stuff releasing, relaxing, letting go Things that you've carried around all year are drifting over to that tree,
Speaker: and just hanging there. And you look at those strange decorations, all shapes and sizes, and some look very old. And still, as you're breathing, relaxing deeper, more things are leaving your body and attaching to the tree.
Speaker: And you can feel stirrings inside. And all over your body, things are moving, shifting, easing and loosening.
Speaker: And you feel the last of them letting go And you realise all your worries, all your old fears are hanging on that tree out there.
Speaker: And they look strange, almost kind of comical. And they're beginning to weigh the tree down. And that tree begins to look distressed, burdened.
Speaker: And a door opens. And into the room comes a figure, dressed in red and white. And the figure has a sack, a great big bag.
Speaker: And the figure begins to lift those things off the tree and throws them into the sack. And one after the other, all that stuff hanging on the tree is removed and tossed into the sack.
Speaker: And as you watch,
Speaker: you realise your worries are being thrown into that sack. The tree is cleared and the figure reaches down and takes something out of the sack and then turns around and drags the sack away.
Speaker: out of the room, and the door is shut. And in that dim light, the tree is beautiful, fresh and green and healthy, a lovely, organic, growing, living thing, transformed and refreshed.
Speaker: It looks light and eerie and free. And then you see under the tree there's something there, a wrapped gift, in exchange for all that old stuff that you've been carrying around for so long, a present for you.
Speaker: And you think about what might be in that. What would transform your life? What is it that's been left for you? A wonderful,
Speaker: special gift. And as you relax, relaxing deeper now, deeper and deeper, it comes into your mind that you can take your gift anytime you want to.
Speaker: You can open that gift whenever you're ready. And that means that you can have as much time being happy now as you had being burdened.
Speaker: That weight has gone. And you have time now to open that present.
Speaker: There's no time like the present. To take time to open up and let yourself enjoy what life has to give. And when you're ready and you've accepted your gift, well,
Speaker: you can begin to think now of coming back to the present, refreshed, new, revitalized, free and light and open.
Speaker: So I'm going to count from one to five. And when I say the number five the next time, at that time, you'll open your eyes
Speaker: and you'll feel good. So one, just allowing yourself to gently, gently
Speaker: move upwards. Two.
Speaker: three, four
Speaker: and five, coming back to the present now and a very merry Christmas and a marvellous holiday season.
Speaker: So just take some easy gentle breaths and allow yourself to feel really good and know
Speaker: this Christmas well you can have a wonderful time.
Speaker: So I hope you have enjoyed that lovely short little relaxation that refresh perhaps a little retake on Christmas.
Speaker: It's kind of fun to change it up sometimes don't you think?
Speaker: That's it. Just a little refresh, a retake on Christmas. We always get to do things the way we want to, right?
Speaker: And sometimes a new way is a good way.
