The Core Essentials to Physical Health and Well Being

Move your Mind:  Part 1b: Meditate

Peaceful Imagery

Peaceful imagery is a calming technique that works when you choose what you think about.  Calming affects thoughts and emotions.

You can either go back in your memory or off into your imagination to find a place that is special for you.  Some people like to daydream about a special place that makes them feel secure and calm, peaceful and content.  Your special place may be a collection of memories or a memory of one, particularly peaceful place.  You can imagine being there now.

Process

Begin by lying down or sitting in a comfortable chair.  Let yourself settle into the beginning of relaxation by changing your breathing to a deeper, rhythmic breathing at a slow pace.

As you continue to relax and breath slowly, let your thoughts go either back in your memory or off into your imagination to a place that is very special to you.  Your special place is a place where you feel secure and calm, peaceful and content.

Be aware of what it looks like all around you as you let yourself be there now.  Be aware of the quality of light, of the colours, and of the shapes and textures.  Be aware of whether you are sitting, standing, lying down, or walking.

Let yourself be aware of what it feels like to be there now.  Enjoy the goodness of your own special place.  Enjoy feeling secure and calm, peaceful and content.  Let yourself just immerse into the goodness of your special place.

Take a deep, slow breath and smell what it smells like there.  Breathe in and absorb all of the goodness of your special place and enjoy knowing that you are a part of it just as it is a part of you.

Be aware of what it sounds like there.  You may hear the sound of water or waves, the call of birds, the breeze, or just the complete sound of silence.

There may even be a taste associated with your special place and as you take a bite or drink of something, you are reminded of how special you feel.

Enjoy the security, calmness, peacefulness, and contentment that comes with letting yourself be in your own special place and being aware of what it looks like and becoming more relaxed and calm each time you do.

Move your Mind:  Part 2: Learn about your injury: We feel that your best bet to coping with your injury is to become your own Health Care Consultant. The more you understand about your injury, the more you are in control of your life. But where do you get reliable and relevant information. I recently did a google search on back pain and got 172 million results, and not all of it is good information.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of unsubstantiated or dubious treatments out there.

When looking for a healthcare practitioner to help you through the confusion, a good place to start is to ask your primary care physician or specialist for the names of physiotherapists, chiropractors, or health care practitioners who they trust. It also helps to ask friends, co-workers and neighbors for recommendations.

Exercise caution, however, because one person’s definition of a good health care practitioner may be quite different from another person’s. In general, if multiple resources recommend the same person, chances are good that they are reliable.

Watch for other Core Essentials in future posts, so that you can truly live a healthful and active life.

To your pain-free health,

Bob Jacobsen

Bridge Physiotherapy and Massage