Instructions for Meditation and Containment

Instructions for Meditation & Containment:

 Lie in a comfortable position with no limbs crossed. Listen to soft music if you can.  If you have soft music, use the same music every time (classical conditioning).

Breathe deeply throughout this entire exercise.  Breathe in to a count of 4, hold for 4 seconds, release for 4 seconds.

Scan your body for tension.  If its there, notice it, tell yourself to “let it go.”

As you breathe in slowly to a count of 4, in your mind say “re.”  Hold for 4 seconds.

As you breathe out to a count of 4, say “lax” so the word becomes “Relax” (you can choose any calming word you like).

Imagine that every time you breathe in, you are breathing in calmness, and every time your breathe out, you are breathing out tension

If thoughts come to you, tell yourself gently, “Stop, I’m just breathing right now.”  Gently go back to saying “re-lax.”

Imagine you have a box in which you store your trauma with the lid on it; say “This is how I feel when the lid is on it.”  Say “Re-Lax”  Breathe deeply.

Imagine putting the box somewhere of your choosing.

Imagine sitting in your safe place.

* Do this exercise every day for at least 10 minutes.

* When you get upset, breathe deep, say “relax, I can put a lid on it any time I want.”

* The more you practice this exercise, the easier it will to become trained to calm yourself to the word “relax” (or any word you choose).   With lots of practice you can cue your relaxation response to the word “relax” or any word you choose.

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