Calmness is a place we can visit as often as we need to. It is a place within us and therefore accessible to all of us when we choose it.
We can do this using visual imagery. Creating a calm place you can go to internally whenever you need to is a wonderful tool for us to have. This calm place, also referred to as "safe place," is a relaxation technique you can do by yourself.* It's an exercise that can be helpful when feeling stressed and overwhelmed. You can use this self-help tool as a way of grounding yourself during a bout of anxiety or any other emotional disturbance flare-up.
Begin by creating a mental picture of a calm place. All you need is your imagination. Identify a personal oasis, if you will, of a place that feels comfortable, brings peace and gives you a sense of safety.
It may be a place you've been to before, somewhere you'd like to visit, or any place that you associate with peace and calmness.
Focus on the image, feel the emotions, and identify where in your body you feel the pleasing physical sensations.* This tool relies on the mind, body, and emotions connection for its effectiveness.
Make the picture more vivid and notice the details about being in this special place of comfort.
Some key questions to consider in creating your calm place:
What place brings you comfort? Are you alone or with others? What are you doing that makes you feel at ease? What about being there makes you feel safe and calm? Notice the thoughts that are coming up; How are you thinking? What pleasant physical sensations and emotions come up for you while imagining the calm place?
The more vivid the picture the better. You need to emotionally connect to this place and the more real you make it, the more likely, you will go to it internally whenever you need to relax.
Come up with a cue word that you can use to bring up that image, emotions, and sensations, anytime you need to. The word you choose should be a quick link to your calm place.
Once you have created your calm place, practice going there.
Find a comfortable, quiet place. Close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Take a few slow and deep breaths. Bring up the cue word and visit your calm place.
Now, enjoy the peacefulness and tranquility. You can go there anytime, but you can also leave when you want to, just by opening your eyes, and bringing yourself back to the present moment.
Enjoy your creation!
Thank you for reading.
*Partially adapted from Francine Shapiro's Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures.
Begin by creating a mental picture of a calm place. All you need is your imagination. Identify a personal oasis, if you will, of a place that feels comfortable, brings peace and gives you a sense of safety.
It may be a place you've been to before, somewhere you'd like to visit, or any place that you associate with peace and calmness.
Focus on the image, feel the emotions, and identify where in your body you feel the pleasing physical sensations.* This tool relies on the mind, body, and emotions connection for its effectiveness.
Make the picture more vivid and notice the details about being in this special place of comfort.
Some key questions to consider in creating your calm place:
What place brings you comfort? Are you alone or with others? What are you doing that makes you feel at ease? What about being there makes you feel safe and calm? Notice the thoughts that are coming up; How are you thinking? What pleasant physical sensations and emotions come up for you while imagining the calm place?
The more vivid the picture the better. You need to emotionally connect to this place and the more real you make it, the more likely, you will go to it internally whenever you need to relax.
Come up with a cue word that you can use to bring up that image, emotions, and sensations, anytime you need to. The word you choose should be a quick link to your calm place.
Once you have created your calm place, practice going there.
Find a comfortable, quiet place. Close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Take a few slow and deep breaths. Bring up the cue word and visit your calm place.
Now, enjoy the peacefulness and tranquility. You can go there anytime, but you can also leave when you want to, just by opening your eyes, and bringing yourself back to the present moment.
Enjoy your creation!
Thank you for reading.
*Partially adapted from Francine Shapiro's Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures.
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