Overall,
I enjoyed the Journey On relaxation track.
I have been practicing guided relaxation for quite a while now, and as
usual, I feel calmer and more peaceful and energized than I did before I began
the exercise.
That
said, I feel it is time to mix a healthy dose of skepticism into this
reflection. From personal experience, I
know how influential the power of suggestion can be. During the Journey On track, I did, in fact,
feel warmth in my arms and hands when cued by the speaker. However, I have to wonder if actual physiological
changes occurred (as suggested by the speaker), or if the sensations were
merely my imagination at work. I believe
that the mind is a powerful tool; I have spent my schooling studying such
things as cognitive distortions and cognitive restructuring, which have proven
to me that the mind is incredibly pliable. I also know from experience that the body is
adaptable. But do changes in the body
take place as quickly and easily as suggested by the speaker? Were sensations of warmth and heaviness a
result of changes in blood flow? Or,
were the sensations a result of an active imagination?
Thoughts?
Laura
Laura~
ReplyDeleteI am sure there are people that will go both ways on your question, as for me I think it is the mind making the body feel what it is thinking about. I do not think that it really is the increased blood that is causing the sensations.
As a whole people are easy to get to do something, if it is marketed correct. I think this soft even tone is one way for people the fall in to this trap, and if they really want it to work they will feel and see whatever it is the person is talking about.
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteThose are really interesting questions you raise. I think the answer is probably "both". I think the idea behind it is that we can learn to more actively influence, if not control, some of the systems that have pretty much run themselves for our whole lives. I think for most of us novices, it wouldn't be unreasonable to be suspicious of our own power of suggestion. The mind is a powerful thing, for sure, and power in the hands of us who are so young its use may sometimes go awry. :)
(This is Lisa from Stumble and Stay - I can't get blogger to let me comment as that author. My first blog was called WhatAboutNovember and has nothing to do with our course.)