Instant
Relaxation Anytime, Anywhere
by Peter Murphy
If there was a way of relaxing quickly and easily in any situation would
you want to know what it is?
Ancient cultures knew this secret, and
followers of Hawaiian Huna used it to access altered states. In more
recent times martial artists used it as a way to develop relaxed
alertness, and today photoreaders use it to relax before reading books at
speeds of 25,000 words per minute.
What is the secret? It has to do with how
you use your eyes!
Pick a spot on the wall straight ahead and
a little above eye level. Now continue to look at that spot with soft
focus and after a few moments you will notice that the room seems to
become fuzzy as you develop tunnel vision. This tunnel vision goes hand in
hand with the worry, stress and anxiety you feel when you get fixated on
getting what you want when you are under pressure.
If only you could snap out of that tunnel
vision when it clouds your judgment then you could be more relaxed when
you choose to be. You can in a moment if you know how to access your
peripheral vision.
How to access your peripheral vision:
1. Pick a spot on the wall in front
of you, slightly above eye level.
2. Extend your field of vision,
little by little, to take in more of what you can see to the left and
right. Continue like this until you are aware of what you can see out of
the corner of your eyes on either side.
3. Let your awareness go even
further. Use your sense of space to guide you all the way around behind
you through 360 degrees.
When you stay in peripheral vision for a
few minutes, you will notice that your breathing tends to slow down and
even become deeper; the muscles of your face may have relaxed; and even
the rest of your body may feel heavier and more relaxed.
When you use your peripheral vision your
nervous system seems to automatically calm your body, mind and emotions.
4. Return to normal everyday
awareness by letting your vision return to normal.
When you are speaking to a group or even to
a large audience, accessing your peripheral vision is a valuable skill. It
will let you relax immediately while also allowing you to see your entire
audience and any small movements, consequently you can be more aware of
reactions to your message.
Which do you prefer, tunnel vision with
stress or peripheral vision with relaxation? The choice is yours. To have
a choice when it matters you need to practice accessing your peripheral
vision at will. Then the next time you feel anxious, scared or tense in
front of other people you will be able to quickly and easily access your
natural state of relaxation.
___________________
Peter Murphy is a peak performance
expert and he produces a free weekly ezine full of practical tips for
communicating at your best under pressure. All new subscribers get a free
ebook with powerful strategies for being at your best. To subscribe send a
blank email to: AbolishShynessToday-subscribe@topica.com.
