Sandra Gold

Antwerp, Belgium

Ruth

Montreal, Canada

Scott

Concord, CA, USA

Charlotte, NC, USA

Visualize a lush park, relax in a hammock, and refresh your mind with the sights and sounds of nature.

English

Let's visit a lush park in springtime, and relax in our hammock! This is a visualization practice inspired by brain retraining techniques, designed to bring your nervous system into a state of calm and ease. You will enjoy the sights and sounds of the forested park, breathing in the fresh energizing air.

Brain Vacation - Hammock In The Park

Hello friend, welcome to another brain vacation. These next few minutes are for you. Let's settle in. Find a comfortable position, whether that's sitting or lying down. Take a long, slow, deep breath, letting your eyes close as you exhale. And take another deep breath, finding any spots of tension you can breathe into and soften. Let your shoulders drop down, your jaw unclench, your hands relax. Feel the surface under you, supporting you. Now let's travel to a beautiful, lush park, in a hammock slung between two giant conifer trees. It's a perfect late spring day, the air warm but not hot. All the plants and flowers in full bloom. Picture yourself here, lying comfortably in your hammock. Feel the fabric underneath your body, cradling you. Imagine running your hands along this fabric. What sound does it make under your fingertips? And what color is your hammock? Notice the beams of golden sunlight breaking through the trees, landing on the ground. Look around you. See the trunks of the trees, the color and texture of the bark, the emerald green needles. Notice the wildflowers scattered about, in shades of blue, purple, yellow and white. Can you see the butterflies floating among the flowers, or the squirrels playing nearby? Take in the sights of this lovely day in the park, almost like being in the forest. As you close your eyes, breathe in this fresh air, smelling of pine and grass and springtime soil. Feel this air, this fresh energy, go deep into your lungs. Imagine this air dancing with aliveness, bright green color, saturating your body now, filling up your heart, your lungs, your shoulders. Down your arms and hands, up into your neck and head. Now down into your stomach and pelvis, your legs and feet. As you continue breathing in this fresh spring air, feel your mind clear and your body relax. Now open up yourself to the sounds around you, the gentle hush of a breeze through the tree branches, the faint buzzing of bees on the flowers, the sounds of birds up in the canopy, the in and out of your own breath. There's a beam of sunlight that moves across your chest and up onto your face. Feel the warmth on your skin, and smile into this beautiful spring sun. Let the sun saturate your neck and shoulders, your scalp, feeling all the tiny muscles of your scalp soften and relax. Sink deeper into the embrace of your hammock, maybe sway a little bit side to side, rocking gently, feeling cradled and safe. Take a moment to simply feel what it feels like to be here, right now, in this lush park on a spring day, nothing to worry about, nothing to do. Breathe deeply one more time, feeling the aliveness of the trees, the sun, the air. Then whenever you feel ready, start to come back into the space around you. Maybe wiggle your fingers and toes, or stretch a little. Feel into the surface underneath you, and open your eyes. And take this energy of relaxing in your hammock on a lovely spring afternoon with you for the rest of your day. Thank you for joining me on this spring vacation, take care, and I will see you next time.