This visualization is a simple biofeedback experiment. Biofeedback is the process of gaining greater awareness of, and some influence over, body functions that are usually involuntary. The worksheet works with a commonly described pattern: when we are stressed, blood tends to move away from the hands and feet, which cools them, and when we relax, warmth tends to return. With a thermometer, you can check this for yourself. Results vary from person to person, and this is a relaxation practice rather than a treatment for any condition.
You will need a thermometer. Tape it to the tip of your middle finger, resting against the fleshy underside, and keep the tape loose enough that it does not cause sweating.
- Note the temperature on the thermometer and write it down.
- Rest on your back in a comfortable place, close your eyes, and take five deep breaths, counting down from five.
- Begin the visualization. Imagine standing on a footpath in a lush, green forest in the middle of summer, and spend a minute taking in the sounds, colors, textures, and smells. Then walk down the path, letting your shoulders drop, your belly soften, and your jaw unclench. Soon the trees open onto a field of green grass and flowers with a picnic blanket waiting. Lie back on it and spend five to ten minutes resting there, noticing birdsong, summer blossoms, and the warmth of the sun from your toes to the top of your head. Stay with that warmth for at least a full minute, then take three deep breaths and slowly open your eyes.
- Look at the thermometer and write down the reading. How does it compare with the temperature when you began?
- Ask yourself what this exercise suggests about the mind-body connection.
