GUS (Gave Up Smoking) is a community support diary for Kossacks in the midst of quitting smoking. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are quitting or even thinking of quitting, please -- join us!
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There are times we need to mentally escape from where we are, particularly when stress triggers pop up try to trip us. For many years I've read a variety of books for inspirational thoughts. Also, listening to mellow music can release some of the angst and panic from those stress triggers. And one method that works for some, but not all, is hypnosis or self-hypnosis. Follow me below the fold for some ideas.
Relaxation techniques for meditation, and self~hypnosis, are very similar.
On meditation - Passive vs Active by GUSsack Im a frayed knot has an excellent discussion of passive meditation. Self-hypnosis is an active meditation technique, for lack of a better description. Active means that you are working on affirmations, thoughts, that you want your sub~concious to work with.
Relaxation
-Find a quiet place where you will be undisturbed for 20 to 30 minutes.
-Sitting...make sure you are comfortable, your body in a stretched out position. I like recliners in a partially upright position with feet stretched out. An overstuffed chair with a hassock works well also, with neck support.
-Mellow non~vocal music, playing very low.
-Comfy clothes, nothing that binds or digs.
-Close your eyes and start with very slow deep breaths.
-With each breath in, feel the oxygen in your lungs. Hold and feel the expansion of your chest.
-With each breath out, feel the tension leave your body.
-After 2 or 3 relaxing breaths, have your mind focus on each part of your body, relax your feet on the next breath out. Then relax your ankles and calves. Work all the way up your body and feel the tension move out of your muscles and joints.
Work on these relaxation techniques once or twice a day, until you feel all the energy and tension sliding out fairly quickly. With practice these can be done in 5 to 10 minute sessions...almost anywhere.
Self-Hypnosis
Once you have worked on the relaxation techniques, you can work with passive meditations and clear the mind. Or work with active methods and go a little deeper into your own sub~concious and add affirmations.
Wellspring Reiki has one of the best descriptions of one method of self-hypnosis for those quitting smoking.
Mind Tools: Self Hypnosis relaxation techniques is also very good and describes the process for multiple uses.
The thoughts that we affirm to ourselves through self-hypnosis are very similar to the mantras that we say out loud, or mentally think through, each time a craving shows up. They are all affirmations, reminding our subconscious mind that we are not smokers.
I'm using a hypnotist to help me get deeper into my subconscious mind. My mind compartmentalizes things it doesn't want to handle. Serious, negative information gets acknowledged and filed away. Negative images are not a motivator for me. My mind is extremely "busy". Trying to sleep can be difficult since the mind wants to think through the next umpteen dozen things "to be done". For me, the hypnotist helps me focus my thoughts, gets deeper than I can by myself, and works with alternative visualizations. It is simply another tool in the process to eliminate the cravings, the habit, the psychological information that we have allowed to become part of our lives. Now we have a new visual...that of non-smoker!
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Find some mellow music and relax