Guided Relaxations for a Deep State of Calm
28 years ago, I began practicing meditation. The goal was to learn how to live a more relaxed lifestyle with less unhealthy anxiety and stress. I soon realized that for me there is a difference between meditation and deep relaxation.
My practice of meditation consists of sitting still with eyes closed and observing my thoughts without intent. I don’t try to clear my mind or do anything. Just watch my thoughts. Just observe. After a while, the thoughts slow down. This happens on its own with no effort. It is a natural process. In time, the mind centers down with the thought content becoming slow and sparse. Eventually I realize that as the anxious racing thoughts naturally slow down and decrease, what remains are feelings of peace, warmth, light, calm and comfort. For me this is a very helpful practice.
Deep relaxation on the other hand is intentional. I use specific strategies to bring about a deep state of calm. Over the years I have practiced Guided imagery, autogentic training, progressive muscle relaxation and hypnotherapy.
Some people may have a rather profound experience, their first attempt at guided relaxation. While others, come to understand and adapt to the process more gradually with practice. Most people that continue to use relaxation techniques, find that the state of calm becomes easier to achieve and reaches deeper levels. With ongoing practice, the body and mind become more conditioned and responsive to the relaxed state.
When we created the Recovery Productions company, I began recording sounds of moving water such as the ocean, rain, babbling brook and waterfalls. Then, using flute, acoustic guitar, piano, violin, cello, synthesized sound effects, and percussion I composed relaxing, calm melodies and rhythms, and added recorded guided voice overs. The voice overs featured progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, hypnotherapy, and guided imagery. We continued to experiment blending different instruments, melodies, rhythms, sounds of moving water, and voice overs, always searching for the most effective relaxation results. These audio presentations then received extensive clinical trials at mental health and addiction inpatient and outpatient facilities. The end result is a series of highly effective, 10-to-15-minute guided relaxations.
My practice of meditation consists of sitting still with eyes closed and observing my thoughts without intent. I don’t try to clear my mind or do anything. Just watch my thoughts. Just observe. After a while, the thoughts slow down. This happens on its own with no effort. It is a natural process. In time, the mind centers down with the thought content becoming slow and sparse. Eventually I realize that as the anxious racing thoughts naturally slow down and decrease, what remains are feelings of peace, warmth, light, calm and comfort. For me this is a very helpful practice.
Deep relaxation on the other hand is intentional. I use specific strategies to bring about a deep state of calm. Over the years I have practiced Guided imagery, autogentic training, progressive muscle relaxation and hypnotherapy.
Some people may have a rather profound experience, their first attempt at guided relaxation. While others, come to understand and adapt to the process more gradually with practice. Most people that continue to use relaxation techniques, find that the state of calm becomes easier to achieve and reaches deeper levels. With ongoing practice, the body and mind become more conditioned and responsive to the relaxed state.
When we created the Recovery Productions company, I began recording sounds of moving water such as the ocean, rain, babbling brook and waterfalls. Then, using flute, acoustic guitar, piano, violin, cello, synthesized sound effects, and percussion I composed relaxing, calm melodies and rhythms, and added recorded guided voice overs. The voice overs featured progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, hypnotherapy, and guided imagery. We continued to experiment blending different instruments, melodies, rhythms, sounds of moving water, and voice overs, always searching for the most effective relaxation results. These audio presentations then received extensive clinical trials at mental health and addiction inpatient and outpatient facilities. The end result is a series of highly effective, 10-to-15-minute guided relaxations.
Some of the benefits of this type of relaxation practice are:
Improving focus & mood
Improving sleep quality
Lowering fatigue
Reducing unhealthy anxiety & stress
Slowing heart and breathing rate
Lowering blood pressure
Controlling blood sugar levels
Improving digestion
Reducing muscle tension & chronic pain
Reducing anger and frustration
Improving sleep quality
Lowering fatigue
Reducing unhealthy anxiety & stress
Slowing heart and breathing rate
Lowering blood pressure
Controlling blood sugar levels
Improving digestion
Reducing muscle tension & chronic pain
Reducing anger and frustration
"I know of no other non-pharmacological intervention that can induce a state of calm more quickly or deeper, than this." Tom Diffenderfer LADAC II, QCS, CAIP
Guided Relaxation Practice
Many people worldwide use these guided relaxations to help manage unhealthy anxiety and stress. Although they are effective when utilized occasionally or several times a week, a good way to familiarize your mind and body with this process is to practice the relaxations twice daily for 30 days. Once around midday and then again in the evening. By doing these two relaxations each day, you are only investing 24 total minutes of your time.
Sit or lie down and make yourself comfortable. Then, click on the corresponding picture, follow the guided instructions and relax.
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Midday |
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Evening |
Below are 10 more unique guided relaxations. Give them a try. Click on the picture, practice, and learn to relax. Enjoy
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1. Music & Rain to Relax - blends the sound of summer rain with guided progressive relaxation and concludes with a piano cello duet.
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2. Time to be still - uses the hypnotic induction system and gentle melodic acoustic guitar to reach a deep state of calm.
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3. The Easy Chair - uses progressive relaxation, acoustic guitar and the sound of a babbling brook to reach a deep state of calm.
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4. A higher place on the hill - is a story of resiliency, hope, and enlightenment with an acoustic guitar duet as a backdrop.
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5. Music & Stream for Sleep - mixes the hypnotic induction system with the sound of a mountain stream, sound effects and music to assist with falling asleep.
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6. Trigger Word Release - is a cognitive training exercise that teaches the body and mind to relax when it hears a certain word.
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7. Relaxation for Sleep Session 1 - features a slow guided PMR on top of ocean waves and relaxing music, produced and developed to induce sleep.
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8. Bring the Body Down - introduces the body to progressive muscle relaxation or PMR. This is accompanied by an acoustic guitar duet and sounds of the ocean.
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9. Body Scan - is a guided relaxation exercise based on the premise that a relaxed body and mind is really the natural state.
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10. Music & Ocean for Sleep - blends the hypnotic induction system with the sounds of the ocean, sound effects, and music to help prepare the mind and body for a restful sleep.
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Chief Developer Tom Diffenderfer LADAC II, QCS, CAIP
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Tom Diffenderfer LADAC II, QCS, CAIP has a private counseling practice in Murfreesboro, Tn. He is the chief developer of emotional well-being technology at Recovery Productions. Tom is also an author, a Birchwood Solutions facilitator, and the clinical director of DUI Education Centers and The Help Recovery Treatment Program. |