INTERACTION OF THE BRAIN/BODY/SPIRIT
While skills are taught independent of each other, the learning of one skill facilitates or uses components of the others. Learning to breathe properly, for example, may be critical to learning to concentrate and vice versa. I recommend that you follow the order of the presentation of the skill training found in the Owner’s Manual For Self-Regulation Of Your Brain and Body. You may choose however to read and use the skills from a particular section as it is more relevant to you right now.
BASIC SKILLS
Start off with a few basic techniques such as breathing, that are the foundation of self-regulation. Later, You may want to move to more advanced techniques.
NON-JUDGMENTAL ATTITUDE
Trying hard to relax can actually cause you to become tenser. Think about what happens if you really try hard to hit a golf ball or get to sleep. You often get the opposite response by hitting the shot poorly or lying there wide-awake. It is important that you approach the self-regulation exercises with a passive or “try easy” attitude.
PRACTICE REQUIRED
Like any motor skill, practice with feedback is necessary. After four weeks of practice most individuals report significant changes in their awareness and control of their brain, body and behaviour. With self-regulation techniques, you need to practice the skills when you don’t need them so that they are there when you do need them.
| CAUTION |
If you have any medical or psychological disorders you should discuss the advisability of practicing self-regulation/relaxation techniques with your health professional prior to using them.