Breathing Meditations

t starts with one minute of silence and ends with one minute of silence. Before you get started, it is best to lie down in a comfortable position, preferably in a position where the limbs do not touch any other part of the body. Take some slow abdominal breaths. I will say the autogenic phrases aloud to you. There are six phrases, each designed to balance sympathetic nervous system overdrive with parasympathetic nervous system re-laxation. I'll say each phrase six times, and each time I say the phrase, I'd like you to repeat it to yourself silently. You might also imagine the sensations in each phrase happening in your body. For example, when I say, "My arms are heavy and warm," you might imagine relaxing on the beach with the sun shining on you and warming you...or in a warm bath...or whatever conjures up images of warmth for you.