What Fun!
Roots to Breath, Dona Anderson
Permission to Rest, my relaxation CD
I had lots of fun working on this CD a couple of years ago. It's interesting how new projects offer new things to learn and often take you to different places - this one took me to a recording studio where I learned lots. I didn't even know there was one in our valley and there it was. It's amazing what you can find when you start looking.
To prepare for this besides the much needed recording studio, I had to decide what relaxations to do from my book, Simply, One Breath At a Time. I needed to find a cover photo, music I thought would suit the relaxations, listeners, and that I could get the license for, I needed to find out where to get the CD's produced, and I needed to find and hold on to a calm and steady voice while sitting in front of several microphones.I have to tell you that I do not recognize the voice on the CD as mine. My husband even asked who it was so I told him it was my calm voice. I still listen to the CD once a month or so for relaxing at home, and each time it offers me whatever I need. It's gets played often at the healing circle I attend as well, and the other night it gave one of the lady's some well deserved nap time.
My choice of relaxations ended up being pretty easy. I decided to do two relaxations with a music only track between. One would be the relaxation Permission to Rest, which is also the title of the CD, and for the other I used parts from the two relaxations, Forever Free and the Eagle.
I am still happy with what I picked as they each offer different things. The mix of the two first invites you to take a few moments to relax, breathe, become aware of and soften different parts of your body, and then it takes you to the ocean where you're guided to open your senses. Imagine treating yourself to a walk along the beach and being guided to smell the ocean breeze as it fills your nostrils, feel the breeze as it touches your face, hear gentle waves, feel your bare feet sink into the warm sand, see the water sparkling like millions of diamonds, and then you notice an eagle is sharing this moment with you. The relaxation later goes on to express feelings of gratitude for this place and memory.
The relaxation Permission to Rest gently and slowly guides you to breathe, connect to and then relax areas of your body. I often get people commenting on the title, Permission to Rest ... and yes they do agree that most often we do need to give ourselves permission to rest. This is a time where you get to follow along and respond to the gentle nurturing of the words asking you to breathe, feel, relax, soften, and let go as you move through your body.
While the following is part of the ending for this relaxation, I think of it more as a beginning to help us bring wellness into each of our days.
If I take a breath and let it go slowly,
I feel the difference...
When I feel the difference,
I get a glimpse of what is possible...
When I get a glimpse of what is possible,
I open up more...
When I open up and get in touch with
the rhythm of myself,
I participate more fully in the movement
to breathe freely, with intention...
When I breathe more freely, and with intention
I begin to live with presence, and awareness...
This presence and awareness,
graciously nourishes and fills
my body, my mind, and my spirit...
Dona Anderson
