 |
| Picture by Ian Gay |
Last week, I underwent dental surgery here in China. I had my four wisdom teeth pulled, under local anesthesia only. There were hammers involved, screwdrivers, lots of blood and huge syringes. It had all the elements of a traumatic experience, except that I just did not want it to be that way. I chose to opt out of the experience when it got too rough, by going to my 'Imaginary Haven'.
Your imaginary haven is a place that you enjoy being at. It can be an existing place, or a place you'd like to be in in the future. It works even better if it has people you love in there, and if you imagine what activities take place.
You can make your place more real by filling in the details about how it looks, feels, smells, tastes and sounds. Using all your senses to compile this impression, will make it feel that much more real.
And what's the benefit of this haven? You can visit it any time you feel like it would just be best if you could ignore your present situation. If you're in a dental chair, if you're listening to a boring lecture, if you're trying to fall asleep but can't get your mind off of your worries. You'll find that visiting this imaginary haven can relieve stress, uplift you and comfort you, all at the same time.
My imaginary haven is a stretch of farmland somewhere in Australia. I'm riding a horse, or running around with my children-to-be. I see the green grass, smell the horse, feel the wind. It's the future I dream of.
This image has gotten me through many experiences I chose to soften a little by visiting it.
What would your mental haven be like? Which times would you visit it? Have you ever tried this?
No comments:
Post a Comment