What I have been talking about “Life Style” is important at any age. It becomes even more important when you reach retirement. So when you fantasize about retirement what comes to mind? Columnist Gary Peterson wrote”Waking up to the sound of the surf? Watching snow fall from your rustic chalet? Zipping the golf cart down the block, for a round with the boys/girls?”
These are such strong visuals that I had to repeat them. I have a few to add to the list ” Waking up to the sounds of horses nickering for breakfast? Watching the sunset on a tidal river in the South? ” The list goes on, what is most important is, what resonates with you. We all have only one life to live, how do we want to live it?
Exercise #2
This is from page 45 in Denny Daikeler book ” What color is your slip cover”. Start by laying or sitting down in a comfortable spot. It is suggested that you record this meditation and play it back to yourself or have someone read it to you.
Close your eyes…feel every part of your body…relax completely into all those parts…notice your breath as it moves in and out… follow the breath in a very relaxed way… let go of your challenges, errands, activities of the day.. move into total awareness of all the sounds and feelings in the room… begin with your feet , relaxing the toes then the soles… relax your ankles… let go all through your calves… relax around your knees…up your thighs, front and back…let your pelvic bone hang loosely at the end of your spine…relax the small of your back…relax around each vertebra, staying with each until there is no tension…relax around the shoulder blades… relax the shoulders, allowing them to lower and rest on the floor… relax your fingers… the palms of your hands…your wrist… let go in the lower arm…all around the elbow… relax the upper arm…relax the muscles in your neck, allowing them to hold no tension…relax the base of the skull…around the ears…across the forehead…down the nose…behind the eyes…in the cheeks…around the mouth…relax your heart…totally let go….Now see yourself lying in a sunny, soft grassy field…soak in the sun…enjoy its warmth…Now allow a second image of you lift out of the first and slowly walk down the field. . notice a path. . follow this path for a while…are there any trees?…notice a pond..take it all in…come to a bridge that crosses a stream at the end of the pond…notice what the bridge looks like…follow the path on the other side until you see a hedge… follow the hedge until you find an opening…go through the opening…there in front of you will be a house…go up to the front door…notice the door knob or handle…notice the type of door…open the door slowly and go inside…You are in a room just beyond the front door.. notice all of its details…then move to the next room…what room are you in?..notice all of the details…what does the ceiling look like?..the windows?…the woodwork?…the furnishings, if there are any?…Go on to the next room…notice a book shelf there, with lots of books…go over and chose three of your favorites…what are they?…Now notice a desk in the room..on top of the desk is a portfolio with your name engraved on it..what do the letters look like? …also on the front is a word that describes you.. what is the word? Open the portfolio and see what is inside… now notice a figure coming toward you…the figure has a gift …what is it? …Move away and turn to leave the house..close the door behind you.. follow the hedge notice if it has changed…find the opening and come out on to the path…As you cross the bridge, notice if the pond has changed in any way…continue on along the path..what are you wearing?…return to the relaxed first figure of yourself…join it..slowly return to the room, counting from five to one..open your eyes.
When you have finished the visualization, journal all the sounds, colors, feelings, words, facts, objects, essences, gift and names of books.
There is a lot to interpret from what you write down. You can send your observations to me and I can send back my interpretation or you can purchase Denny Daikeler’s book “What color is your slip cover?” and read pages 46 through 49.
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