By developing soothing pictures in the mind, the body can experience physical relaxation. Relaxation is more complete when all five senses are involved in picturing the scene. To practice this exercise, allow for 10 minutes of uninterrupted time in a quiet place. Begin by becoming very familiar with this script until mental pictures are formed.

Sit back into the chair, making yourself as comfortable as possible. Close your eyes and become very much aware of how your body presently feels, noting which parts of your body are feeling tense and those that are more relaxed. Now take a few deep breaths, taking the air in through your nose, holding it momentarily, and then slowly letting the air out your mouth. With each exhale finding yourself relaxing more and more deeply, more and more completely. Taking the air in and letting the air out. Allowing yourself to relax... relax... relax...

You are experiencing not only the sights, but the sounds, the smells, the tastes, and the touches.

You are walking along the ocean beach... it is mid-July... it is very, very warm outside... it’s late in the day. The sun has not yet begun to set, but it is getting low on the horizon. The sun is a golden blazing yellow. The sky a brilliant blue. The sand a dazzling, glistening white in the sunlight. Feel the cool, wet, firm, hard-packed sand beneath your feet. Smell the salt in the air. You can taste the salt as you lick your lips. Hear the beating of the waves... the rhythmic lapping to and fro, back and forth of the water against the shore. Far off in the distance, you can hear the cries of sea gulls. Watching as they glide through the sky... swooping down into the sea and then flying off once again.

As you walk further along the shore, you suddenly come to a sand dune -- a mound of pure white sand. Sitting down, you gaze out at the sea, staring very intently at the rhythmic, methodical motion of the waves as they roll into shore -- breaking against the coast -- rising slowly upward along the beach leaving an aura of white foam and then slowly retreating back out to the sea. Only to be replaced by another wave that crashes against the shore -- works its way up the beach... and slowly retreats back out to the sea. With each motion of the wave as it glides in and as it glides out, finding yourself feeling more and more relaxed, more and more calm... more and more serene... And the waves are gliding in... the waves are gliding out... The waves are gliding in... and the waves are gliding out.. The waves are gliding in...and the waves are gliding out -- feeling more and more relaxed... more and more calm... with each rhythmic, methodical motion of the waves. Feeling very soothed by their rhythmic lapping to and fro. The waves are gliding in...the waves are gliding out...

Now staring off into the distance, the sun is beginning to make its way down into the horizon. The sun is starting to sink into the sea and you feel more and more relaxed as you see its movement going down... down... down... The sky is turning brilliant colors of red... orange... yellow... green... blue... and purple... as the sun sets, sinking down... down... down... into the sea. Feeling very relaxed and soothed. Watching the sun as it sinks down... down... down... down... down... The beating of the waves, the smell and taste of the sea, the salt, the cries of distant gulls, the warmth against your body, all leaves you feeling very soothed, very calm, very serene.

Relax... Relax... Relax...

(At conclusion, slowly open your eyes and ease back into your activities.)