Using audio stimulation and visual suggestion, this half-hour meditation asks nothing of the listener but to embrace the journey, using whatever is helpful, returning again and again as the need arises. With broad appeal, the CD is potentially effective on many levels, simple relaxation, pain management or stress relief.
In a world where stress is endemic and relaxation a bonus few enjoy, Susie Mantell’s soothing voice and the relaxing chords of the accompanying music are a welcome change. This technique is comfortable and familiar, similar to meditation or yoga but with its own unique approach.
Calming words guide the listener through the stages of relaxation, releasing pent up stresses and concerns, offering a quiet island of solace in the cacophony of the world we live in. With perfectly modulated tones, Mantell reinforces the step-by-step process toward complete relaxation, letting go of all that interferes with the core self, freeing toxins and worries with a series of deep breaths.
There are visualizations: first, at the edge of the ocean, the slow rhythm of lapping waves, the vast expanse of the universe; then, a forest glade, filled with greenery, blooming flowers and the song of birds, an easy embrace of nature’s harmony. A healing light (color of your choice) enters the body, soothing, restoring, the mind free to explore the limitless boundaries of imagination. Finally, there is a bridge, which may or may not be taken, the decision left to the listener.
The final visualization is of a “present”, a gold box with a bow, a gift that contains whatever the subject imagines or desires, a manifestation of that person’s potential. Not to be confused with the current bestseller The Secret, this CD is an exercise in meditation and ideation, not a list of wishes to be selected from a catalog of the world at large.
Although there is nothing new here in terms of technique or the projection of positive thoughts and visualization of empowerment, the CD is effective and user-friendly, a valuable tool for refreshing the spirit, nourishing and stimulating the connections of body and mind: “Each time the voyage changes- an oasis from a stressful schedule, or a prelude to a deep, restful sleep,” a worthy addition to any meditation library.