Skilled Relaxation Archives

SR/subjective experience

I've been working with SR for quite a long time, but still struggling with it. I've used Qigong, Holosync, and Vipassana meditation. I've noticed that sometimes I'll feel like I'm locked in to a certain state of relaxation where it actually feels difficult to physically move, and I need a few mintues at the end to reorient myself or else it feels like a shock to my nervous system to come out of it.

Even while I'm in this state, my mind can still be wandering as it does. But this state has a very different quality from the usual consciousness in which my mind is also wandering. The main characteristic of this state is the almost paralysis-like feeling.

I'd really like to know if that state is required for real SR, because often I don't experience this while doing SR especially if I'm very distracted or overstimulated to begin with. I can sometimes go through a whole Holosync tape not feeling any different than I do normally, except that my eyes are closed.

When I'm very overstimulated (dysautonomia), I can do just about any technique and may not feel any sense of relaxation at all. So I'm not sure if it matters which one I do.

Holosync says that it takes you down from beta down to delta by the end of the tape, regardless of your subjective experience. I find that hard to believe, since often I'll be just as distracted at the end as I was at the beginning, and will switch back to my normal outer orientation in a second after finishing the tape. This suggests to me that I couldn't possibly be in a delta state at that time.

And it seems very unlikely that I'd be in delta and not be asleep. Anyway, I'm not so concerned about reaching any particular brainwave state, but about getting the kind of relaxation response that will chip away at all the accumulated stress.

I'd appreciate comments on this.

Thanks,
Karen

Follow Ups:

• Re: SR/subjective experience (Archive in SR.) Walt Stoll 08:31:51 9/17/03 (0)
• Re: SR/subjective experience Happygal 22:30:58 9/16/03 (1)
  • Re: SR/subjective experience Karen 11:09:17 9/17/03 (0)

In Reply to: SR/subjective experience posted by Karen on September 16, 2003 at 11:36:03:

Hi Karen,

I learned a similar thing when I started doing SR. When I went and got my SR certified by biofeedback, the technician hooked me up to an EEG and a GSR, and I found out that I could achieve an alpha brainwave (shown on the EEG), but still be holding tension in my body (no change in the GSR) and not reach the "relaxation response."

I have just accepted that on some days, it is very difficult for me to reach the relaxation response because my nervous system is more activated.

If I am very overstimulated, sometimes it takes an hour to achieve the relaxation response. The longer I have been practicing SR, the less true this is.

To avoid being unable to relax, it is helpful to do SR when you're a little tired, such as after physical activity or in the afternoons.

Keep going forward with your practice. You're really aware and moving in the right direction. Have you read the glossary entry for "relaxation response"? That might give some more insight.

Best wishes,
Happygal

Follow Ups:

• Re: SR/subjective experience Karen 11:09:17 9/17/03 (0)

In Reply to: SR/subjective experience posted by Karen on September 16, 2003 at 11:36:03:

Hi, Karen.

Listen to Happygal.

Everyone is so different that it is hard to say.

Since this is YOUR experience, it may be that (at this time) this is necessary for your RR experience. However, that will probably change.

My suggestion would be to keep on keeping on. This will get easier and you will begin having more and more benefits.

Walt

In Reply to: Re: SR/subjective experience posted by Happygal on September 16, 2003 at 22:30:58:

Thanks Walt and Happygal. I guess I just needed some feedback at this point. Onward and upward :-)

Karen