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Reposted by Bill Soltas.

John asks: "What is your opinion about The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson? Is the constant repetition of a word, sentence or even a prayer mind numbing? I have experienced the benefits of progressive relaxation (muscle tensing/relaxing) so I know that's useful, but I am concerned about the repetition part. I'd be grateful for any insights you may have."

John, Herb Benson's Relaxation Response works fine at creating a relaxation response. Studies have shown it to be about as effective as any of the other top relaxation and stress busting tools out there: Mindfulness, 20 minutes naps, Jacobson's relaxation technique, breath watching, float tanking, imagery of peaceful scenes, and so forth. According to research Benson's Relaxation Response has helped with a slew of stress related health disorders as have the other approaches. You are on safe ground with just about any relaxation method be it meditation-based or the tense-relax techniques. As long as you don't go beyond the prescribed 20 minutes for Relaxation Response you don't have to worry about mind-numbing. The Relaxation Response's the mantra-like focus helps settle down our thinking/tension producing mind. If done for 20 minutes you won't get spacey or have slow brain waves hours later.

The trick is do you feel relaxed and tension free from doing 20 minutes or so of whatever technique you are doing? If so, it's working.

My favorite relaxation response approaches are:

A twenty minute nap.
The Vagal Trance Maker combined with scanning my body to notice which body parts are more relaxed for 20 minutes.
The Embalmer.
Combining ganzfeld goggles with a copper plate Eeman bio-circuit and doing your fave relaxation method in them.
Float tank.

Here's more on Benson's Relaxation Response:

http://www.mbmi.org/basic...rresponse_elicitation.asp

The Vagal Trance Maker
The Vagal Trance Maker (or VTM) relies on physical trance building maneuvers to take someone to a depth of trance. In time someone can master deep-trance dreaming and use the VTM as a platform for lucid dreaming.
The Vagal Trance Maker relies on 5 trance making maneuvers:
1. Submerging our relaxed tongues in saliva or warm liquid.
2. Left Nasal Dominance Breathing.
3. Tuning into your heartbeat area.
4. Slightly spreading out your arms, legs, and fingers while reclining or supine.
5. Wide-vista imagery.
Warning: Folks with a history of mental illness, PTSD, or panic are urged not to use these techniques without a therapist. If you decide to do these processes you will agree to absolve the webmaster, the webhost, Emoclear.com, and Steve Mensing of any responsibility for the application or misapplication of these processes. There is always in any process the possibility that someone could experience some discomfort.
Steps to the Vagal Trance Maker

1. Gently pinch your right nostril shut and breathe deeply and slowly through your left nostril only for 12 counts while you imagine a juicy lemon and allow your mouth to fill entirely with saliva: Gently pinch your right nostril shut and breathe deeply and slowly through your left nostril only for 12 inhalations and exhalations. Imagine a juicy lemon and allow your mouth to fill entirely with saliva. Allow this saliva to remain there for the duration of this process. Let the saliva surround your tongue. Go to step 2.
2. Lay on flat surface, relax your tongue, lay your arms at your sides, tune into your heartbeat: For the duration of this process, lay on a flat surface (Bed/floor). Lay your arms at your sides and slightly away from your body. Spread your fingers so none touch. Close your eyes for the remainder of this exercise and continue to breathe comfortably, deeply, and slowly in and out through your nose only. Tune your attention into your heartbeat area. Go to step 3.
3. Allow attention to shift to the interior images of a familiar house or building: Simply allow your attention to recall a familiar house or building. When you have tuned into the imagery of this familiar house or building you may begin to create images of a make believe building until you have reached a deep reverie or experience the borders of dreaming. (You may whisper-chant the details of one or several of the following images):
Walking down very long and wide corridors and hallways.
See wide and spacious vistas out-of-doors.
Walk inside a large rectangular building with wide hallways that seem to go on endlessly.
Stand in a huge hallway where all surfaces are mirrored.
Play with each of the above images and use all your senses when it occurs to you. The more you practice these images, the further you will go into unconscious processes. If you begin to have long reveries or begin to dream that's okay.
Steve Mensing ©2008

To turn the Vagal Trance Maker into a purely relaxation exercise add the following:

Whisper to yourself and note:

Which side of my scalp is more relaxed? After you notice each questions answer move to the next question.

Which side of my face is more relaxed?

Can I allow my jaw to slacken?

Which side of my neck is more relaxed?

Which shoulder is more relaxed?

Which arm is more relaxed?

Which side of my back is more relaxed?

Which side of my chest is more relaxed?

Which side of my stomach is more relaxed?

Which is more relaxed my buttocks or my groin?

Which thigh is more relaxed?

Which calf is more relaxed?

Which shin is more relaxed?

Which foot is more relaxed?


Take it easy, Steve