Upscale Bohemian Living

Even in the middle of stressful busy day, it is possible to take a few minutes for mental relaxation without ever leaving your work desk or home. You can do this by creating a mental sanctuary to retreat into in order to replenish your energy and relieve stress. To create a mental sanctuary to which you can return again and again, first find a quiet place where you can be alone to visualize and build your sanctuary.

Next, spend a few minutes relaxing, taking in deep breaths, then exhaling all negative thoughts and energy, releasing the energy out to a distant place in the universe where it cannot negatively impact others. Now create an image in your mind of a lovely, peaceful place. This place can be anywhere that makes you feel good and can be either indoors in a special room you erect and decorate to your taste, or it can be outdoors , such as a peaceful secluded cove at the beach, a cozy spot in the woods, or an area by a mountain stream. Continue breathing deeply and relax and think about what your sanctuary means to you as you build it in your mind. Feel it, experience it, and once you have the feeling of how you want your sanctuary to look and fill, imagine this place in your mind.

How does it look, feel, what smells are around you, what textures, sounds? If your sanctuary is inside, begin to decorate it in your mind until it is furnished to your tastes and comfort. Whether inside or outside, fill in all the details of your special place. Walk around your sanctuary, drink it in, make your chosen spot totally yours.

When you have your mental sanctuary constructed in your mind and you feel you have experienced the sensation of it enough to claim it as your very own special spot of calm and relaxation, perform a symbolic gesture such as mentally writing your name in the sand, or placing a vase of flowers on the table. View your completed sanctuary that is yours alone and take possession of it, knowing you can recall it when you need to relax and take a few minutes of solitude. Once you have done all this, continue to breath deeply as you leave your sanctuary and re-enter full consciousness in your regular life, but know you can now return to your sanctuary at will.