 |
 |
|
As stated on other pages in this website, the premise of Tranquilities is that the five emotions of any trauma, including the diagnosis of cancer is an initial shock or loss, followed by fear, anger, lowered self-esteem and worry. The Five CDs and aromatherapy oils provide spiritual and emotional support to these five emotional reactions.
The following instructions teach you how you can use the five CDs; Restoration, Courage, Release, Value/Health & Healing and Serenity, and the five corresponding aromatherapy blends, for maximum results.
It is recommended you only listen to the CDs while resting comfortably in a chair, preferably using headphones, where you will be undisturbed and can close you eyes.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Place the Restoration CD in your CD player and have the Restoration aromatherapy oil opened and in your hand. Choose Track one if you would like to include references to feeling God's presence and hear a scripture being read, or choose Track 2 if you do not prefer to use these spiritual references.
Sit back, take your shoes and glasses off if you prefer, and relax as you begin the CD. Listen to the music, environmental sounds and the voices of Rev. Donna Shenk and Robert Miller ND, as they guide you through relaxing breathing exercises to take you to a deep state of relaxation. The CD will instruct you in doing some gentle breathing exercises and will further instruct you to close your eyes, so you can shut out any distractions. It is in this relaxed state that you are best prepared to create the mental images that are part of the Tranquilities Series.
If you chose the spiritual track, you will be asked to sense God's presence and an Old Testament scripture will be read. On Track two, these references are omitted.
At this point, the CD will instruct you to recall and be aware of your sorrow issues. Our mind works in pictures, so the next step is to picture and imagine in your mind this loss as emptiness in your chest or lung area. You will be instructed on the recording when and how to do this. This is called a metaphor, or taking an emotion and turning it into a picture.
Perhaps you will just sense it as an empty feeling or, if you are more visual, it may take on other forms. There is no right or wrong way to visualize or experience the imagery. Then you will be instructed to smell the aroma of the Restoration blend. This special blend of oils is designed to help you deal with the sorrow issue.
Next, you are instructed to picture and imagine that this emptiness is being restored. This is how your mind begins to learn a new way of viewing your loss. You begin to realize that your mind and spirit can be restored and are still whole despite your current medical condition.
As simple as this exercise seems, it is the core of Tranquilities. As you visualize your emotion as a physical shape, and then see that shape changing, your underlying perception of the event or emotion may change.
You are then instructed on Track 1 to say to yourself or out loud "With God's Help, I am Complete in this Present Moment", while smelling the aromatherapy blend. This is called a conditioned response; your mind is now associating this aromatherapy oil with feeling complete and whole. The affirmations and oils together reinforce the belief that your mind and spirit are whole.
This entire process is called Cognitive Restructuring -- viewing a situation in a more positive fashion. In other words, you are recognizing on a deep mental level that you are no longer defined by cancer. When your mind begins to make this shift, your stress levels begin to decrease.
You are then instructed to come back to full awareness and open your eyes. It's that easy! But don't underestimate the power of this exercise. It can significantly shift your perspective and reduce your stress levels. Use the Restoration imagery as often as you need to for this situation. There is no right or set amount of times.
During the days that you are doing this, place a drop of the Restoration blend on your wrist, or on a tissue, or carry the bottle with you. Whenever you have an opportunity, smell the aroma while you repeat your affirmation that you are complete and whole.
You are now ready to move on to Step Two, recognizing and moving past any fears associated with this sorrow.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
This could be as early as right after listening to Restoration, or several days or weeks later. It is up to you. You may want to listen to Restoration several times, to fully reinforce that you are complete and whole, despite your cancer diagnosis.
Next, identify your fears. Take some time to contemplate this. You may have fears of treatments, pain, future tests results, career, family, or a number of other things.
Tranquilities Rule # 2 - F-E-A-R is False Evidence Appearing Real
For this discussion, there are two fears. The first is your perceived lack of courage to perform some task, or do something. You can use Tranquilities to build your courage.
The second fear is the fear of how you will feel if something you are concerned about happening actually occurs. For illustration purposes, let's assume you are fearful of losing your hair due to chemotherapy.
First, use the imagery to see yourself courageous and confident going through the chemotherapy treatments, facing what will happen. Then, repeat the imagery, and this time, picture and imagine having lost all your hair, but see yourself still being confident and secure about who you are. You will begin to realize the real you is not defined by your hair. At first, using the imagery this way may seem foreign, as we are often taught to have a positive mental attitude, never accepting defeat. In other words, you begin to learn that you as a person are not defined by whether you have or do not have hair.
This same imagery could be applicable for mastectomies or any other surgery that changes your appearance. The freedom you experience when the way you feel about yourself is not tied to your physical appearance will reduce your stress and build your self esteem dramatically!
To prepare for the Courage imagery, write down the fear or fears associated and created by your diagnosis. Now, use the Courage CD and aromatherapy blend in the same way you did Restoration. The only difference is that you imagine the fear as a wall in front of you.
The CD includes the sounds of the ocean, and you will be instructed to "imagine" that the ocean waves knock down the wall. After the wall is knocked down, see yourself being successful over your fear, or totally safe, secure and confident if what you fear happens. Use the Courage aromatherapy oil and affirmations in the same way you did with Restoration.
During the week, smell the oil by carrying the bottle with you, or applying it to your wrists or tissue, as you repeat the affirmation, "With God's help, I am courageous and victorious."
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The concept of Tranquilities is that sorrow and fear creates anger. We may express this anger to others, or turn it inwards on ourselves, or both.
Just like the fear imagery, there are two ways to use the Release imagery -- releasing anger towards the disease, or the world, or God, or releasing the anger you may have turned inward towards yourself.
Tranquilities Rule # 3 - Anger is always a result of Fear of one kind or another
You will need to recognize the anger you may be holding onto.
However, in some instances, you may also find that you have turned the anger inwards towards yourself. As a result, you feel down about yourself, have depressing thoughts, or have less than optimal enthusiasm about life.
Clearly, your anger may be justified but�
Tranquilities Rule #4 - Holding on to anger only harms you!
To be fully restored in mind and spirit, you need to release the anger.
Before beginning, take some time to reflect on any anger issues you may be feeling. Take some time to contemplate any anger issues you are holding in or venting inappropriately. Family, friends, counselors or clergy may be able to assist you in discovering your anger.
The Release guided imagery asks you to recall the anger issues, repeat all the other procedures as you did with the other CDs and then imagine this anger as a hot ember in your liver area, which is the lower right part of your rib cage.
This time, the hot ember is removed, and placed in the rain to cool. As a result, you may see your anger diminishing. Use the oils and affirmations the same way as before.
Use the imagery as often as needed over the next few days or week, until you feel as though you have released the anger. During the next few days or weeks, you may wish to use the oil and affirmation several times daily to reinforce letting go of this anger.
If you prefer, wear the aromatherapy oil or carry the bottle with you. Several times a day smell the oil and repeat the affirmation. Keep repeating the imagery as many times as necessary until you have accomplished releasing the anger you have held in regarding this sorrow.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Most, if not all persons with cancer, report an impact on their self-esteem in one way or another. This is a normal reaction.
Before using the Value imagery, reflect on how your cancer diagnosis has affected your sense of self-esteem and personal feelings of value.
Tranquilities Rule # 5 - You are valuable and worthy, despite your diagnosis of cancer, or any other sorrow event that may have occurred in your life.
The imagery format is identical to the other CDs, so have your Value blend in your hand prior to beginning the imagery. In this imagery, you are asked to picture and imagine your sorrow issue as a weight around your neck or on your shoulders.
In the imagery, you imagine you are at a campfire and hear the sounds of a fire crackling. Then, you are invited to place the weight on your neck or shoulders into the fire and watch it burn. As you create these pictures in your mind, your perception will change. As the imagery continues, you may sense your feelings of self-worth rising and building.
Your affirmation, if listening to Track 1, is "With God's Help, I am Worthy"
It is important to realize that you are worthy to be nurtured and cared for. If you have a tendency to get so wrapped up in being a caregiver for others that you sometimes neglect self-care, now may be a good time to reflect on this and make appropriate adjustments. You may want to discuss this with a counselor, clergy or friends. It is perfectly acceptable and important to take time to care for yourself.
The imagery also guides you through some exercises to support your immune system during this important time. Although there is currently no scientific proof, there is growing support for the theory that stress may inhibit the immune system and that meditation and imagery may be beneficial.
As with the other imageries, you may wish to wear or use the oil for the next few days. Repeat the imagery as often as you desire, until you feel as though this message has sunk into a deep level of your understanding.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
You are now almost done! Congratulations!
The original sorrow, fears, anger and lowered self-esteem create conditions ripe for worry, over thinking and anxiety. This can keep you from sleeping, working, studying, or interacting with friends and family. It may be possible that the root of your worry is that you are concerned something else will go wrong, As a result, you may find yourself worrying about many things. The goal of the Serenity recording is to help you find "peace of mind".
Before beginning, take some time contemplating what your worries may be, and what relationship they may have to your original sorrow issue. You may want to write them down in a personal journal.
As you did in all the other imageries, you relax this time as you listen to the sounds of a gentle stream deep in the woods. Listen to the birds in the trees and the soft, gentle hymns. You are then asked to picture and imagine a worry as a knotted rope in your stomach area. On Track 1, angels assist, and on Track 2, a warm light loosens the knotted rope.
Like all previous imageries, use the aromatherapy oil twice during the imagery and this time learn to associate the aroma with the letting go of worry. During the week, use the oil as you state to yourself "With God's help, I am peaceful and calm." Use the imagery as often as needed to learn this new behavior.
Now that you have learned all of these techniques, you can use them any time. Repeat any or all of these as needed.
|
|
|
|
|
