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As stated on other pages in this website, the premise of Tranquilities is that the five emotions of any stressful life situation 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 & 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.
The first step in your program is to change the way you view your loss. In other words, you need to recognize on a very deep level, that you are complete and whole, no matter what you lost, never had, or had taken from you.
Let's begin the exciting journey!
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Before you begin, recall sorrow issues that were significant for you. They may be recent or from your past. Examples are death of loved ones, failed relationships, career, school, business setbacks or failures, relationship issues, traumatic events, disappointments, or unmet expectations. For others, sorrow issues go back to childhood, where optimal parental care may have been lacking or perhaps was even abusive. As a result, you feel inadequate, unloved or unworthy due to inadequate nurturing. You may want to write these sorrow issues down in your own personal journal that you can use during the five steps of the Tranquilities Series.
To start, pick one of the issues that you would like to work on in your first session.
Place the Restoration CD in your CD player and have the Restoration aromatherapy oil open 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 off, 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. When instructed, place the bottle of oil a few inches from your nose and gently inhale the aroma. If it is too strong, move the bottle a little further from your nose.
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 and begins to realize that your spirit can be restored and is still whole -- despite what has happened.
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 I 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 you are OK and whole, despite what past events may have transpired.
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 this loss. You see yourself as complete and whole, even if you lost or never had some things that were important to you. 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 to significantly shift your perspective and reduce your stress levels.
Use the Restoration imagery as often as you feel the need. There is no right or set amount of times. For some sorrow issues, once may be enough. For others, you may choose to repeat five or more times.
During the days that you are listening to the Restoration imagery, you may wish to 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.
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Now, you are ready for the next step. 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 loss or traumatic event.
Next, identify your fears related to this sorrow. Take some time to contemplate this. It may be fears that this will happen again, fears about your ability, fears about what others think, fear of failure, fear of the future, etc. Take some time with this, and identify the fears this sorrow may have created in you.
Keep in mind that our brain is made to store and remember incidents that harm us, and create a fear response when we experience this situation again. This is a good thing to have for survival, such as avoiding objects that are hot or sharp. But fear can be a detriment when it keeps us from doing things we need to do. Fears of being around people, speaking to a group, trying another relationship, applying for a job or starting your own business are fears that need to be conquered in order to enjoy life.
For example, let's assume you have to speak in front of a group, and on one occasion, you were very nervous and made some mistakes. As a result, you now fear that this will happen again, and avoid the situation, even if making the speech would be to your advantage. Or you may have fears of rejection from others. The ways we can experience fear are many and varied.
Another example is relationships. We may have gone into a personal relationship and been hurt badly. As a result, we may be afraid to try again, never being able to trust.
Fears hold you back from reaching your full potential. They may keep you from advancing in your social life, career, relationships or from achieving personal happiness.
Tranquilities Rule # 2 -- F-E-A-R is False Evidence Appearing Real
For this discussion, there are two fears. The first is your 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. The reason this happens is that we far too often tie our sense of self-worth or self-esteem to our success or acceptance by others. Tranquilities can help you realize that this is need not be the case. You have worth and value, irregardless of your accomplishments, status or acceptance by others.
That doesn't mean we don't want to strive for these things or desire them, it's just that we need to learn that we need not be defined by them. When this occurs, your stress levels diminish greatly, because your world does not come crashing down when things don't go as you had hoped, or someone disapproves of you or your actions. This is a powerful concept to learn! When you do, your life will change for the positive, and your ability to succeed and be accepted by others also increases!
For illustration purposes, let's assume you are applying for a job. As a preparation, you can use the imageries two ways.
First, use the imagery to see yourself courageous and confident in the interview. Then, repeat the imagery, and this time, see yourself getting the call or letter that you did not receive the job. But as you imagine this, see yourself being OK about the situation, totally safe and secure, ready to move on to the next attempt. At first, this concept may seem foreign, as we are often taught to have a positive mental attitude, never accepting defeat. Although this sounds good, it is not reality. Sometimes, you are not successful, despite your best efforts. However, when you go into a situation realizing that you are confident and that even if this doesn't go your way, you are still OK, safe and whole, you now can be even more confident. In other words, you begin to learn that you as a person are not defined by whether you get this job or not!
When you realize that you personally need not be defined by this or any other event or outcome, your confidence level soars!
The freedom you experience when the way you feel about yourself is not tied to performance, others' acceptance or status 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 sorrow issue.
Use the Courage CD and Courage 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."
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The concept of Tranquilities is that sorrow and fear creates anger. We may express this anger toward others, or turn it inwards to ourselves, or both.
Just like the fear imagery, there are two ways to use the Release imagery -- releasing anger towards the person or situation that caused your sorrow, or releasing the anger you may have turned inward towards yourself, causing you to feel depressing thoughts.
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 towards any individuals, institutions, or God regarding the original sorrow.
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 reach your full potential, you need to release the anger -- and, if you can, forgive!
Before beginning, take some time to reflect on any anger issues you may be exhibiting. Often, we misplace anger and vent anger toward others who are not responsible. For example, a person who has a bad day at work takes out his or her anger on other family members.
Take some time to contemplate any anger issues you are holding in or venting inappropriately. The Release guided imagery asks you to recall the anger issues, repeat all the other procedures as you did in the others, 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 as you did in the previous recordings.
Finally, you are given an opportunity to forgive the individuals or situation that created the feelings of loss, fear and anger for you.
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.
Use the Release imagery as many times as you feel necessary before moving on. Again, 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 regarding this sorrow.
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Most sorrow issues impact your self-esteem in one way or another. Although you may not realize it, virtually everyone doubts his or her self-worth or self-esteem at one time or another. The original sorrow and the associated fears and anger always impact our self-esteem and sense of self-worth to one degree or another.
Before using the Value imagery, again reflect on how this sorrow issue you are dealing with has impacted your sense of self-esteem and personal feelings of value.
Tranquilities Rule # 5 - No matter what you have lost or never received or regardless of how you have been treated, you are worthy and have value. You have every right to experience your dreams, goals and expectations.
The imagery format is identical to others, 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 picture and imagine you are at a campfire and hear the sounds of a fire crackling. Then, you are invited to place the weight that is on your neck or shoulders in 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 I, is "With God's Help, I am Worthy"
Again, wear or use the oil for the next few days as you affirm, "With God's Help, I am Worthy".
Repeat the imagery as often as you desire, until you feel as though this message has sunk into a deep level of understanding. Repeat this imagery as many times as necessary.
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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. Make some notes in a personal journal.
As you did in 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 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.
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