The 5-Minute Force Field Exercise

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By: Selma Lewis

How to Create Poise and Calm Amidst Chaos

“This is a great technique that I use when I want to sleep, and I have a lot of thoughts going on in my brain about the day— just imagine this comfortable cushion around you and use the technique.”- Selma Lewis

Last week I was at the airport and rain closed down LAX, and Burbank and all the fights were backed up— we couldn't get any information, everybody was frantic, some people were trying to cancel, and some people were trying to get on an earlier flight— there were none.

It was chaos, and I couldn't find even a four-inch, a four-foot area of floor to sit in. Instead, I just created a cushion, a magic energetic cushion around me to protect me from the chaos.

In this post, I’m going to show you a very short— less than 5-minutes— exercise that can help calm you down and feel relaxed in the middle of these experiences.

If you have ever been in a really upsetting, chaotic, anxious place, perhaps a busy airport, the workplace, the subway, a stormy day— places that can make you feel uncomfortable— this exercise will help:

The Force Field Exercise: Your Private Haven of Peace and Calm

I'm going to ask you to close your eyes.

And, if you've never done anything like this, suspend your inner critic for a few minutes and give yourself permission to enter into a new experience, unless you're driving or walking somewhere and need to pay attention.

So, close your eyes and take a long…. slow, deep, breath.

As you breathe in and out, give yourself permission to imagine forming around you— like an eggshell— a magical chamber that is vaguely the shape of an egg.

It goes under your feet and over your head and all around you with lots of space inside.

Imagine what it would be like to fill this chamber with a soft, protective cushioning that can protect you from other people's energy— we might call it anxiety, panic, stress or anger— you choose.

Imagine that this feeling, this cushioning, is a beautiful color that connotes comfort to you so you can really have that experience of going "Ahh..." and letting go. That's right.

Breathing in and letting go, feel your body relax into comfort with each deep breath into the cushioning, and into your deeper self giving yourself permission to get as comfortably relaxed as you might desire, and certainly not any more than that, trusting yourself completely.

Very gently now, when you feel comfort everywhere in your body, your muscles relaxing— you'll know when.

Open your eyes and look around but remain in this cushion and carry it around with you so that you can be in this environment that is not so comfortable, much more comfortably now.

If you can't do this now, come back and watch later. This is a great technique that I use when I want to sleep, and I have a lot of thoughts going on in my brain about the day— just imagine this comfortable cushion around you and use the technique.

Thank you so much for listening today. It's been a pleasure. Please come back and listen again :)