Shealy SELF-HEALTH Day #1

The following directions are taken from  90 Days to Self-Health (3rd Edition) "Biogenics: How to control all types of stress by yourself through a complete health program of autogenics, diet, vitamins and exercise." by C. Norman Shealy, 1987.


Background excerpts below are from pages 29-31 and are printed here to provide background information on the technique.  The excerpts are no substitute for reading and re-reading the entire book, which can be purchased from Shealy.com or at Amazon.

The excerpts are followed by my version of the directions for Day 1A, 1B and 1C.  An audio file of the directions in real time will accompany this post, so that you will be able to close your eyes and concentrate on relaxing.

Excerpts from Text
   "Biogenics, as used in this book, consists in mental exercises or programs designed to help you stabilize the autonomic nervous system. Once you achieve such control, emotional stress is regularly canceled and no longer harmful to the body. And each day you (will) tune in more and more to the universal life force- you may want to call it God- which works with your highest inner being to achieve physical, mental and spiritual health.
   If you intend to follow the program as developed in this book you must plan on doing a certain amount of practicing.....Most people practicing 45 minutes a day (divided up into three 15 minute sessions) for six to ten months are able to achieve excellent self-regulation of the autonomic nervous system. The exercises in this book are designed to fit into such a practice routine.... Since stress builds tension, both physical and emotional, Biogenics begins with relaxation and you ability to relax may eventually be the determining factor in preventing disease or death."
  "...Once you've relaxed, you will learn to go within your own mind, to examine yourself objectively without outside influences and in this state you learn to savor each moment without concern for any other (moment), to be, as of now.  And in this state of internal awareness you can program the physiology of your body by repeating the appropriate suggestions to it and by visualizing the desired goals.  Once you learn the techniques this book will be teaching you, you will become so acutely aware of the functions of your body that you will know where stress is affecting you and you'll be able to avoid such wasteful wear and tear. The entire process makes you feel better. And you'll begin to appreciate how nice it is to feel good. It is both pleasant and desirable that you actually feel good.  So relax and enjoy it."


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Session #1A is the first of three sessions done on Day #1 of Shealy Self-Health Program.

The first step in relaxing is to find a comfortable position. For most people this means lying flat on our back with hands and legs uncrossed. If you're sitting, you should have your back as straight as possible, legs and hands uncrossed and in a restful position.

Your next goal is to acheive a fixed concentration to focus your attention upon a specific mental activity so that distracting thoughts and emotions don't interfere. ...Relaxation is not so difficult if you begin by telling yourself to RELAX and stop thinking about anything else.

Always begin by closing your eyes and taking a deep breath-enjoy the pleasure of feeling yourself breathe. As you breathe slowly in and out, say to yourself quietly "I am" on the in-breath "relaxed" on the out-breath.

Count about 40 deep slow in-breaths and out-breaths. This will take about 10 minutes.

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Session #1B is the second of three sessions done on Day #1 of Shealy Self-Health Program.

Assume your relaxed position of either sitting or lying down.

Say to yourself and do the following visualizations.
"I visualize the number "3."  I take a deep breath-in as I continue to visualize the number "3."  I repeat "3-3-3" as I breathe out.

"I visualize the number "2."  I take a deep breath-in as I continue to visualize the number "2."  I repeat "2-2-2" as I breathe out.

"I visualize the number "1."  I take a deep breath-in as I continue to visualize the number "1."  I repeat "1-1-1" as I breathe out.

I feel myself relaxing deeper and deeper. I deepen the relaxation by visualizing myself stepping onto the top of an escalator, and I breathe deeply and slowly in and out; in and out. And as I see myself descending on the escalator, into a deeper and deeper state of relaxation, I count 
10-     9-      8-     7-    6-    5-    4-    3-   2-    1.

I am now deeply and pleasantly relaxed.

Now take a deep breath, open your eyes and stretch to gently reawaken all the parts of your body.

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Session #1C is the third of three sessions done on Day #1 of Shealy Self-Health Program.

Assume your relaxed position of either sitting or lying down.

Relax, close your eyes. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing through your feet and as you breathe out, imagine that your breath is cleansing all the cells, tissues, muscles and bones of your feet.  

Continue to breathe deeply and slowly.  As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing through your legs and as you breathe out, imagine that your breath is cleansing all the cells, tissues, muscles and bones of your legs.

Continue to breathe deeply and slowly. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing through your pelvis  and as you breathe out, imagine that your breath is cleansing all the cells, tissues, muscles, organs and bones of your pelvis.  

Continue to breathe deeply and slowly. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing through your abdomen and as you breathe out, imagine that your breath is cleansing all the cells, tissues, muscles, organs and bones of your abdomen.

Continue to breathe deeply and slowly. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing through your back and as you breathe out, imagine that your breath is cleansing all the cells, tissues, muscles and bones of your back.
Continue to breathe deeply and slowly. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing through your chest and as you breathe out, imagine that your breath is cleansing all the cells, tissues, muscles organs and bones of your chest.

Continue to breathe deeply and slowly. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing through your arms and as you breathe out, imagine that your breath is cleansing all the cells, tissues, muscles organs and bones of your arms.

Continue to breathe deeply and slowly. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing through your neck and as you breathe out, imagine that your breath is cleansing all the cells, tissues, muscles organs and bones of your neck.

Continue to breathe deeply and slowly. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing through your head  and as you breathe out, imagine that your breath is cleansing all the cells, tissues, muscles organs and bones of your head.    

*Continue to breathe deeply and slowly. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing through your entire body and as you breathe out, imagine that your breath is cleansing all the cells, tissues, muscles organs, bones and systems of your entire body as a whole. Repeat this for at least 10 breaths.

Now take a deep breath, open your eyes and stretch to gently reawaken all the parts of your body. 
  
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*from page 32- "This particular exercise (whole body breathing) is one of the most important in this book. If you have free time during the day, spend a few minutes breathing this way, inhaling through your body as a whole and cleansing your body as you breathe out through your entire body."

...Practice this technique many times daily.  The more you practive the more you'll benefit. Only through repetition can changes be effected in the autonomic nervous system.  Repetition of Biogenics exercises is the most important factor in success. Only with constant repetition can you "get through" to your subconscious mind and the central management system- the hypothalamus and the limbic system.

....Your health is worth 45 minutes per day.