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Erin  Shannon  with  Dawson  Church  

Meditation  

 

Dawson:    Erin,   I  would   love  to  have  you  walk  us   through  the  meditation  you  use  with  the  professional  athletes  you  work  with  to   improve  their  performance  because  they  clearly  benefit   from  using   it  when  they’re  under  pressure.   If  you’d  be  so  kind,   just  walk  us   through  the  steps  of  what  you  have  them  do  when  they’re  in  those  situations.  

Erin:    What  we  can  do  is  do  the  longer  version.  I  have  my  athletes  do  20  or  30  minutes  at  night  or  during  a   time   when   they   can   really   rest   and   do   the   longer   version.   Just   like   any   kind   of   muscle   memory  programming,  you  can  go  through  this  longer  program  a  few  times.  Then  during  the  course  of  your  day,  you  can  shorten  it  and  use  it.  You  can  take  just  a  minute  or  20  seconds  and  use  this  same  technique  of  moving  the  colors  through,  but  because  you’ve  practiced  it  on  a  deeper  level,  you  can  do  it  quickly  when  you’re  standing  in  line  at  the  grocery  store,  in  the  middle  of  a  tennis  game,  halfway  through  your  jog,  or  whenever.  

What  we   can   do   today   is   go   through   the   longer   version.   Then   you   can   play  with   it   and   shorten   it   as  needed  throughout  your  day  and  your  life.  

Dawson:    That  sounds  perfect.  

Erin:    The  first  part  is  a  general  relaxation.  There  are  all  different  relaxation  techniques.  Once  we  get  into  the   relaxation   and   you   get   into   a   chilled-­‐out   right-­‐brain   space,   then   we’ll   go   into   the   specific   color  meditation.  You  can  always  put  background  music  on  and  be  fancy  about  the  relaxation,  but  we’ll  do  on-­‐the-­‐fly  Dr.  Shannon  style.  How  is  that?  

Dawson:    It  sounds  good.  

Erin:    Start  by  getting   into  a  comfortable  position,   lying  down,  closing  your  eyes,  and   taking  some  nice  deep  breaths.  Focus  on  your  breathing.  It  should  be  deep  and  regular.  Take  about  five  nice,  deep,  and  relaxing  breaths  in  through  your  nose  and  out  through  your  mouth.  

With  each  breath,  imagine  yourself  getting  more  and  more  relaxed,  breathing  in  peace,  safety,  and  love  and  breathing  out  anything  that  doesn’t  serve  your  highest  good.  This  beautiful  breathing  process  can  be  a  healing  process  with  every  breath  you  take  in  through  your  nose,  peaceful  healing  energy,  and  out  through  your  mouth.  With  each  breath,  you’re  going  to  relax  even  more  deeply.  

 

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Now   visualize,   imagine,   or   feel   all   of   the   muscles   completely   relaxing.   Relax   the   muscles   of   your  forehead,  all  the  muscles  of  your  face  and  your  jaw.  You’re  just  letting  that  melt  away.  Relax  the  muscles  of  your  neck  and  shoulders  letting  them  melt  and  get  heavy,  releasing  and  relaxing.  

Relax  your  chest  and  arms,  just  melting.  Relax  your  torso  and  all  the  muscles  of  your  back  melting  down.  Allow  the  muscles  of  your  stomach  to  relax  completely,  allowing  your  breathing  to  get  even  deeper  and  more  even.  With  every  gentle  breath,  allow  yourself  to  become  more  and  more  deeply  relaxed.  That’s  very  good.  

Now  visualize,  imagine,  or  feel  a  bright  light  at  the  top  of  your  head.  That  light  might  be  just  inside  your  head.  Allow  your  mind  to  choose  the  color  of  the  beautiful  bright  light.  Any  color  is  right.  

Everything  that  this  beautiful  light  touches  as  it  spreads  down  your  body  and  every  tissue,  organ,  muscle,  fiber,  and  cell  of  your  body  will  heal,  releasing  aches,  pains,  illness,  stress,  and  any  negativity  at  all.  This  light   will   heal   and   release.   This   light   will   deepen   and   deepen   this   level   of   relaxation.   You’re   already  feeling  deeply  peaceful  and  relaxed.  

Now  see,  feel,  or  imagine  this  beautiful  light  spreading  down  from  the  top  of  your  head  down  past  your  forehead,  coating  behind  your  eyes  and  relaxing  you  even  more.  See,  feel,  or  imagine  the  light  spreading  into  your  jaw  and  down  your  scalp,  deepening  your  relaxation  and  healing  and  releasing.  

Imagine  this   light   flowing  down  your  neck,  completely   relaxing   these  muscles  of  your  neck  and  throat  and  smoothing  out  the  lining  of  your  throat.  You  relax  even  more.  

Visualize,   imagine,   or   feel   this   relaxing   and   healing   light   spreading   down   into   your   shoulders,   healing  every  muscle,  nerve,  and  cell  of  your  body,  and  now  down  both  arms  all  the  way  down  to  your  hands  and  fingers.  

See,  feel,  or  imagine  the  light  flowing  into  your  upper  back  and  chest  and  into  your  heart,  which  pumps  the   light   through  every  blood  vessel  of  your  body  and   into  your   lungs,  glowing  beautifully,   strong  and  healthy,  with  this  light.  The  muscles  of  your  upper  back  are  now  completely  relaxed  and  healed  with  the  light.  

The  light  now  spreads  into  your  spinal  cord  from  the  tip  of  your  brain  all  the  way  down  to  the  tip  of  your  spine,  flowing  to  reach  every  single  muscle  and  cell  of  your  body.  You  are  so  deeply  calm  and  relaxed.  You  feel  wonderful  deep  peace,  tranquility,  and  calmness.  

See,  imagine,  or  feel  the  light  spreading  into  your  abdomen  and  lower  back,  relaxing  all  the  muscles  and  nerves.  It’s  flowing  into  your  hips,  down  your  legs  all  the  way  into  your  feet,  and  right  out  your  toes  so  that   your   entire   body   is   filled   and   completely   saturated   with   this   beautiful   bright   light.   You   feel   so  peaceful  and  relaxed.  

Now  visualize  or  imagine  the  light  flowing  out  of  every  piece  and  part  of  your  body  as  if  you  were  in  a  cocoon  or  a  halo  of  light.  This  beautiful  ball  of  light  protects  you  inside  and  out,  relaxing  your  skin  and  your  outer  muscles.  You’re  even  more  peaceful,  calm,  and  relaxed.    

Now   I’m  going   to   count  backward   from   five   to  one.  With  each  number,   you  will   feel  more  and  more  relaxed,  peaceful,  and  calm.  The   level  of  your   relaxation  will  deepen  and  deepen.  By   the   time   I   reach  one,  you  will  be  in  a  very  deep  state  of  relaxation.  Your  mind  will  be  freed  beyond  the  normal  limits  of  space  and  time.  You  will  be  very  relaxed,  healed,  and  peaceful.  

 

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Five,  you’re  allowing  the  light  to  saturate  and  heal.  Four,  you’re  more  and  more  relaxed.  Three,  deeper  and  deeper.  Two,  you’re  very  relaxed.  One,  you  are  deeply  relaxed.  You  are  in  a  very  relaxed  state.    

Now  allow  the  light  to  dance  through  your  body.  The  light  is  your  instructor  now.  Ask  the  light  to  show  an  area  that  needs  attention.  When  you  notice  that  area,  just  communicate  with  it.  What  does  it  want  you   to   know?   What   does   it   need   you   to   understand?   Allow   the   light   to   show   you   and   help   you  understand  what  that  area  of  your  body  needs.    

After  you  have  your  communication  with  this  area,  ask  the  light  what  color  this  area  needs  in  order  to  heal.  It  can  be  one  color  or  it  can  be  several.  Maybe  the  color  has  a  sparkle  to  it  or  a  depth.  Perhaps  it  even  has  a  temperature  or  a  weight.    

Your  body  knows  what  color  this  area  needs  for  healing.  Once  the  color  comes  to  mind,  run  that  color  from   the   top   of   your   head   all   the   way   down   through   your   body.   Take   as   long   as   you   need   to   fully  saturate   every   area   of   your   body,   paying   special   attention   to   the   area   that   needed   communication,  making  sure  every  area  is  saturated.  Take  as  long  as  you  need.  That’s  very  good.    

Now  notice  the  area  that  needed  attention.  Make  sure  that  it  has  communicated  all  it  needs.  

Now  do  another  scan  of  your  body  to  see  if  there  are  other  areas  that  need  your  attention.  If  anything  comes  up,  again  ask  that  part  of  your  body  what  it  needs  to  tell  you.  Once  it’s  finished  communicating,  ask  it  what  color  it  needs  and  run  this  color  through.    

This  technique  can  be  used  any  time  you  want.   If  you  notice  tension,  anxiety,  pain,  a  constriction,   just  simply   take   a   breath   in   through   your   nose   and   out   through   your   mouth,   and   you’ll   remember   this  beautiful   state  of   relaxation.   You   can   run  a   color   through  your  body  any   time  you  need   to,   any   color  you’d  like,  any  temperate  or  any  texture  at  any  time.  

This  human  light  and  these  colors  are  your  tools  to  heal  and  release  at  any  time.  They  always  work.  They  always  make  you  feel  better.    

Now  begin   to  notice   the   room  around   you   and   the   sound  of  my   voice.  Wiggle   your   fingers   and   toes.  Begin  to  become  fully  alert  and  awake,  but  remember  your  color  tools  are  always  at  your  disposal.  You  carry  them  with  you.  You’ll  also  carry  the  peace  and  relaxation  that  you  feel.  

With  a  few  more  deep  breaths,  soak  in  this  feeling.  You’re  getting  your  energy  ready  to  rejoin  the  day.  Very  good.  Now  open  your  eyes,  smile,  and  thank  your  body  for  the  beautiful  gifts  it  gives  you.  

There  we  have  it.  

Dawson:    That  was  profound.   I   found  myself   going  deeper   and  deeper.  Around   four  minutes,   I   clicked  into  this  magical  space.  I  was  working  on  a  pain  in  my  left  knee  that  was  at  a  4  out  of  10.  It’s  often  there,  and  I  saw  the  color  green  sweep  through  my  body.   It  seemed  to  be   like  taking  a  broom  and  sweeping  that  pain  away.  It  was  gone.  It  was  amazing.  

Erin:    It’s  wonderful.  It’s  always  wonderful  to  realize  that  your  body  comes  up  with  the  colors  right  away.  You  don’t  have  to  think  about  it.  It’s  always  there.  

What’s  amazing  to  me  is  that  I’ll  use  this  exercise  with  my  patients  on  the  table,  and  we’ll  use  it  as  a  sort  of  somatic  dialogue  exercise.  When  someone  is  in  the  room  with  me,  we  will  run  the  color  through,  and  they’ll  respond  to  me  and  say,  “I  noticed  my  stomach.”  Then  we’ll  take  some  time  and  go  into  what  they  noticed.  They’ll  talk  about  it.  Then  I’ll  say,  “When  is  the  first  time  you  felt  this?”  

 

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Maybe  they’ll  say,  “In  my  stomach,  I  feel  a  knotted-­‐up,  hard  rope.  It  feels  heavy  and  hot.”  Then  I’ll  say,  “If  you  could  come  up  with  a  number,  when  is  the  first  time  you  ever  felt  like  this?  What  number  pops  into  your  mind?”  They’ll   say,  “Four.”  “What  was  going  on  when  you  were  four  and  you  felt   this  knot?  “   My   mom   and   dad   were   fighting,   and   I   heard   them.   They   were   slamming   doors,   and   my   stomach  started  to  hurt.  I  felt  knotted  up,  and  I  ran  into  my  room  and  closed  the  door.  I  was  so  scared.”  

I’ll  say,  “Let’s  go  back.  If  you  could  wave  a  magic  wand,  what  would  you  like  to  have  happened  in  that  situation?”  They  might  say,  “I’d  like  for  my  mom  and  dad  to  not  have  the  fight,  and  for  my  mom  to  call  me  out  of  my  room  and  say  they  were  just  talking  and  that  they  had  dinner  ready.  Then  we  would  all  sit  down  for  dinner.  Then  my  stomach  would  feel  fine.”  

“Let’s   imagine  that.  Let’s  take  a  picture  of  that.  Get  a  picture  clear   in  your  mind  of  that  happy  scene.”  They’ll  take  some  time  and  get  the  picture.  I’ll  say,  “Now  click  on  your  camera  and  get  that  picture.  We  want   to   put   a   frame   around   this   picture.   What   kind   of   frame   do   we   want?  What   color   is   it?   What  material  is  it?  Is  it  wood  or  metal?  Is  it  thick  or  thin?”  

They’ll  pick  a  color  and  a  material.  Let’s  say  they  pick  a  beautiful  yellow.  After  they  get  the  picture  and  frame  all  set  up,  we’ll  run  that  yellow  color  through  the  body.    

After  we’re  done  running  the  yellow  color  through,  I’ll  say,  “Was  there  any  area  of  your  body  that  was  difficult   to   run   that   color   through?”   “No,   the   color  went   through   really  well.”   “Now   take   a   few  deep  breaths.  Let’s  do  another  scan.”  Then  we’ll  do  the  whole  process  again.  

What  I  find  really  interesting  is  that,  as  we  do  the  process,  they  always  know  a  number.  The  number  is  usually  pretty  young,  usually  under  10.  Sometimes  we’ll  get  an  18  or  27  or  something.  Maybe  that  was  due   to   a   trauma.   A   lot   of   times,   it’s   something   they   really   haven’t   thought   about.   It  might   be   some  seemingly   innocuous  event  that  wasn’t  a  huge  trauma.  Sometimes   it   is,  but  many  times   it’s   just   these  things  that  happen  in  life  that  you  might  not  have  thought  about  for  20  or  30  years.  All  of  a  sudden,  it  comes  up.  

Another  interesting  thing  is  that  a  lot  of  times  the  color  they  choose  to  put  around  their  picture  frame  is  related  to  the  chakra  that  governs  that  area  of  the  body  involved.  I  always  find  that  interesting.  

It’s  a  fascinating  exercise.  We’ll  go  on  and  on  for  a  good  two  hours.  Honestly,  when  people  get  up  after  that,  they  just  feel  more  peaceful,  in  touch  and  solid  with  themselves.  It’s  like  10  years  of  therapy  in  two  hours.  

I   never   cease   to  wonder   at   the   power   of   this   exercise.  We   do   it   as   often   as  we   can,   and   it  makes   a  profound  and  lasting  difference.  

Dawson:    Rather   than   viewing   the   pains,   aches,   and   hurts   as   problems   made   to   go   away,   you’re  revisioning  them  as  messages  from  your  history,  past,  and  subconscious,  urging  you  to  hear.  Rather  than  those   feelings   in   your   body   being   something   you   want   to   make   disappear,   they’re   information   and  messages  that  guide  you  on  the  path  to  healing.  

Erin:    That’s  right.  Really,  the  exercise  is  a  variation  of  something  called  holographic  memory  resolution.  As  we’ve   learned   in  neuroscience,  our  muscles  and  cells   store  memories  as   if   the  events   involved  are  occurring  in  the  present  tense.  They  encode  those  memories  with  enkephalins.  When  we’re  in  a  time  of  stress,   a   trauma   is   triggered,   or   we   have   some   kind   of   chronic   condition,   those   enkephalin-­‐encoded  memories  are  still  there  either  sucking  our  energy  that  could  be  utilized  in  healing  something  else  or  just  being  joyful,  or  actually  reenacting  the  trauma  as  if  it’s  still  occurring.  

 

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With   this   exercise,   we   are   finding   the   areas   that   are   holding   traumas,   and   we’re   releasing   and  reprogramming   them   to   remember   that   time,   using   the  magic  wand   technique:   In   an   ideal   situation,  what  would  you  have  wished  could  have  happened?  

Instead   of   doing   what   traditional   hypnosis   or   therapy   would   do   in   just   talking   about   or   releasing   it,  reprogramming  and  reworking   it  makes  a   lasting   impression  such  that  an   injury   that  might  have  been  nagging  is  now  gone.  With  my  athletes,  maybe  they  had  a  surgery  and  they  come  back  twice  as  fast  from  the  surgery  and  never  reinjure  the  site  or  never  have  the  aches  and  pains  when  the  weather  changes  or  after  a  game.  

You   can   use   it   with   anxiety,   depression,   repetition   compulsion,   habits,   or   chronic   diseases.   I   had   a  woman  the  other  day  who  has  had  Crohn’s  disease   forever  and  has  had  all   these  surgeries   for   it.  She  was  getting  ready  to  have  a  massive  surgery  that  would  have  made  her  wear  a  bag  for  the  rest  of  her  life.  With  just  two  hours  of  this  exercise,  her  symptoms  are  simply  gone.    

It’s  a  powerful  exercise,  and  it  can  be  used  for  anything.  With  a  skilled  technician  or  practitioner  of  it,  I  don’t  see  any  end  to  the  uses  of  it.  

Dawson:  We  do  sometimes  need  things  like  those  surgeries  or  other  medicalized  ways  of  fixing  the  body,  but  often  we’re  just  using  those  as  a  substitute  for  getting  into  the  energy  and  the  emotional  aspects  of  our   problems.   It’s   so   interesting   that   once   you   resolve   the   emotional   aspects—the   feelings   and   the  emotional  charge—that  many  of  those  early  memories  carry,  it’s  striking  that  many  seemingly  physical  symptoms  or  conditions  melt  away.  There  might  still  be  something  left  there  that  you  have  to  attend  to  medically,  but  at  least  you  won’t  be  medicalizing  the  emotional  part  of  your  problem.  

Erin:    Right.  So  many  things  we  end  up  going  to  a  hospital  or  a  doctor  about  are  symptom  management  things.   The   root   cause,   perhaps,   is   not   being   addressed   or   is   not   fully   understood   on   an   emotional,  spiritual,  or  cognitive  level.  

I’m  very  pro-­‐allopathic  medicine.  We  are   lucky   to  have  all   these  wonderful  doctors,  all   this  wonderful  medicine,  and  all  of  these  tools  at  our  disposal.  The  type  of  healing  work  this  exercise  accomplishes   is  complementary.    

Obviously,   it’s   the   least  harm   if   you  can  do  some  of   these  practices  and  get  your  emotional   center   in  balance.  Then  you  can  see  if  the  problem  alleviates  or  at  least  mitigates.  If  you  still  need  medical  help,  you  can  ask  your  doctor,  “What  do  we  do  with  this?”    

If  you  go  the  surgery  route,  obviously  you  can’t  go  back  from  that.  Once  you  cut  something  out,  it’s  out.  When  considering  surgery,  you  might  ask  beforehand  whether  it  will  get  to  the  root  of  the  problem  or  you  are  just  putting  a  Band-­‐Aid  on  it.  

Also,  when  you  do  have  surgery,  even  though  the  anesthesia  puts  you  to  sleep  and  you  don’t  remember  it,  your  body  remembers  it.  Do  practices  like  the  one  we  just  did  postsurgery  to  allow  your  body  to  heal  and  release  any  of  the  stress  from  the  procedure  itself.  

The  uses  of  this  are  endless.  

Dawson:    Once   we   have   these   tools   in   our   personal   toolkit,   we   can   invoke   them   in   any   of   those  situations  when  we’re   under   stress,   facing   a  medical   procedure,   healing   after   one,   feeling   a   pain,   or  recovering  more  quickly  after  we  injure  ourselves.    

 

www.TappingPeakPerformance.com    

6  

There  are  many   times  when   simply  doing   this   is   incredibly  powerful.   It's   not   something  we   learn  and  apply  to  one  thing  in  our  lives.  Once  we  learn  these  kinds  of  skills,  they’re  applicable  to  many  areas  of  our  lives.  

Erin:    Yes,   and   it’s   not   just   for   healing   a   negative   event.   My   athletes   use   it   and   we   can   all   use   it   to  optimize  performance,  raise  mood,  shake  off  the  3:00  slump,  be  prepared  to  make  a  presentation,  or  be  present  with  our  children.  

Speaking  of  children,  they’re  so  good  at  this  exercise.  I  have  six  children,  and  my  youngest  one  is  four.  She  will  use  this  on  other  kids.   If  we’re  at  a  playground  and  another  kid  falls  and  gets  a  booboo,  she’ll  come  over  and  say,  “What  color  does  it  need?”    

It’s  funny  because  kids  just  get  it.  They’ll  say,  “It  needs  purple  with  green  sparkles.”  “Okay.  Let’s  give  it  purple  with  green  sparkles,”  and  the  kid  stops  crying.  It’s  amazing.    

My  kids  are  running  around  the  playground  saying,  “What  color  does  it  need?”  You’d  think  people  would  say,  “What?”  but  little  kids  under  the  age  of  10  get  it.  It’s  just  some  natural  thing  we  have.  

Once  we  let  our  rational  brain  go  for  a  minute,  we  get  it  too.  It’s  just  another  reminder  of  how  powerful,  brilliant,  and  intelligent  our  bodies  are  if  we  just  get  out  of  the  way  sometimes  and  allow  them  to  heal  and  talk  to  us,  and  we  really  listen.  It’s  such  a  powerful  tool  we  can  use  for  anything.  

Dawson:    Erin,   I   am   so  grateful   to   you   for  having   shared  your  approach,   your   skills,   your  wisdom,  and  your  passion  for  helping  people  heal  in  this  beautiful  way.  

Erin:    Thank  you.  You  are  one  of  my  heroes.  Anything  I  can  do  for  you  and  the  community  that  follows  you  is  my  honor.  

Dawson:  Thank  you  and  bless  you.