Album Notes

Enjoy an inner journey to the Mediterranean Sea as Beth Freschi's calming voice guides you through a relaxation training session that will provide a refreshing break during the day or help you drift off to sleep at night.

"Daydreaming by the Sea" features four pleasant, effective relaxation techniques to calm the mind and body:

Relaxation Breathing
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Guided Imagery: The Mediterranean Sea
Meditation: Love and Acceptance

This CD is meant for deep relaxation, so please don't drive while listening. Enjoy it at home when you can really kick back and relax!

Description of Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation Breathing: This exercise begins with simply observing the breath, without trying to change it. Next is deep breathing, and includes inhaling through your nose, allowing your abdomen to expand, and exhaling through your mouth, releasing tension with your breath. The next portion focuses on exhalation and trying to squeeze out as much air as possible, then allowing your abdomen to gently expand with the inhalation. The relaxation breathing track ends by again observing your breath and noticing how your mind and body are relaxing.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Dr. Edmund Jacobson developed Progressive Muscle Relaxation in the 1920's, and today it continues to be a very effective method of relaxation. It involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups, allowing you to enter a deep state of relaxation. Dr. Jacobson once said "an anxious mind cannot exist in a relaxed body", and you will understand what he meant by this as you notice your muscles gradually relaxing and your mind calming as you follow the progressive muscle relaxation exercise.

Guided Imagery: This particular guided imagery is called The Mediterranean Sea, and takes you on a pleasant, relaxing journey to the Italian Riviera. Beth Freschi will describe sights, sounds, smells, and other sensations that will invite you to imagine a visit to a beautiful beach. If you have never experienced guided imagery, The Mediterranean Sea will be a wonderful introduction to this very special relaxation technique. One way to describe guided imagery is that it is like a daydream that leads you to only pleasant and relaxing places.

Meditation: Love and Acceptance is a version of the loving kindness meditation. This type of meditation encourages you to develop a sense of kindness and friendliness toward yourself and others. The phrases are so universal, it fits with any religion or belief system. As you listen and practice the meditation, feel your heart open and notice how negative thoughts give way to a more positive outlook.

Beth Freschi was voted Best Guided Relaxation in Minnesota Monthly magazine's Best of the Twin Cities issue (November 2011). You can find out more about Beth's work by visiting her website www.atimeforexpression.com

Important: please do not drive while listening to this very relaxing CD—enjoy it at home!