Apparently it is nothing to do with global warming so we cannot go blaming that yet again… But we are experiencing a heatwave in September. We had one in april, then a mostly poor Summer and we get splashes of great weather now when it is not supposed to be so great…

Luckily, the major heat held off last weekend when I ran the New Forest marathon. My previous marathons have all been city events and tend to be quite flat and straight forward, well, as much as a marathon can be – they are all still 26.2 miles! However, this race last Sunday had a few miles of off-road tracks to run with an uneven surface and some hills that bring tears to my eyes just thinking about them.

I ran a time of 3hrs and 17 minutes and was pleased with that. My legs are not enjoying the stairs at the moment, but all in all, I cannot wait until my next marathon in December before triple marathon challenge next April. (Note – this article was originally written and posted back in 2011)

I am happy that I’ll be running in the sun later this week again though as I get back to training.  One of the things about training beside the seaside where I live, is that you get the winds coming in off the sea that are very noticeable. We seem to get a lot of wind in general in the UK, but beside the sea you really notice it.

Now I am all for utilisation. That is, I like the fact that we are starting to use wind energy and have wind farms out at sea and other places now… and it got me thinking, in what way can I utilise these winds for my recovery and energy levels instead of cussing them while out running in them??? Hmmm….

On the local news magazine on TV here “South Today” they have a little section where viewers send in stunning pictures of the sea following high winds and of other wonderful views and I think it is a triumph to truly appreciate mother nature rather than allowing it to onset doom and gloom.

The sea, ocean, winds and nature at this time of year have an incredible energy. It is the incredible vigour, zest, energy and power that I want us to harness and share today.

5 Steps To Using The Energy Of The Stormy Sea:

Step One: Get yourself into a comfortable position and one whereby you are going to be undisturbed for the duration of this exercise. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor and your hands are not touching each other.

Then in that position, Induce Hypnosis.
You can do so by any means you desire or know of. You can use the process in my Science of self-hypnosis book, use the free audio we give away on this website to practice or have a look at the following articles as and when you need them; they are basic processes to help you simply open the door of your mind:

Heavy Arm Self-Hypnosis Induction Method
Using Eye Fixation for Self-Hypnosis
The Chiasson Self-Hypnosis Method
Hand to Face Self-Hypnosis Induction
Using Magnetic Hands for Self-Hypnosis
The Coin Drop Self-Hypnosis Induction

However, with this process, an induction is potentially too much activity, so I teach my clients how to adopt a hypnotic mindset and simply have a mindset that is positive and expectant. Again, to really understand the cognitive set of the hypnotic mindset, go grab a copy of my Science of self-hypnosis book where it is explained in simple but comprehensive terms.

Once you are hypnotised, move on to step two.

Step Two: Imagine you are walking near the sea, maybe along the sea front in some favourite place. Maybe it is right after a proper, fierce storm. The surf is coming in to the shore in those huge, magnificent waves. Then crash upon the sand on the beach. Imagine the noise that the waves make as the roll in and land on the beach, really tune in to this in your mind. Become aware of the colours in the sea and the surrounding area, note the sounds and enjoy the feeling it gives you to just sit and enjoy nature.

Find a spot that is comfortable for you and sit down on the sand, facing the sea. Let your body get settled and really comfortable in the sand. Let it mould and meld itself to the exact contours of your body and support you so that you can sit without effort observing the sea.

Watch as the waves come in to shore. Get a real sense of the power within those waves and the power of nature. I often find this a very relaxing thing to do anytime, so you can even say to yourself that you are relaxing more deeply as each wave rolls in and with each breath you breathe.

The waves coming in and out as you sit relaxed on the sand. As you watch the waves, breathe at the same rate as the waves coming in and then receding and get a lovely rhythmic sensation in your body reflecting the movement of the sea.  Tell yourself that with each breath you  breathe, you go deeper inside your mind and once you have done this for a short while, move on to step three.

Step Three: Imagine that with each breath you breathe, you are becoming more charged with the energy of the sea and the nature all around you. Think of it as having some incredible properties that fill you with energising sensations that you notice in your own unique way right now.

Imagine how each breath then moves through your body and gives you a sense of drive, inspiration, motion and most importantly energises you.

Take all the time you need at this stage and feel the energy filling your body. When you feel that you have done this long enough and have really noticed the difference within yourself, move on to the next step.

Step Four: As you continue to breathe in this wonderful sensation, also allow it to now help you become emotionally uplifted and let it enhance your sense of spirit. Let it lift your spirits and feel waves of inspiration washing over you now as well.

You all know, I am not overtly spiritual, but I get a certain sense and awe when confronted with this form of nature. Let your imagination lift you as you engage with this process even more. When you notice enough change and you feel uplifted, move on to the next step.

Step Five: As you exhale, imagine letting go of any last remnants of sluggishness and feel revitalised. Continue to look at the sea and imagine sharing in its energy and vigour.

Once you have inhaled enough of the good feeling and energy that you think is going to help you, imagine holding on to all that good sensation and then start to bring this session to an end yet keeping all the energy and vibrancy with you.

Wiggle your toes and fingers, open your eyes, tune in to your surroundings.

Take some action today to use the elements around you and get them working for you.

This is a fabulous process to do in the mornings if you’ve got a busy schedule and your legs ache from a marathon you ran at the weekend! Yet it is also valuable for anyone wanting to give themselves a lift and harness something that occurs all the time anyway.

I’ll be back soon.

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If you’d like to learn more or if this has resonated with you in some way, then visit these pages:

1. Has poor psychology held you back from performing at your best? Would you benefit from advancing your mental game?
Coaching with Adam Eason Or Hypnotherapy with Adam Eason
2. Would you like a satisfying and meaningful career as a hypnotherapist helping others performa better?
Adam Eason’s Anglo European training college.
3. Have you read my book Hypnosis for Running: Training Your Mind to Maximise Your Running Performance? It helps any runner, athlete or sportsperson maximise performance.

Likewise, if you’d like to learn more about self-hypnosis, understand the evidence based principles of it from a scientific perspective and learn how to apply it to many areas of your life while having fun and in a safe environment and have the opportunity to test everything you learn, then come and join me for my one day seminar which does all that and more, have a read here: The Science of Self-Hypnosis Seminar. Alternatively, go grab a copy of my Science of self-hypnosis book.