24. June 202420 Minuten

relaxONnaming® colors

relaxONnaming colors can help to reduce mild and moderate inner restlessness.

The following procedure is recommended

  • observe the surroundings,
  • name a color that you see,
  • only ever use one (!) word when naming,
  • say the word silently in your mind,
  • take a short break after each word,
  • in which the gaze wanders calmly on and
  • name another color.
  • Continue the exercise until the mind has calmed down.

relaxONnaming colors can also be carried out independently of existing restlessness and promote calmness during the day.
It takes a little time for the thoughts you were previously preoccupied with to calm down and for the restlessness to subside.

Important note

Observing and naming colors is merely a matter of spatial orientation. Restlessness needs time to settle. A little patience is therefore necessary and helpful. If the restlessness persists, the exercise can be ended at any time by concentrating on another task or activity.
Practicing twice a day for 2 minutes may be enough.

Advantages of relaxONnaming®

  • relaxONnaming is easy to learn,
  • the exercise can be carried out unnoticed by third parties,
  •  relaxONnaming can be used in different places and at any time.

Important note

Do not use relaxONnaming colors when driving a vehicle or operating machinery, as it can cause you to fall asleep when you are already tired.

relaxONnaming colors can help to reduce mild and moderate inner restlessness.

Example 1 - Naming colors

On his way to the train station in the morning, he noticed the variety of colors around him. Words for colors come to mind most quickly. When naming colors, however, you have to be careful not to get hectic and name them too quickly, because colors are everywhere.

His eyes first fell on a tree. Its color was green. In his mind he said the word: “Green”. He walked on. His gaze wandered calmly over the surroundings. He saw a brown leaf. In his mind he said the word: “Brown”. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. Then he saw a white car. In his mind he said the word: “White”. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. Then he noticed a yellow flower by the side of the road. He said the word “yellow” in his mind.

It is important to move slowly from one color to the next, without haste.

Practical application

While observing, he named the color and said the respective word in his mind: Green … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … brown … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … white … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … yellow … short pause … He continued the exercise until mental calmness was noticeable.

Example 2 - Injustice

He entered the store and noticed that he was the only customer. The sales clerk had noticed his arrival but continued with her task. Just as he was about to approach the sales clerk, another customer entered the store. The sales clerk approached him, greeted him and asked if she could help him. He felt this was unfair and felt anger welling up inside him. He wondered why the order could not be followed. To stop himself getting upset and pass the time, he began to observe and name the different colors in the store.

Words for colors come to mind the quickest. When naming colors, however, you have to be careful not to rush and name them too quickly, because colors are everywhere. It is therefore advisable to move slowly from one color to the next, without rushing.

His eyes first fell on the wall. It was painted a bright green. He said the word “green” in his mind. He looked around the room. His gaze fell on a white table. In his mind, he said the word: “White”. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. He saw a shelf made of brown wood. In his mind, he said the word: “Brown”. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. Then he looked at the gray carpet. In his mind he said the word: “Gray”. There was a white receipt. In his mind he said the word: “White”. Then he noticed a picture of a yellow flower. In his mind he said the word: “Yellow”.

Practical application

While observing, he named the color and said the respective word in his mind: Green … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … white … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … brown … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … gray … short pause … white … short pause … yellow … He continued the exercise until mental calmness was noticeable.

Example 3 - Insults

As a supervisor, he knew that not every employee would like him. When he met a group of employees on the factory premises, he greeted them in a friendly manner. No one returned his greeting. Instead, some scowled at him. As he turned the corner, he heard one of the employees say: “You can’t take him seriously!” Yet he had only recently pleaded with the management for a pay rise. Anger rose in him and slowly intensified. To calm himself down, he began to observe and name colors as he made his way across the factory premises.

His gaze wandered across the factory premises. There was a green forklift truck 10 meters away. He said the word “green” in his mind. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. Another employee crossed his path and briefly said hello. He was in a hurry and was carrying a red folder. He said the word “red” in his mind. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. His eyes fell on a tree with white flowers. In his mind, he said the word: “White”. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. The tree stood in a parking lot with grey asphalt. He said the word “grey” in his mind. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. The building to the left was painted black. In his mind he said the word: “Black”. He walked towards the entrance to the main building. The front door was painted red. In his mind he said the word: “Red”. A yellow vehicle was parked in front of the entrance. In his mind he said the word: “Yellow”.

Practical application

While observing, he named the color and said the respective word in his mind: Green … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … red … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … white … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … grey … short pause … black … short pause … red … short pause … yellow … He continued the exercise until a mental calmness was noticeable.

Example 4 – Annoyance

English class had started and the teacher placed the class tests on the desk in front of her. She absolutely needed a good grade in order to maintain her overall grade of B in her final report. After the exercise books had been handed out, she hastily opened the last page and was shocked: Grade D. That couldn’t be true. The teacher must have made a mistake. She had learned a lot for this assignment. A later discussion with the teacher didn’t help. He listened patiently to her arguments, but pointed out the lack of important content and stuck with the grade. To find some peace, she started observing and naming colors in the schoolyard.

The first thing that caught her eye was a classmate’s cap. The color was pink. She said the word “pink” in her mind. She looked around the schoolyard. Her gaze fell on a pupil wearing a blue winter jacket. She said the word “blue” in her mind. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. There was a tall gray ashtray in the smoker’s corner. She said the word “gray” in her mind. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. A white mask lay on the floor in front of her. In her mind she said the word: “White”. Next to it lay a lost yellow glove. In her mind she said the word: “Yellow”. Short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly. She saw a teacher supervising recess. She was wearing a long brown coat. In her mind she said the word: “Brown”.

Practical application

While observing, she named the color and said the respective word in her mind: Pink … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … blue … short pause, in which the gaze continues to wander calmly … gray … short pause … white … short pause … yellow … short pause … brown … She continued the exercise until a mental calm was noticeable.

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© 2024 PIRKA® Wolfgang Smidt. The content provided on this website is protected by copyright. Any use requires the prior written consent of the author. The information and advice provided has been compiled to the best of our knowledge and carefully checked. However, it is no substitute for expert psychological and medical advice in individual cases.

Try it out!

PIRKA wishes you every success with the application.

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