My dearest Patricia:
I am so glad that you telephoned last night. Though, as you will readily understand, in my letter to Connie, I was not really critical of her in any way whatever - in fact I tried to compliment her - still, if she is so sensitive that she felt any attempt at pointed advice involved even a shred of criticism, the advice should be withheld and she should be spared any feeling of uncertainty or question or doubt whatever! And as her older sister, who knows her quite well and has her confidence, you would know better than anyone else. So, as I have told you many times before, any time you feel it advisable I will be more than pleased to do as you request or suggest. I’ll wait for all my cues from you and do my best to follow them. Actually, since I was instrumental in helping her to get the job and as the job was a new kind to her, I tried only to suggest things to do that would ensure her success in every way and I told her, actually “you only have to be your own sweet self/” and everything will develop favorably and come your way. I’m sorry that anything I said caused her any doubt or uncertainty whatsoever. But I’m sure now that, with the send off or start that you gave her when you took her up, her success is assured in any case.
Mostly this place hasn’t shown me anything yet that merits picture taking. However there is a cat here (belonging to the cook or the management) with 3 of the cutest kittens you ever laid eyes on. Not one is even a mite bitter than my first. The cook feeds them out on one of the sidewalks behind the [page 2] lodge and if I can get a picture of them or any one or more of them, I will. But seemingly the place has little to offer.
The program is going very smoothly - but today was my long day. I had regular trail, an afternoon trip to lead, a song to part lead and part sing for the eveing meeting (the nature Sunday school song that you may recall), one of the evening talks (“[?] and Their Relatives”) and folk dancing afterward. 6 AM to 10:30 PM with no more than a 15 minute break at any time. But I got along all righyt with no feeling of strain or tiredness. I am, however - on the desk in my cabin that is too high - doing a pretty poor job of writing and I suspect that this reflects my long day.
I don’t think I told you in my other letter that I am in the cabin that was occupied by my neice Sandra and her new husband on their three days of honeymoon - but so I am. I’ll write and tell them tomorrow. I am enclosing a written out first “suggestion” for the suggestions of relaxation that I have proposed that we give to each other. I am keeping a copy and will read it here just at bed time which is the time I suggest for it to produce the maximum of relaxation at a time that will continue through the night and produce an outstanding peaceful mighty sleep. I certainly expect to benefit from reading my copy and I’m sure that you will, also from yours. I don’t know why I had forgotten about this sort of thing until I saw Dr. Yates at my retirement dinner. Even then it did not come back to me immediately. Since then, however I have been recalling our conversations of some years ago when she still taught at the college and worked with our athletic coaches to relax our players for better performance in football and basketball. Now its becoming back to me. However, I have used enough space for once so will say goodnight and sweet dreams. Love Carl.
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I read these last night and I slept like a lamb.
Read these paragraphs on relaxation slowly and intently, forcusing attention on them to the exclusion of all other thoughts as far as possible as to get the maximum of suggestion benefits possible from them. (I will do the same with my copy. Then when we have a chance, week after mext or whenever it is feasible, each of us can give the other the suggestions directly and reap maximum benefit from them.) Authorities agree that the benefits from direct positive suggestion are at least twice as great as those resulting from reading, though reading them is productive of benefits and so, worth while.
It is best to read the suggestions at the time one retires so that the relaxation that results will be continued on in the night’s sleep and so be effective [?]. Get into a comfortable position for sleeping before reading the suggestions.
Reading the suggestions, or otherwise presenting them verbally to one another later will, of course, be done under the usual waking relationships, so that at the close of the suggestions, each reader, I turn, will awake the other from the temporary sleep that will result from the suggestion. The benefits of the suggestion will come from the fact of personal presentation and, naturally, will not preface ging to sleep for the night, as when reading them to oneself. The personal presentation could occur at any time of day and anywhere we will not be subject to disturbance during the period of presentation.
The Relaxation Suggestions
“As you read these statements, concentrating your attention on them and their meaning, and excluding all other thoughts as far as possible, a deep feeling of relaxation will arise in you and gradually permeate every part of your body, your hands and arms, your legs and feet, and your head. This feeling will grow as you continue to read, and become steadily stronger and more pervasive. Every muscle under any strain anwhere in your being will relax. Every bit of tension over anything whatsoever that has developed in your mind and body during the day or at any time during the past week will disappear. Complete relaxation and a profound feeling of repose and of complete peace and restfulness will replace any and all disturbing feelings and tensions that you have experienced. Your arms and legs, your body and your head will be permeated by the feeling of relaxation. They will relax to the point of drooping and becoming limp [page 2] in readiness for sleep. Your eyelids are becoming heavy as drowsiness creeps over you. and eventually will close as you become more sleepy. Do not resist the feeling. Just give yourself up to relaxation and you will enjoy the most restful night that you have had in many months. You will awaken in t5he morning completely refreshed and with a delightful continuance of the feeling of relaxation. This will persist with you, and enable you to meet the challenge and the problems of the day at your maximum of effectiveness. This will in no way reduce your alertness, in fact it will enable you to be more alert than usual because you will be so rested otherwise.
So now, as you close this reading, let relaxation claim you for its own, and sleep blissfully till the time comes to awaken. Relax! Rest! And sleep! Quietly, peacefully, and completely.
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My last Sequoia mementos - both from Steller’s Jay - brought to me Friday evening byone of the women registered with us. hereafter it will be mementos of the sea - most likely.
Dr. Carl Duncan and Patricia Whiting Collection (SJSU)
