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Guided Imagery: General Information & Practical Tips From Reiki Happenings, May 2006
Here are some general facts and user-friendly tips about how to best use
guided imagery and what to expect from it.
Your skill and efficiency will increase with practice. You'll improve from
whatever skill level you start with. Guided imagery functions in a way that
is the opposite of addictive substances – the more you use it, the less
and less it will take for it to work.
Imagery works best in a permissive, relaxed, unforced atmosphere. So try
not to get too intense about "doing it right". There are many ways to do it right.
Your choice of imagery content needs to be congruent with your values,
so don't try to impose imagery on yourself that doesn't sit right. Let your own
images come up and work for you. Don't get stuck in somebody else's way.
It's best to engage all the senses, especially your kinesthetic or feeling sense.
Remember, only a little over half of the population is strongly visual.
Imagery is generally more powerful in a group setting, mainly due to the
contagious nature of the altered state. So a support group, special study
group or healing group is a nice place to work with it.
Music, when properly chosen, will increase the effects of imagery. You
will intuitively know what music is right for what you need. A small percentage of
people prefer no music at all.
Imagery that elicits emotion is generally more effective than imagery that
doesn't. Responding with emotion is a good sign that the imagery is working
for you in a deep way.
If you're using self-talk with your imagery, try to avoid the imperative verb
form on yourself, so that inadvertently "bossy" language doesn't get your
back up and marshal unnecessary resistance. You do not have to be a "believer"
in order for imagery to help. Positive expectancy helps, but even a skeptical
willingness to give it a try can be quite sufficient.
Touch may be the most powerful accompaniment to imagery you can
employ, both to help with relaxation and to increase the kinesthetic power of
the images. Imagery combined with therapeutic massage, energy work, or other
kinesthetic modalities is very potent, and more than the sum of its parts.
Using the same posture cues, gestures or hand-positioning with each
imaging session creates an "anchor" that conditions you to respond immediately
to the posture. You can then adopt the posture in a meeting, or while waiting in
traffic, or while resting, and your body will respond the way it did during the imagery.
If you aren't used to being both relaxed and awake at the same time, you will
routinely fall asleep during an imagery session, especially if you're listening
to a tape. If you want to stay awake, you might try sitting up, standing, walking
or listening with your eyes half-open.
Even asleep, though, you'll benefit from repeated listening, as demonstrated in
test results with sleeping diabetics and unconscious surgery patients.
Don't worry if you keep "spacing out" or losing track of a guided imagery
narrative. This is not an indicator that you're listening wrong. On the contrary, a
wandering mind often comes with the territory.
You may tear up, get a runny nose, cough, yawn, feel heaviness in your limbs,
get tingling along the top of their scalp or in your hands and feet, or experience
minor, involuntary muscle-movements. These are entirely normal responses.
Other indicators of a strong response to imagery is unusual stillness, increased
coloring in the face, and an ironing out of lines and wrinkles. After some imagery,
your voice will be deeper and lower, slower and more relaxed.
Usually an imaging exercise, regardless of what it's for, will clear a headache,
relieve stress, lift mood and reduce chronic pain.
Guided Imagery Script: The Magical Rainbow
This is a nice guided imagery script…it is best to tape record it and
use it for yourself or when working with others…
By Terrance Watts
This is one of my favorite deepeners, usually producing a very deep state.
The 'ripples' metaphor at the end is excellent for those who have trouble
relating to others.
And now you're so beautifully relaxed... nobody wanting anything, nobody
expecting anything, and absolutely nothing whatsoever for you to do except
to relax... I want you just to let your mind and your imagination drift... feeling lazy,
easy, and comfortable... and I want you to imagine that you're standing on the
terrace of a lovely old house... a house like a stately home or country mansion...
you can feel the sun on your head and shoulders... not too hot, just comfortable...
and there's a gentle breeze playing against your skin... as you look around you, you
notice an elegant marble flight of steps... ten broad steps leading down into a
beautiful sunken garden... a garden where you sense peace, well-being and comfort...
Make it really vivid in your mind... In a moment I'm going to count down from ten down
to zero and as I count all the way down from ten, down to zero, I want you to imagine
that each number is a step down on this beautiful staircase... a step down towards
this beautiful garden... and each step you take... is another step down into deeper and
even deeper levels of relaxation... so that by the time I get to zero, you will be as deeply
relaxed as you can ever imagine... whilst still being able to hear and respond to
the sound of my voice...
10.. take the first step down now, relaxing and letting go...
9... feeling more and more relaxed... no need to hurry... plenty of time...
8... moving down easily now...
7... deeper and deeper...
6... deeper still, your breathing becoming slower and steadier...
5... really relaxing now... just... let go.
4... becoming calmer and calmer...
3... calmer still now...
2... more and more relaxed.
1... all the way down now to...
0...
And now you find yourself in this wonderful garden... you can feel the softness
of the newly cut grass beneath your feet... as the scent of masses upon masses of
brightly colored flowers seems to envelope you...and there's the gentle sound of
birds singing... echoing faintly in the stillness of the air... it's almost a magical
place, stretching into the distance as far as the eye can see in all directions, with
beautiful shrubs, tall elegant trees... and an ornamental fountain which seems to
feed in to a gently trickling stream... this fascinates you and you wander to the
edge of the stream and gently lower yourself down onto the soft, grassy bank...and
just sit for a while, gazing into the cool clear water... marveling at the sense of
tranquility that sweeps over you... and listening to the faint sound of the fountain
splashing into the pool that feeds this gentle stream... after a little while you lay
back on the grass and gaze up at the clearest of blue skies... and as you relax more
and more, your eyes begin to close and you just drift off into a deep and relaxing sleep...
and as you sleep, you have a dream...
You dream that your whole body is becoming lighter... lighter and lighter... so light
that you feel you must surely begin to float on air at any moment... and then you
feel yourself just floating and drifting, gently borne aloft and supported by the softest
of warm breezes... and you can somehow see, through your closed eyelids
that you're floating in a sea of color... a warm sea of color that relaxes and comforts
you as you just drift... suspended in warmth and color that seems somehow unreal
and yet, at the same time, has a comfortingly familiar feel to it... you're aware of misty
reds and orange.. soft, muted yellow tones, gentle greens and blues that seem somehow
like clouds... and the deepest, softest indigos and violets that you could ever have imagined...
and it begins to dawn on you that you're floating in a rainbow, a magical rainbow...
because in this rainbow, time and space doesn't exist in the same way that we usually
know it... you might have floated there for just a moment... or for a hundred years...
maybe for a lifetime... or just perhaps for the blinking of an eye... you could have floated
forwards in time, to a time that could be far beyond our future... or maybe back in time,
back before your own lifetime... it gradually begins to seem to you that you might even
be able to float here for just as long as you wish... with this wonderful relaxed feeling...
just floating and drifting through this magical sea of gentle flowing colors where
time seems to be suddenly of so little importance...
You are still pondering on these thoughts, when you feel yourself beginning to float
gently downwards...lower and lower, softly sinking down, down through this beautiful rainbow...
becoming even more relaxed, even more lazy... until, eventually, you realize that you've
stopped floating downwards... and you find yourself on the shore of a tranquil lake...
a large tranquil lake, surrounded by softly rolling hills that are shrouded in a gentle, silver mist...
there are trees and sweetly scented flowering shrubs, and grasses growing at the water's edge...
and everything is bathed in a beautiful golden light... a golden light that seems to bathe everything
in its warmth... and you find yourself marveling at the sense of deep calmness and comfort
that seems to fill your entire being, as you stroll lazily along the sandy shore of this wonderful
lake... noticing with a sort of lazy curiosity that it seems to be constantly changing color...
subtle changes blending so smoothly... that it's difficult for you to know exactly when
limpid blue has become a deep, soft violet... or when that deep violet became a relaxing,
translucent green... the changes of color fascinate you, and you settle yourself down onto a
small smooth rock and just gaze out across the crystal clear waters...
Every so often, something, a fish maybe... just something... just breaks the surface, creating
ripples that seem to flow gently and endlessly in all directions...ripples that
eventually lap against the edges of the rock that you're sitting on,.. you smile and lean
forward to dabble your hand amongst them... and as you do so, you create yet more ripples,
ripples that shimmer in a kaleidoscope of different colors across the lake...interacting with the
others and making new, ever changing patterns... you realize that this tranquil place is the
pool of all knowledge... that while you are here, you are part of everything and everything
a part of you...and you find it easy, so very easy to open your mind... to let go of any
barriers to memory or learning...
And now your mind is prepared and receptive to everything I am going to say to you...
and everything I say, if it is for your benefit, will be accepted and acted upon by the
subconscious... it will have a steadily increasing effect upon the way you think, the way
you feel, and the way you behave, and the influence of these suggestions,
as they are for your benefit, will continue to increase over the coming days, and weeks,
and months...
Source: Reiki Happenings, May 2006
Monthly On-line newsletter published by Susan Anderson
guided imagery and what to expect from it.
Your skill and efficiency will increase with practice. You'll improve from
whatever skill level you start with. Guided imagery functions in a way that
is the opposite of addictive substances – the more you use it, the less
and less it will take for it to work.
Imagery works best in a permissive, relaxed, unforced atmosphere. So try
not to get too intense about "doing it right". There are many ways to do it right.
Your choice of imagery content needs to be congruent with your values,
so don't try to impose imagery on yourself that doesn't sit right. Let your own
images come up and work for you. Don't get stuck in somebody else's way.
It's best to engage all the senses, especially your kinesthetic or feeling sense.
Remember, only a little over half of the population is strongly visual.
Imagery is generally more powerful in a group setting, mainly due to the
contagious nature of the altered state. So a support group, special study
group or healing group is a nice place to work with it.
Music, when properly chosen, will increase the effects of imagery. You
will intuitively know what music is right for what you need. A small percentage of
people prefer no music at all.
Imagery that elicits emotion is generally more effective than imagery that
doesn't. Responding with emotion is a good sign that the imagery is working
for you in a deep way.
If you're using self-talk with your imagery, try to avoid the imperative verb
form on yourself, so that inadvertently "bossy" language doesn't get your
back up and marshal unnecessary resistance. You do not have to be a "believer"
in order for imagery to help. Positive expectancy helps, but even a skeptical
willingness to give it a try can be quite sufficient.
Touch may be the most powerful accompaniment to imagery you can
employ, both to help with relaxation and to increase the kinesthetic power of
the images. Imagery combined with therapeutic massage, energy work, or other
kinesthetic modalities is very potent, and more than the sum of its parts.
Using the same posture cues, gestures or hand-positioning with each
imaging session creates an "anchor" that conditions you to respond immediately
to the posture. You can then adopt the posture in a meeting, or while waiting in
traffic, or while resting, and your body will respond the way it did during the imagery.
If you aren't used to being both relaxed and awake at the same time, you will
routinely fall asleep during an imagery session, especially if you're listening
to a tape. If you want to stay awake, you might try sitting up, standing, walking
or listening with your eyes half-open.
Even asleep, though, you'll benefit from repeated listening, as demonstrated in
test results with sleeping diabetics and unconscious surgery patients.
Don't worry if you keep "spacing out" or losing track of a guided imagery
narrative. This is not an indicator that you're listening wrong. On the contrary, a
wandering mind often comes with the territory.
You may tear up, get a runny nose, cough, yawn, feel heaviness in your limbs,
get tingling along the top of their scalp or in your hands and feet, or experience
minor, involuntary muscle-movements. These are entirely normal responses.
Other indicators of a strong response to imagery is unusual stillness, increased
coloring in the face, and an ironing out of lines and wrinkles. After some imagery,
your voice will be deeper and lower, slower and more relaxed.
Usually an imaging exercise, regardless of what it's for, will clear a headache,
relieve stress, lift mood and reduce chronic pain.
Guided Imagery Script: The Magical Rainbow
This is a nice guided imagery script…it is best to tape record it and
use it for yourself or when working with others…
By Terrance Watts
This is one of my favorite deepeners, usually producing a very deep state.
The 'ripples' metaphor at the end is excellent for those who have trouble
relating to others.
And now you're so beautifully relaxed... nobody wanting anything, nobody
expecting anything, and absolutely nothing whatsoever for you to do except
to relax... I want you just to let your mind and your imagination drift... feeling lazy,
easy, and comfortable... and I want you to imagine that you're standing on the
terrace of a lovely old house... a house like a stately home or country mansion...
you can feel the sun on your head and shoulders... not too hot, just comfortable...
and there's a gentle breeze playing against your skin... as you look around you, you
notice an elegant marble flight of steps... ten broad steps leading down into a
beautiful sunken garden... a garden where you sense peace, well-being and comfort...
Make it really vivid in your mind... In a moment I'm going to count down from ten down
to zero and as I count all the way down from ten, down to zero, I want you to imagine
that each number is a step down on this beautiful staircase... a step down towards
this beautiful garden... and each step you take... is another step down into deeper and
even deeper levels of relaxation... so that by the time I get to zero, you will be as deeply
relaxed as you can ever imagine... whilst still being able to hear and respond to
the sound of my voice...
10.. take the first step down now, relaxing and letting go...
9... feeling more and more relaxed... no need to hurry... plenty of time...
8... moving down easily now...
7... deeper and deeper...
6... deeper still, your breathing becoming slower and steadier...
5... really relaxing now... just... let go.
4... becoming calmer and calmer...
3... calmer still now...
2... more and more relaxed.
1... all the way down now to...
0...
And now you find yourself in this wonderful garden... you can feel the softness
of the newly cut grass beneath your feet... as the scent of masses upon masses of
brightly colored flowers seems to envelope you...and there's the gentle sound of
birds singing... echoing faintly in the stillness of the air... it's almost a magical
place, stretching into the distance as far as the eye can see in all directions, with
beautiful shrubs, tall elegant trees... and an ornamental fountain which seems to
feed in to a gently trickling stream... this fascinates you and you wander to the
edge of the stream and gently lower yourself down onto the soft, grassy bank...and
just sit for a while, gazing into the cool clear water... marveling at the sense of
tranquility that sweeps over you... and listening to the faint sound of the fountain
splashing into the pool that feeds this gentle stream... after a little while you lay
back on the grass and gaze up at the clearest of blue skies... and as you relax more
and more, your eyes begin to close and you just drift off into a deep and relaxing sleep...
and as you sleep, you have a dream...
You dream that your whole body is becoming lighter... lighter and lighter... so light
that you feel you must surely begin to float on air at any moment... and then you
feel yourself just floating and drifting, gently borne aloft and supported by the softest
of warm breezes... and you can somehow see, through your closed eyelids
that you're floating in a sea of color... a warm sea of color that relaxes and comforts
you as you just drift... suspended in warmth and color that seems somehow unreal
and yet, at the same time, has a comfortingly familiar feel to it... you're aware of misty
reds and orange.. soft, muted yellow tones, gentle greens and blues that seem somehow
like clouds... and the deepest, softest indigos and violets that you could ever have imagined...
and it begins to dawn on you that you're floating in a rainbow, a magical rainbow...
because in this rainbow, time and space doesn't exist in the same way that we usually
know it... you might have floated there for just a moment... or for a hundred years...
maybe for a lifetime... or just perhaps for the blinking of an eye... you could have floated
forwards in time, to a time that could be far beyond our future... or maybe back in time,
back before your own lifetime... it gradually begins to seem to you that you might even
be able to float here for just as long as you wish... with this wonderful relaxed feeling...
just floating and drifting through this magical sea of gentle flowing colors where
time seems to be suddenly of so little importance...
You are still pondering on these thoughts, when you feel yourself beginning to float
gently downwards...lower and lower, softly sinking down, down through this beautiful rainbow...
becoming even more relaxed, even more lazy... until, eventually, you realize that you've
stopped floating downwards... and you find yourself on the shore of a tranquil lake...
a large tranquil lake, surrounded by softly rolling hills that are shrouded in a gentle, silver mist...
there are trees and sweetly scented flowering shrubs, and grasses growing at the water's edge...
and everything is bathed in a beautiful golden light... a golden light that seems to bathe everything
in its warmth... and you find yourself marveling at the sense of deep calmness and comfort
that seems to fill your entire being, as you stroll lazily along the sandy shore of this wonderful
lake... noticing with a sort of lazy curiosity that it seems to be constantly changing color...
subtle changes blending so smoothly... that it's difficult for you to know exactly when
limpid blue has become a deep, soft violet... or when that deep violet became a relaxing,
translucent green... the changes of color fascinate you, and you settle yourself down onto a
small smooth rock and just gaze out across the crystal clear waters...
Every so often, something, a fish maybe... just something... just breaks the surface, creating
ripples that seem to flow gently and endlessly in all directions...ripples that
eventually lap against the edges of the rock that you're sitting on,.. you smile and lean
forward to dabble your hand amongst them... and as you do so, you create yet more ripples,
ripples that shimmer in a kaleidoscope of different colors across the lake...interacting with the
others and making new, ever changing patterns... you realize that this tranquil place is the
pool of all knowledge... that while you are here, you are part of everything and everything
a part of you...and you find it easy, so very easy to open your mind... to let go of any
barriers to memory or learning...
And now your mind is prepared and receptive to everything I am going to say to you...
and everything I say, if it is for your benefit, will be accepted and acted upon by the
subconscious... it will have a steadily increasing effect upon the way you think, the way
you feel, and the way you behave, and the influence of these suggestions,
as they are for your benefit, will continue to increase over the coming days, and weeks,
and months...
Source: Reiki Happenings, May 2006
Monthly On-line newsletter published by Susan Anderson