GUIDED IMAGERY

An active, meditative process for self-healing,relaxation,and self-awareness

• About Guided Imagery

• How-To's and Don't Do's of Guided Imagery

• Ascending and Descending Images

• Processing Your Imagery

• Centering
• Opening Your Heart
• Healing the Emotions
• Meeting Your Shadow
• Healing a Lingering Attachment
• Getting a Message from Your Higher Self
• Summoning Your Inner Healer
• Your Observer Self in Action
• The Breath, Practice One (submitted by Jill Gerken)
• The Breath, Practice Two (submitted by Jill Gerken)

The Power of Guided Imagery: Guided imagery is a way to use our powers of creative imagination, which can be much more immediate and effective than analytical thinking. The guided imagery exercises we've included are designed to offer you direct experience of some of the concepts in the theme section of Eupsychia's web site that you encounter, converting them into dynamic activators of your minds and hearts or as stand-alone inner work exercises. Like everything newly created, a truth must begin in the mind. Hence, the purpose of guided imageries is to show your intellect a living truth, which can then eventually move into our hearts. A living truth is an idea that has become clothed in form by our imagination–an idea that can be felt in your heart and will create change in your life.

Before you begin the imagery that follows, it's important to remember that everyone does not see pictures when doing this work; inner seeing can seem more like thoughts, symbols, or spontaneously arising feeling-states. All of your senses, not just your inner eyes, are used for inner work. You may get a whole mental flash all at once concerning the meaning of a pattern or issues; a shiver may run up your spine; or your heart may fill with the feeling of sorrow, joy, or forgiveness. Some people might smell aromas or hear voices not existing in this reality. Just let come whatever wants to come, with no judgement or investment in the outcome. This process can profoundly affect your psyche.

Many people think they are imaging fairly superficially at first, only to realize later that these images, symbols, and thoughts were inspired, though sometimes subtle. In practicing the imagery work that follows, you'll discover that your inner Self has a way of giving you the kinds of images and insights you will be able to recognize. The meanings you attribute to these inner experiences are yours and only yours. Universal meanings learned from books or other people's interpretations are often beside the point (and can even get in your way). Learn to trust your own interpretations. And if some outside source aids your own findings, that's good. If it doesn't, just ignore it. When you are willing to experiment with imageries, these "gifts of the spirit" will teach you without much effort on your part and greatly enhance your healing process. Back to Top

About the superconscious and subconscious mind: Any imagery of ascension will take you or the person doing the exercise into the superconscious realm. And conversely, any symbolism of descent will move you or your client into the subconscious realm. The superconscious is seldom scary and usually produces very beautiful, high experiences. But the subconscious can be dark and sometimes frightening. It is not uncommon to show resistance in viewing whatever is trying to emerge from the dark recesses of the mind. Provide yourself or your client with a symbol of protection (a light, a cord to pull on to bring yourself "up", a suit of armor to wear, a sword, whatever you or they need). This may help set aside resistance . If not, don't push it. If the issue is an important one, rest assured another time will come when you or your client is more ready to work on the particular problem.

And, when guiding others, always end trips into the lower conscious (or subconscious) with a positive experience. If "evil" is confronted, surround it with light or love. Tell it you are going to try and understand it. Allow it to run away or dissipate. Or leave it behind and come "up and out". Never leave yourself or your client (friend) in the midst of a negative experience. Back to Top

The How-To's and Best No-to-Dos: A friend can read the instructions to you, pausing five to ten seconds (unless otherwise stated) wherever there are dots. Or you can read the imagery onto a tape and guide yourself through it. Another way is to study the imagery until you know it by heart. Allow yourself enough time between suggestions to envision them. Keep the voice-tone (even it it's inside your own mind) calm and even throughout. And when undergoing the imagery do so in a quiet place where you can sit or lie without being disturbed for awhile.

If you decide to record the imagery on a tape, please DO NOT play the tape while driving a vehicle.

Experience these imageries yourself with a friend or therapist before attempting to use them on others. Imageries can be used over and over and change each time. Change indicates movement of the psyche.

Suggestions for Processing Your Imagery:Take time after every imagery to ponder it. Try not to immediately begin another activity. Stay with it for awhile if something important was brought to light. When the imagery has subsided, jot down notes about what transpired - a picture, symbol, poem, thought. You might want to keep a spiritual journal. If you don't want to write you might want to engage in some kind of spontaneous ritual or movement. You might choose a physical object as a concrete symbol of the insight you gained. (Ancient Egyptians called these objects amulets, Native American's called them fetishes). Imagery work is like dreamwork, it disappears rapidly if you don't concretize it in some way.

Trust your inner experience. Try not to move too quickly into an analyzing mode after such an experience. Let your intuitive, more right-brained self remain in charge for awhile. Later, however, you will want to process the imagery more fully, with intellectual insight and integration. Insights might continue to arise while actively involving in your daily life. Try and take time to write or record your insights.

Now, if you feel you had no experience at all or that you were just intellectually making it all up, just let all it all be for now. Remember that any kind of "making up" is still coming from within your own mind, so it does have meaning and purpose for you, no matter how much you want to dismiss it. Anything that occurred is part of your process, even if you feel you didn't do it right. There is no such thing as failure in psycho-spiritual work. It is all "grist for the mill." Don't try to manipulate the experience in any way; just be with it as it was. If you experienced resistance, your processing would benefit from gaining insight into the nature of your resistance. Whether you realize it or not, you are exactly where you need to be in your process of awakening. Back to Top