Guided Imagery Meditation

Guide imagery is the utilisation of the mind to reach at a relaxed state of mind and to create mental visualisation in order to encourage brilliant physical and mental health. Guided imagery can be done alone or it can be done under the guidance of an experienced person like a therapist. The individual can go to therapist for many sessions or he can just select a quiet place where he can be able to concentrate with the process.

Guided imagery has two stages. First, the person must be in a profound relaxed state of mind. Through proper breathing and muscle relaxation the person wishes to reach this state before the actual imagery. The person will have to close his or her eyes and concentrate on a slow in and out breathing technique until deep relaxation is achieved. It might also be done during releasing of muscle tension beginning from the toes to the whole body including the head.

For beginners there are a lot of relaxation tapes, CDs and DVDs which will usually contain soft music. Some may contain natural sounds such as tweeting of the birds or the sound of rolling waves. These natural sounds connect us to the nature bringing an inner peace. On the other hand, the second phase is the imagery or the visualisation itself. For this there are many different forms.

One is the relaxation imagery wherein pleasurable and rather happy surroundings are imagined in order to keep the body and mind peaceful. These situations may have happened to the person before or they may be purely fictional.

Healing imagery is also done particularly when a person has just undergone surgery or has any trauma. In this imagery, patients are made to think of themselves as being happy and free from any ailments. There is also one version of this derived from Chinese tradition. In this version, the patient is made to imagine that energy is flowing within his or her whole body.

Pain control imagery is one way of reducing pain in patients. The person may imagine the pain and transform that image into one in which there is less pain or no pain at all. At times, a patient would envision that he can manage his pain. When he learns to control his pain he is successful in achieving a peaceful mind and body.

To reduce anxiety over a forthcoming event such as a surgery or a delivery of a baby, the person that will be undergoing such situation is made to imagine the actual occurrence of the event and the patient coming out of it successful. Again, what is vital in doing this process is that the person stays in a quiet place where it is relaxing as well. He should stay at a place where he can be at ease too. The person may also do it with the guidance of a counselor.

Health care providers perform guided imagery. And studies have proven this method to be effective specially in reducing pain among surgery patients. And apart from feeling sleepiness during sessions, there are virtually no side effects. The best thing about this is that this method is not prohibitive to people of less stature so anyone can benefit from this.

• Janny Raines
• 11/05/2009, 6:59 PM
• 0 Comments