Learn To Use Imagery

This introduction to active imagery will teach you how to use your mind to release stress, increase confidence, improve health and bring yourself into a relaxed state of self-healing. Go on a guided journey to discover which of your five senses are most powerful when it comes to imagery. Then create your own unique image by using the movie screen in your mind. Imagery is the language of the unconscious mind that can negatively or positively effect our emotions, just like watching a movie.

Transcript

The intention of this practice is to teach you to use active imagery.

Do you practice imagery currently?

Are you hopeful?

Do you worry?

The two strongest and most common forms of imagery are hope and worry.

Depending on the thoughts we cultivate,

Imagery can either make a situation worse than it really is,

Worry,

Or get us out when we feel agitated or stuck,

Hope.

Using the analogy that the mind is media storage,

The mental media of the unconscious mind includes imagery,

Emotions,

Words,

And our internal felt sense,

Which is the sensation of experiences we feel inside ourselves,

Such as the feeling of warmth or cold or hunger.

So imagery is just a language of the unconscious mind.

It's one of the most basic ways in which your mind stores and represents information.

The mind hears and speaks in images and turns them into words.

We then interpret those words into concepts that form emotions.

So an emotion is just an image.

We make it good or bad based on past experiences and what we understand to be true.

Even when an event doesn't occur,

Our bodies can still produce the same response as if it did.

Imagine how you would feel if you were on a stage performing or on a sports team and you're booed.

Now imagine everyone clapping and cheering for you as you come onto the stage or into the arena.

Imagery is used to enhance athletic performance and to increase the likelihood of success in any situation.

Before racing,

A downhill skier is given valuable time to inspect the course.

This opportunity allows them to visualize the course and the line they will ski.

Through imagery,

Skiers,

Salespeople,

And even students can build confidence before they start an event.

We put into practical application the adage,

You become what you think you are.

Imagery is also used for chronic pain and disease.

It can bring the body to a place where it can self-heal.

All abuse by others or to yourself is negative imagery.

Have you ever said you have a bad back or that some part of your body is killing you?

These are common ways negative imagery shows in our self-talk.

Often we unconsciously say things about ourselves that would annoy or anger us if they were said to us by someone else.

Imagery and meditation differ in application.

Meditation is a state of awareness where you simply observe.

You switch roles from being the actor in your mindful movie to the audience watching your movie.

In imagery,

You are the director of the movie of your life.

You actively create a scene in your mind in order to change the way you feel.

All imagery is valid and there's no wrong way to do it.

What can be helpful is to discover what senses your mind and body respond to the best.

Give yourself a moment to get comfortable.

We'll be practicing a short guided imagery just to see which of your senses will be most powerful when you create your image.

Please feel free to pause the recording if you need some extra time to get comfortable.

We'll begin the guided meditation.

The rain cleared and you're walking in a forest of tall trees.

Smell the wet leaves on the forest floor.

Notice the patterns of sunlight filtering through the trees.

See the shimmer of the golden light on the wet leaves.

Feel the dappled sunlight on your face.

Hear the tiny raindrops as they fall from the big oak trees.

You reach out and touch the rough brown bark of an oak tree.

As you touch the tree,

Your awareness is distracted by the squeaky jeer of a bird.

Look up over your right shoulder and see the blue jay resting in the tree above you.

You decide to sit down on a large flat rock to rest.

Feeling relaxed,

You smell the pine needles.

Notice the fuzzy green moss growing on the side of the pine tree next to you.

Somewhere in the distance you hear the sound of rushing water.

You're drifting off with the flow when you notice that your body feels slightly chilled.

Then you remember that you packed a thermos of chai tea with honey.

Take it out of your backpack.

Feel the blue thermos in your hand as it warms your hand.

Open it.

Feel the soothing steam on your face.

Bring it to your nose.

Smell the cinnamon and cloves.

Take the thermos to your mouth and feel the warm metal ridge on the bottom lip.

Take a small sip and let the tea roll onto your tongue.

It's the sweetness of the honey.

The temperature is just right and you take a big sip.

Feel the warm tea go into your throat and all the way down into your abdomen.

The corners of your mouth turn up into a satisfied smile.

Your whole body feels relaxed and warm.

In this guided imagery were you able to see the trees?

The sunlight?

Did you feel the sun on your face?

Could you feel the oak tree?

The warm thermos?

Were you able to hear the raindrops?

The blue jay?

The stream?

Could you smell the forest floor?

The pine trees?

The tea?

Could you taste the tea?

The honey?

Use a few of your strongest senses when you create active imagery.

Well now experience the practice of imagery.

When you first start practicing imagery,

Do your best to find an environment that's quiet and free from outside distraction.

As you get better at this practice,

You'll be able to do it even with noise around you.

If you were to put a movie on for yourself,

What would you do to enhance the experience?

Any favorite pillows or blankets?

Clothing?

What position is most comfortable for your body?

Your body position should invite you into a relaxing daydream.

Close your eyes if that feels okay.

Notice the breath wherever you can find it.

Observe its gentle flow in and out.

The spontaneous natural breath.

If you're fighting your body position in any way,

Make small,

Slow movements to release the body.

The key to using imagery successfully is to start from a place of rest.

Use your inhalation to draw you inward to a place of relaxed awareness.

As you breathe out,

Feel the position of your body.

Allow yourself to be present in the body.

Try not to move the body unless you become uncomfortable.

Ask yourself what emotion do you want your movie to invoke?

Peace,

Satisfaction,

Confidence,

Love,

Vitality.

If you would like,

You can create an affirmation such as,

I am at peace.

I am loved.

Or I am ready.

Make the affirmation the title of your movie.

Allow the mind to image the point between the two eyebrows.

This is our movie screen for the mind and senses.

The home for your awareness during this practice where you can become the director of the movie of your life.

The mind screen is as big and wide as you can make it.

Invoke the literary phrase,

Suspension of disbelief.

This concept invites us to willfully accept all parts of our movie.

The set,

The scene,

The actor or actors,

The whole movie script.

Let the mind screen imagine a place that invokes the desired feelings for you.

Think of your movie title.

And this could be a place you've been to.

A place you've seen in a photo or simply heard about.

It can be in your home,

On the water,

In the mountains,

Anywhere.

And day or night.

It may be a place that doesn't actually exist except in your mind.

Pick a destination that's completely fantastical if that's what you want.

It doesn't matter if the image is simple,

Unrealistic,

Exotic or completely extravagant.

Acknowledge where you are in the present moment.

But also believe or more accurately feel that what you are viewing on the mind screen is really happening.

Invite yourself to sit in the director's chair and be transported onto the set of your movie.

It's as if your movie is based on actual life events happening in real time.

Unlike visualization which only focuses on our sense of sight,

Remember to direct your movie using all of your strongest senses.

Sight.

Make a mental note of everything you see around you.

Colors,

Shapes,

Sizes.

Are you alone or with others?

Picture details as clearly as you can and with as much depth as you can.

Sound.

What do you hear,

If anything?

Sounds of nature,

Voices,

Music.

The sound of air moving.

Perhaps your movie is more of a silent picture.

Touch.

If you reach out,

What is it that you can feel with your hands?

Under your feet?

What else might be touching your skin?

Clothing.

The hand of another.

A furry animal.

Sounds if you can feel your body in movement or stillness.

Smell.

What if anything can you sense through your nostrils?

The smell of flowers wafting in the air,

Pine trees,

Delicious food cooking,

A favorite familiar essential oil.

Let the aroma permeate your nose,

Filling your sinuses.

Taste.

Do you have the opportunity to put something to your lips,

In your mouth?

Can you roll it around on your tongue?

Do you salivate?

Describe the flavor with as much detail as possible.

Delight in the deliciousness.

Hear.

Do you hear any subtle messages or dialogue?

Listen and acknowledge them.

Then edit them out of your movie using the delete button.

When your mind wanders,

Feel your breath again.

Use the breath as a camera to bring the mind back to your movie screen.

Continue to expand your image using the senses that are most active and real for you.

If you get distracted by anything outside of you or your own thoughts,

It's okay.

Simply press the play button again and continue to watch your movie.

Now please pick a point in your physical body that needs healing.

Or think of a quality that you would like to saturate your mind with.

It may have something to do with the title of your movie,

Your affirmation.

As you inhale,

Image your movie on the mind screen.

As you exhale,

Allow the breath to project the image down to the place or places in your body that need it.

Continue with this process.

Inhale and image your movie on the mind screen.

Inhale as the breath projects the image down into the place or places in your body that you've chosen.

Initially you may only see the movie as an image.

Continue to be present in the image.

Notice if there's a sense of emotion or energy that you feel with your image.

Let the feelings and emotions associated with your image fill the area in your body.

Notice your role.

Are you still directing?

Perhaps you step in as the actor.

Now allow the breath to image your movie in your mind screen and then carry the message and the feelings associated with your image to the rest of your whole body.

Continue to inhale as you direct or star in your movie.

Exhale and share the images in the mind with the sensations in your body.

When you're ready,

End the movie and feel the position of the body.

Notice where you are in the room.

With your eyes still closed,

Visualize the floor,

The walls,

And the ceiling.

Come back into the room and into your body.

Find gentle movements.

Notice how you feel.

Take some time before you stand up.

Now that you've experienced active imagery,

You can continue this practice anytime you want anywhere using the same image or varying your image to suit your needs.

Namaste.

Reviews

Very nice! I will have to listen to this over & over to better understand how it will work for me. I’m trying to find something that will work for constant dissociation, I need to stay in my body to keep my power! Any suggestions would be helpful.

This was so good! It just cemented what I had learnt earlier by mynume. Really worth doing. Thank you.

So helpful, thank you! 🙏🏻

Lovely introduction to learn how to improve my imagination for healing.
Namaste with blessings.

Thank this practice will help me achieve my goals and improve the quality of my life. Namaste

This was very helpful. I also liked the roles of actor or director in my movie. For some reason, I'm really good at certain kinds of imagery and really bad at others. I don't know why that is or what I can do to improve on the areas that I'm not good at. Really enjoyed it!

My fave so far, awesome perspective on audience, actor, director

Wow 🙏 this was an amazing experience for. I generally have difficulty with envisioning. I am forever grateful for this valuable lesson. Namaste🌹

Wonderful practice...thank you 🙏🏻

Amazing experience, thank you 🙏❤️