#guided imagery

[msbutterfly5294]

There is a fine line between using your trauma to heal through creativity and remind others they aren’t alone or as a message , a warning of the dangers ;

“ and using that trauma through creativity to make it into reality . ”

. . .

“ You can use your creativity to make your trauma remain a message , a lesson. . . Or have it remain here , in the now and forever . ”

[awarenessaslove]

[ur-friendly-neighborhood-cryptid]

I did guided imagery today in school and it was weird. I fell asleep pretty quick, and I couldn't hear the audio anymore. I was aware that I was asleep though, and I couldn't move my body until the audio ended. So until it was over I was just chilling on my phone in my head. I think I was on dream Tumblr but I don't remember anything I saw. Would this be considered lucid dreaming?

[woowoolab]

Bring your awareness into the center of your head. Receive whatever your experience is and send a little bit of love,a little radiance and light.

Move your awareness to your heart. Do the same. Feel what you feel here. Fully take in whatever is arising. Then allow from the center of your heart, an opening and let the light come out. Give to yourself from this eternal well of love, well being, nurturing and kindness.

Now let's go down to the area below your belly button. The "Hara"'. Bring your awareness into your lower belly and notice what you notice here. You may see images or colors, or feel body sensations. Just notice with an openness and willingness to receive what IS. If you notice something that feels uncomfortable, that's ok. Just let it be. And return to your awareness itself. Now open up this space and see it as a giving light. Give to yourself here, generosity of spirit, appreciation, fondness....

Let these three energy centers, the head, the heart, and the hara, be connected and flowing together energetically. Let your light expand from all of them, gently surrounding your body in a soft glowing, nourishing aura around you. Breathe. Notice your breath. Feel your body. Just as it is. Feel the life that flows through you.

Notice that you can center yourself in your own loving energy and choose to transmit this loving vibration. You can experience the world from this space in a dance of giving and receiving.

Let me know what you experience and what inspires YOU.

[unwelcome-ozian]

[theholyway]

Guided Imagery

Image sourced from: here

Did you know that your imagination can be used as a tool to improve your overall health and well-being? Guided imagery sessions can help do just that. It is a mind-body connection technique that uses both your senses and mental images to make you feel as if you are actually there (Guided Therapeutic Imagery, n.d.).

“For example, if we imagine slowly sucking on a lemon slice with great detail – the sour, tart taste and the soft, juicy texture – we will soon begin to salivate” (Smith, 2017). Another example, the therapists would use verbal prompts to encourage participants to take notice in visualizing the senses of the scene such as the sound, texture and smell. This can also cause the participant to have more control of their breathing while their muscles relax to be in a calm state (Guided Therapeutic Imagery, n.d.).

The goal of this is to improve a person’s health both physically and mentally. These sessions can be done with a group led by a trained practitioner or it can be done at the comfort of your own home using audio recordings. 

Research has shown that with just 10 minutes of the session it can help improve your immune system, foster weight loss, fight depression, fatigue, reduce anxiety, and lower blood pressure and glucose levels (Urban, 2019). According to Duke Integrative Medicine (2017), research has also shown that these sessions improves hospital recovery time, reduce pain and insomnia, and improve self-confidence and self-control. 

At the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, sessions are offered by appointment and free audio recordings are offered by advanced practitioners and behavioral health specialists. These audio recordings offered include accessing inner intuition and wisdom, autogenic training, breathing deeply for relaxation and stress relief, comfort in the face of grief and loss, easing pain, preparing for surgery or something procedural, and more. 

These practice sessions are mostly considered to be safe however, some studies have shown that it can lead to producing false memories. You should let your physician know if you're doing alternative therapy or combining it with your medical treatment (Guided Therapeutic Imagery, n.d.). Guided Imagery. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/integrative-complementary-medicine/resources/guided-imagery# Smith, L. (2017, September 12). Easing into Sleep: Guided Imagery Exercise. Retrieved from https://dukeintegrativemedicine.org/dukeimprogramsblog/easing-sleep-guided-imagery-exercise/ Team, G. T. E. (n.d.). Guided Therapeutic Imagery. Retrieved from https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/guided-therapeutic-imagery Urban, L. (2019, August 1). 5 Holistic Therapy Techniques You Should Try Today. Retrieved from https://thewell.northwell.edu/well-informed/5-holistic-therapy-techniques-you-should-try-today

[dig-my-earth]

When dealing with difficult emotions, it’s helpful to learn ways to distinguish our SELF with the temporary emotion/feeling/thought. Here’s a guided meditation from me to you :)

Close your eyes, and start to tune into what you are feeling and sensing:

Where is it located? is it all over, is it in one place? Is it in your head? in your stomach?

What color is it? is it bright? is it dim?

What temperature is it? is hot or cold?

What shape is the it? is it fluid or rough or pronounced?

Resting with each of these and observing your emotion/feeling/thought in this way will allow the separation from it rather than identifying with it. For me this helps, especially when I’m feeling all consumed by something. Hope this helps you, xx

[niallerlovesirishamericans]

Let this sink in, a lot of people struggle with their own mental devices, it’s how we choose to manage those thoughts and react to them, that really counts.