What are some of the important things to know about the practice of Guided Imagery?
Perhaps during the course of your life you have visited a therapist or heard about alternative medicine techniques. One of the most frequently used techniques practised in alternative medicine is known as guided imagery. Guided imagery takes on many forms and can be practised in a wide variety of ways, but one of the main things it focuses on is the end result of stress reduction. Have you ever noticed how when talking about food, and visualizing it within your mind that you become hungry or increasingly hungry? Another example is thinking about how stressful your job is and while visualizing this, you might begin to notice anxiety creep into your mind in the present. This is not a mere coincidence in action, but is rather showing the sheer power of one’s mind and how it may affect our emotions & feelings. If we regularly use imagery processes in our minds both in positive and negative ways, it is rational to believe that by properly using this guided imagery tool we are able to eliminate harmful stress from our lives. Guided imagery is used by us both consciously and unconsciously throughout our daily life, and the ability to harness this extremely helpful technique can mean a world of difference to one’s mental & physical health.
As someone who frequently practices meditation and alternative medicine techniques, guided imagery is one of the most ingenious tools I use daily in balancing my inner being. While using your imagination to practice the process of guided imagery you are not only helping your mind to expand positively, but you are gaining the ability to practice more control over your instincts and emotions. While using guided imagery you are able to take yourself consciously in your mind to a peaceful state of being and exist there as long as you like. Practising this state regularly can promote a healthy mental mind, and greatly reduce stress and anxiety levels. A simple example of this is imagining yourself on an island, kicked back on a chair and relaxing on the beach. As you exist here try to picture your surroundings as much as possible, such as a gentle breeze blowing against your skin, the sound of the ocean as the tide rolls into shore, the image of pelicans flying overhead, and kids running about on the beach building sandcastles. This example and many others can help in transforming one’s life in a positive manner, and is known in alternative medicine as guided imagery.
There are many positive things about using guided imagery in one’s program for self improvement. Perhaps one of the most awesome benefits is that guided imagery is completely free, and you can practice it on your own any time of the day. Additionally, you can also seek therapists who have extensive knowledge in guided imagery techniques are able to guide you in learning how to practice this technique. Ultimately it’s up to the individual themselves if they chose to hire a therapist to help in their self improvement plan.
Another option for guided imagery is the ability to download guided imagery scripts. These scripts walk the user through a particular scenery or imaging phase to achieve a particular result. You can use our website to find many downloads or guides that will link you to guided imagery scripts and articles. These scripts, known as “guided imagery tours”, can be extremely powerful in walking someone through the technique which is increasingly on the rise in alternative medicine.
Many individuals with health issues such as cancer, are recommended to use guided imagery therapy to help with their condition. One of the ways this can be practiced is in the instance of having cancer. One can imagine deep into the particular part of their body which is affected, and visualize both the healthy cells and cancerous cells. Using imagery in one’s mind to visualize the healthy cells fighting off the cancerous cells can help greatly in improving ones self-esteem in their recovery from the condition.
You may be saying to yourself that this method seems completely irrational or that there’s no way such visualization can help in the healing of a medical condition. However there have been many medical studies proving that not only does guided imagery help to heal unhealthy cells, but it also drastically helps to improve the user’s overall self esteem. Sometimes, all it takes in a situation such as this is a little faith and energy in giving a technique such as guided imagery a go.
Whether you feel like guided imagery is a useful method in improving your life, it should definitely not be the only self improvement tool within your arsenal. While regularly practising guided imagery, it is also important to note that you should have a balanced and healthy lifestyle. This includes eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise. One should also ensure they are getting enough time bonding with loved ones and friends, and practising positive relationship building. There are instances where you may be able to find a guided imagery partner, and practice guided imagery scripts with each other on a regular basis. This would be a great way to get oneself motivated in the regular habit of practising the technique.
Aside from the information we have given you here on guided imagery there are many publications and scientific forms of proof that confirm this alternative medicine practice is effective when performed properly. Whether you are trying to recover from a serious illness, or simply remove everyday stress from your life there is definitely hope to be found in guided imagery. It has been recently demonstrated that it both speeds up recovery from surgery and increases the human immune system. Our minds are extremely powerful, and science is constantly re-writing and confirming it daily. As alternative medicine makes its way onto the forefront of modern medicine, we are going to see practices such as guided imagery become increasingly more and more popular. It’s your life so make a positive step today and start practising guided imagery to help create an affirmative change.
