Let's start with a story. Linda was 34 weeks pregnant when she developed a condition called Cholestasis, a liver dysfunction that made her incredibly itchy. Her Ob-Gyn didn't want her to take medications, but suggested that Linda might tried guided imagery to help her manager discomfort. Linda went to a therapist who had her imagine immersing first her feet then her itchy legs into ice cold water. After a little practice, Linda was able to guide herself and found that the sensation of itchiness went away much to her great relief. That was an example of guided imagery and the impact it can have on physical symptoms. Just one example of many as we will see. This week, we're going to explore the potential role of guided imagery in health and healthcare, and discuss the benefits of guided imagery. I think that you'll find many benefits for you, both personally and professionally. But first, let's start by exploring what guided imagery is. Guided imagery is a therapeutic process that works purposefully with our imagination, using phrases and words to evoke a sensory response, that encourages the healing of mind, body, and spirit. This gentle, yet very powerful healing modality is a way to connect our unconscious with our conscious, and become creators of our own experience. The practice of guided imagery is highly adaptable to an individual's needs. It's inexpensive and it's easy to use. Martin Rossman, MD, writes in his book Guided Imagery for Self-Healing: An Essential Resource for Anyone Seeking Wellness, that we essentially have two brains. One that thinks with words and logic as demonstrated by the math equations, and the other in terms of images and feelings, like puppies. We use our verbal logic language when we communicate consciously with our bodies connecting directly with our voluntary nervous system. An example of this is, when we tell ourselves to stand up, our voluntary nervous system makes that happen through the coordination of all the necessary muscles. Visual imagery, communicates with the autonomic or involuntary nervous system, that includes the physiological processes that work outside our conscious awareness. Our autonomic nervous system regulates body functions that are essential to life, such as breathing, our heartbeat, digestion, and immune responses for example. These processes occur automatically without any conscious awareness, but we can use directed imagery to influence the unconscious workings of our autonomic nervous system. Let's explore a bit more what we mean by imagery? Imagery is simply a flow of thoughts that has sensory qualities. Thoughts that you can see, hear, feel, smell, or taste. For example, think about the last time you had a disagreement with someone. Notice what happens to your body, your breathing, and your heart rate, and your muscles. Now, recall a scenario where you felt close to someone you love. What happens to your body then? Likely, your muscles are less tense, your heart rate and breathing are slower, and you feel a sense of comfort. Using a flow of thoughts to see, smell, taste, feel, and hear, we create an image. Imagery is away your mind expresses and stores information. An inner representation of your experience or your fantasies, you've all heard the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words." Images are information dense, that is they contain a great deal of information. Imagery is the language of our bodies, the way we use to code and store information. This information is part of our subconscious mind, within each of us lies an extraordinary reservoir of wisdom. Our bodies use images in the form of pictures, sounds, sensations to create experiences. We are largely unaware of this mind-body dialogue, yet it influences all parts of us. Our dreams, memories, wishes, hopes, and fears are always we imagine. Our experiences in life are unique to each of us. We can take an example of receiving an award for an accomplishment. For one individual, it may be an experience that evokes positive feelings and a sense of satisfaction. For another, it may evoke embarrassment or a sense of insecurity. Guided imagery uses three aspects of ourselves; intention, attention, and imagination, in a focused and directed way to reach the deeper subconscious parts of us to enhance our healing. Guided imagery overlaps with many mind-body practices but it's also unique, and often asked question is how guided imagery differs from meditation and hypnosis? Sometimes, guided imagery may be called Guided Meditation, so there really can be some confusion about the labels. Both meditation and hypnosis are considered broader categories of which guided imagery maybe a part. Meditation and guided imagery both involved the process of connecting with our inner self and developing greater self-awareness. But guided imagery differs from hypnosis, and that it relies on invitation and suggestion, whereas hypnosis is often more directive and may include commands and positively programming the mind. Let's try a guided imagery session. A five-minute guided imagery video with music and nature sounds. So, close this video now, and click on the next item titled "The Forest Awakens: Guided Imagery for Stress relief."
