About Guided Imagery Meditation

Meditation is simply directed concentration. In the case of guided imagery, the goal is to to promote relaxation by giving the mind something else to focus on besides worrisome thoughts. This is helpful for those who feel stressed or are living with one of the many medical conditions that are affected by stress. Meditation in general is gaining more acceptance within the medical community as a valid complementary therapy, that can be used alongside conventional treatment. Below is some basic information on the form of meditation called guided imagery.

Guided imagery teaches you to focus your mind on an image or picture to help distract the mind from stressful thoughts, and in an attempt to alter the physiology of the body. As you suggest to your mind to picture certain images, you can affect processes within the body. Pet scans which show brain activity, have been used to study the affects of guided imagery. Simply visualizing an image, stimulates the same areas of the brain as if you were actually seeing the image. This means the body may respond as if the event or image is an actual experience. So if you are imagining you are at a beach or other peaceful place, the body and mind may respond by relaxing. If you are dealing with an illness, imaging the illness disappearing, or your medication working, may stimulate the body to help heal itself. In addition to being useful in managing medical conditions, imagery can be used with sports or classroom activities. Before participating in a sporting activity, imagining yourself performing the way you want to, will help prepare you for your sport. Imaging yourself doing well on a test and knowing the answers can help you do better during the actual exam.

According to the Academy for Guided Imagery, studies have shown that the practice can help to reduce blood pressure, breathing rate, heart rate, lower cortisol levels, reduce angina and abnormal heart rhythms. The practice of guided imagery has been shown to speed healing. Surgical patients who practiced imagery used less medication and had shorter hospital stays. Guided imagery has been shown to increase the levels of blood oxygen in those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Asthma patients who practiced guided imagery felt less anxious and were better able to control their condition. Guided imagery has been shown to help reduce pain in patients with cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, back and neck pain and nerve damage. It has also been helpful in managing the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. Visit the websites below for the Academy of Guided Imagery and WebMD for more information on the conditions that guided imagers can help, and for references to research studies.

Our brain initiates reactions in the body based on information it is receiving about our environment. As the brain interprets the signals and sensations it is presented with, it makes a decision as to the best way to respond. The brain then sends signals via the nervous system to our muscles, glands and organs to bring about the desired response. The body responds to images created through guided imagery meditation as if the event were real. For example, take a moment to image you are eating a lemon. Close your eyes and take time to remember what a lemon smells like and tastes like. Pretend to actually smell the lemon. Pretend you are squirting some lemon juice into your mouth and tasting it. Even though you did not actually taste the lemon you may have puckered and begun to salivate. The goal with guided imagery is to present the brain with positive, healing and relaxing images in an attempt to stimulate the body to respond as if the body were getting better.

When you first start to practice guided imagery, you may find it difficult to visualize images. This is normal. It often takes some practice to "See with your mind's eye." You can try a simple technique to help. First start by noticing objects around your home or office. Start with simple objects, such as a piece of fruit or a book cover. Really study the object. Then close your eyes and try to imagine as many details as you can. Then open your eyes and see how you did. Keep working at this process, and as you get better use more complex objects. With time and practice, the imagery will come more naturally.

There are many different scripts that can be used in a guided imagery session. They vary based on your preferences and the condition or situation. A simple script is to imagine yourself in a peaceful area. Find a comfortable place to lie down. Put on some soft music if that helps. Close your eyes and begin to take slow deep breaths. Allow your mind to focus just on your breathing and allow the body and mind to slow down. Next imagine yourself in a peaceful place. This can be the beach, a meadow, the woods, the mountains, a special room or any place that brings feelings of peace and contentment. Allow yourself to really visualize and experience the area. Hear the typical sounds and smell whatever smells are normally found in this place. If you are outside, feel the temperature of the air and the sun on your skin. Allow yourself to become fully absorbed in the experience. In this place, visualize yourself finding a spot to sit or lie down. Imagine the warm sun entering your body. Allow the light to enter every cell and calm and heal the body. Continue with this image for 15 to 20 minutes. When you are done, bring yourself slowly out of the meditation.