Guided imagery involves consciously using your imagination to direct your unconscious mind or to explore its wisdom in understanding symptoms, health issues, or life problems. This technique uses all five senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch) to engage your mind and body in an immersive mental experience. The goal of guided imagery is to harness the power of the mind-body connection. When you imagine a calm, peaceful place, your body often responds as if you were actually there: you may feel more relaxed, your heart rate may slow, and your breathing may become deeper. These physiological responses can help manage stress, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and even enhance the body’s natural healing processes. Guided imagery can also connect you to the hidden knowledge and inner wisdom of your unconscious mind. It’s important to remember that there are some people who don’t have a visual imagination. It’s called aphantasia, and these people can do other activities using movement, writing, or music to help them in a similar way.
Here’s an example of a guided imagery (or visualisation) that you can use to deal with difficult times in life. It can be recorded so that you can personalise it and use it whenever and however you want. Contact me if you have any questions or if you need support.
(*) Before starting the visualisation, it is important to know what an anchoring gesture is. It is a gesture that you choose and that will record the sensations in the body, through which you can return to them whenever you want. It has to be an easy gesture to do in any social situation. Anchoring aims to allow you to re-experience the positive sensations of that time, so that they replace the discomfort that you may be experiencing in the here and now, thus generating new bodily sensations.
The visualisation of a landscape:
‘Imagine that you are walking through a meadow of very green grass located between high snowy mountains.
Look at the mountains around you, they are very high, and you see how the white of the snow contrasts with the intense blue colour of the sky. It is midday and above you a very radiant and bright sun shines. Look at the green of the grass, the white of the snow on the mountains and the blue of the sky.
The temperature in this place is lovely, it is neither cold nor hot and a pleasant warm breeze blows gently brushes against the skin of your face.
As you walk, you notice, since you are barefoot, the soft touch of the grass under the soles of your feet. You can feel the touch of the grass, slightly damp and cool.
You walk very slowly, delighting in everything you see and feel around you. You have a great feeling of tranquility and peace.
You hear the birds singing and see them flying around you.
Now look at the plants, trees and flowers around you. There are small flowers with very bright colours, white, yellow, orange, blue… go closer to smell them. Cut a flower and bring it to your nose. Smell its aroma while you concentrate on the colour of its petals.
Continue walking very slowly, not hurrying, enjoying your walk.
Look at the streams of water that flow down from the mountains forming small brooks, where the waters jump and run, forming small waterfalls and calm pools. Concentrate until you hear the murmur of the water…
Now you are going to approach a stream and you are going to bend down and put your two joined hands in the water to collect it up and drink. Feel the freshness of the water in your hands. Bring them to your mouth and drink. Feel the fresh, pure, clean and crystalline water entering the inside of your body. That water revitalises your entire organism and you feel full of health and well-being.
Continue your walk and notice a small plant of mint, approach it and rip off some leaves. Chew them and notice the strong mint flavour on your palate. Concentrate until you notice it with total clarity.
Finally, you are going to look for a place here where you can sit comfortably. Rest and close your eyes, notice the sounds, the smells, the temperature… and rest deeply…
(*) Anchor this moment with a gesture that you can easily repeat in any situation: it can be crossing your fingers, touching your nose with your finger, etc. Every time you do this gesture you will be able to reconnect with the sensations you experience in this place.
When you feel that it is time, say goodbye to this place, thank it for the experience, you can return to it whenever you want. And little by little, slowly, return to your here and now, to the place where you are. Gently move your legs, your arms and open your eyes at your own pace. Stretch out your muscles…’
Here are some meditation and mindfulness apps: