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Treatment with
Guided Imagery
By Dr. Dany
Lousky
Guided imagery is a
treatment method
characteristic of
the intellectual
dimension. Through
guided imagery, it
is possible to
practice and train
the ability to
change beliefs and
approaches. The
treatment with
guided imagery
begins with a short
relaxation, when
calming background
music is used to
enable the patient
to enter the quiet
and take long and
rhythmic breaths.
This state allows
the patient to
observe and empower
his force of life.
The process
continues with a
story and images
through which it is
possible to lead the
patient to the root
of the problem that
we seek to treat.
There are different
types of imagery to
effect change: open
imagery, planned
imagery, and guided
imagery (Fanning,
1995) . Open imagery
is listening to the
sub-consciousness.
The person closes
his eyes and waits
to see what pops
into his mind. This
type of imagery is
suitable to the
research of
resistance to change
in life, to the
exposure of
emotions, to the
discovery of
personal images, and
to the clarification
of the
possibilities.
Planned imagery
means the listening
and conversing with
the subconscious
according to a
predetermined
script. This type of
imagery is
beneficial for the
achievement of
objectives, the
improvement of the
athletic ability,
the acceleration of
the healing of
injuries, and the
increase of the
images. Guided
imagery is the
integration of open
imagery and planned
imagery. In the
imagination some
detailed occurrence
is created, with the
elimination of
certain essential
elements, and then
the subconscious is
allowed to fill them
in. Guided imagery
is suited to
self-improvement, to
mental care, to
healing, and to
control of pain. In
the end, according
to Fanning (1995),
the person develops
his own reason to
explain why and how
his imagination acts
– a reason that best
suits his outlook
and explains how
guided imagery works
for him.
Jung (in Shalev,
1987) created the
term ‘archetype’, an
innate universal
symbol that is
shared by many
people. For
instance, a cave is
an archetypical
image for a womb.
Jung maintains that
if a person believes
that a ghost is
attacking him, he
will respond to it
as he will respond
to an armed burglar.
Thus, Jung founded
the idea that the
only reality the
person knows is his
cognitive images,
whether they are
real or whether they
are imaginary.
From time
immemorial, many
experiments have
been conducted that
have proved
repetitively the
relationships
between the force of
thought and
imagination and the
body. Modern
medicine began to
use the biofeedback
method and thus
acknowledged the
power of thinking
for controlling the
different actions of
the body.
Biofeedback is a
treatment method in
which the patient is
connected to
machinery that
measures different
actions of his body.
The patient sees on
the monitor the
different indices
and learns to
control them by his
power of thought.
Frequently, from the
lack of awareness of
the power of
thoughts (and
sometimes despite
the awareness), we
imagine scenarios
that do not benefit
us. A person who
over the course of
many years does not
believe in his
ability to change an
existing situation
will find it
difficult to induce
a change; for
instance, to stop
smoking, to lose
weight, to heal from
a certain illness,
or to realize
another dream.
Psycho-neuro-immunological
medicine is a new
realm in the science
of medicine. This
domain investigates
the reciprocal
relations between
the ‘psycho’
(emotions and
thoughts) and the
‘neuro’ (nervous
system) and the
immunological system
(immunity). In other
words, this field
studies the impacts
of the mind on the
immune system. In
situations in which
we lack the mental
powers to achieve
something, guided
imagery can support
the process and
create a new and
optimistic
understanding that
will fulfill itself.
Guided imagery
entails the
potential to fulfill
dreams, the ability
to influence the
reality of our lives
using the power of
thought. It enables
the simulation of
healing influences,
since the human mind
responds identically
to an event whether
it occurred in
reality and whether
it was imaginary.
Integrated medicine
is medicine that
incorporates methods
of treatment from
each one of the four
dimensions that
comprise the whole
person. Guided
imagery is a
treatment method
that enables
training and
practice of the
intellectual
dimension in each
one of the 32
intelligences, to
effect a change in
approach, to shape a
new belief, to
change practices,
and at the end of
the process, to even
change the personal
reality (Lousky,
2005).
Table number 7
presents the
relationship between
guided imagery and
the intelligences;
guided imagery for
the training and
practice and opening
of the intellectual
channel in each one
of the 32
intelligences for
the purpose of
change (Lousky,
2005)
The Relationship
between Guided
Imagery and the
Intelligences
|
|
Desire |
Guided
imagery
to train
the
ability
to
define
the will |
|
א |
Free
will |
You are
in a
world
where
everything
is
possible
for you |
|
מ |
Desire
to give |
You are
known
for
generosity,
giving
of your
money,
love, &
yourself |
|
ש |
Desire
to
receive |
You are
beside
the
bonfire,
the
consuming
flame |
|
|
Teachers |
Guided
imagery
to train
the
ability
to
change
approaches
&
beliefs |
|
ב |
Wisdom |
All that
you do
is
perfect,
in the
right
time &
place |
|
ג |
Richness |
You take
great
satisfaction
in the
simple
things
in life |
|
ד |
Seed |
You
laugh,
are
happy,
dance &
sing all
day |
|
כ |
Life |
You &
all
people
are
leaves
flowing
in the
river |
|
פ |
Self-Governance |
In your
dreams
you are
free of
excess
knowledge
&
over-justification |
|
ר |
Peace |
You love
people &
people
love
you,
without
bounds |
|
ת |
Charm |
You are
naked,
everyone
is
naked,
lovely
like the
angels |
|
|
Forces |
Guided
imagery
to train
the
ability
to
identify
emotional
lacks |
|
1 |
Light |
Even
when
things
seem to
be a
mistake,
it works
out for
the good |
|
2 |
Beginning |
You are
reborn,
now |
|
3 |
Love |
You &
all your
family
are
cells in
God’s
body |
|
4 |
Freedom |
You will
fly far,
you will
do what
you
always
dreamed
of doing |
|
5 |
Thinking |
You
shatter
walls,
go on
forwards |
|
6 |
Unity |
You walk
the path
of the
angels |
|
7 |
Observation |
You see
yourself
in the
figure
of the
people
around
you |
|
8 |
Healing |
Imagine
a ball
of light
rotating
around
your
body,
healing
you |
|
9 |
Immunity |
You are
a field
of
flowers
characterizing
your
life,
clear
the
thorns |
|
10 |
Discovery |
Be a
tree, a
flower,
water, a
cloud,
wind, &
fire. |
|
|
Senses |
Guided
imagery
to train
the
ability
to
determine
&
realize
objectives |
|
ה |
Vision |
Your
body is
the
colors
that are
created |
|
ו |
Hearing |
The
cells of
your
body are
an
orchestra
playing
your
music |
|
ז |
Smell |
You see
‘what is
born’
long
before
this
happens |
|
ח |
Speech |
You are
a
spiritual
guide, a
lecturer,
a poet,
a known
author |
|
ט |
Taste |
You are
90 years
old &
wouldn’t
change a
thing of
your
occurrences |
|
י |
Deed |
You are
the
child
who
always
loved &
who
always
was
loved |
|
ל |
Touch |
You
touch
your
body,
you like
every
part of
your
body |
|
נ |
Way |
Take a
bag and
go on a
journey |
|
ס |
Gut |
The
secret
of the
letters
of your
name are
a code
that
distances
all evil |
|
ע |
Mind |
The
world is
your
playground,
go play |
|
צ |
Heart |
Hug
yourself
as
nobody
else can
hug you |
|
ק |
Cell |
You are
going
back in
time, to
prior
reincarnations |
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