Guided imagery is a technique which calls upon your imagination to achieve a focused and relaxed state of mind. The listener is guided through a relaxing scene, and pictures it in their minds’ eye. It’s a simple process, but takes some practice because the mind naturally likes to wander. The more you practice, the better you will get bringing your thoughts back to the relaxing scene. The goal is not to have a blank mind, but rather to have the ability to respond to unwanted thoughts with awareness and skill. There is truth to the saying: "Don't believe everything you think!"
Over the past 25 years, the effectiveness of guided imagery has been increasingly established by research findings that demonstrate its positive impact on health, creativity and performance. We now know that in many instances even 10 minutes of imagery can reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol and glucose levels in the blood, and heighten short-term immune cell activity. It can considerably reduce blood loss during surgery and morphine use after it. It also lessens headaches and pain.
For a technique that is simple, free, and portable, guided imagery packs a powerful punch in maintaining good mental and physical wellness!
Here is a simple meditation you can download and use on your favorite device. It is a 11.4 MB mp3 file.