[(JD)]

Hi folks!

This Sunday at 3 pm I'll be in the auditorium (chat room) hosting a chat, and ready to lead those members who are interested in learning about guided imagery.

What is guided imagery? Basically, it is a way for you to use focused relaxation that will create or strengthen harmony between your mind and body. Web MD says, "Guided imagery is a program of directed thoughts and suggestions that guide your imagination toward a relaxed, focused state. You can use an instructor, tapes, or scripts to help you through this process."

With these chats, you will hopefully learn if you wish to try to use this method, and the basics of how to do that for your own reasons and needs. The chats will give you enough information so that you can progress by yourself, without the need of anyone else.

Guided imagery is a way to find self-awareness, relaxation, and/or self-healing through directed thoughts.

No actual guided imagery will be done during these first few weeks of chat. This is mainly to chat about this method, how it's used, how to develop your own "script" for your own needs, and to ask questions for which I and other members will help you find the answers.

Some uses for guided imagery:

" You can use it to promote relaxation, which can lower blood pressure and reduce other problems related to stress. You can also use it to help reach goals (such as losing weight or quitting smoking), manage pain, and promote healing. Using guided imagery can even help you to prepare for an athletic event or for public speaking." (Web MD)

" It can be just as simple as an athlete's 10-second reverie, just before leaping off the diving board, imagining how a perfect dive feels when slicing through the water. Or it can be as complex as imagining the busy, focused buzz of thousands of loyal immune cells, scooting out of the thymus gland on a search and destroy mission to wipe out unsuspecting cancer cells." (Health Journeys)

"Clinical applications of guided imagery are tremendously broad, and include, but are not limited to:

• Acute and chronic pain relief
• Addictions
• Anxiety, phobias, and panic disorders
• Cancer treatment and life-threatening illness
• Couples and relationship counseling
• Depression
• Family and parenting issues
• Fertility, birthing, and delivery
• Fitness training
• Grief therapy
• Immune augmentation
• Issues of aging
• Managing chronic illness and preventing acute exacerbations
• Meaning and purpose
• Medication compliance and adherence issues
• Mind/body issues
• Post-traumatic stress disorders
• Preparation for surgery and medical procedures
• Relaxation training
• Sleep disorders
• Smoking cessation
• Spirituality
• Stress reduction and management
• Survivors of abuse and trauma
• Teaching self-care
• Terminal illness and end of life care
• Weight control " ( Academy for Guided Imagery)

Here are just a few links regarding uses and studies on "Guided Imagery" and it's benefits.

Ackerman CJ, Turkoski B. Using guided imagery to reduce pain and anxiety. Home Healthc Nurse 2000;Sep, 18(8):524-530;quiz, 531.

Antall GF, Kresevic D. The use of guided imagery to manage pain in an elderly orthopaedic population. Orthop Nurs 2004;23(5):335-340.

Gaston-Johansson F, Fall-Dickson JM, Nanda J, et al. The effectiveness of the comprehensive coping strategy program on clinical outcomes in breast cancer autologous bone marrow transplantation. Cancer Nurs 2000;Aug, 23(4):227-285.

Halpin LS, Speir AM, CapoBianco P, Barnett SD. Guided imagery in cardiac surgery. Outcomes in Management & Nursing Practice, 2002 Jul-Sep;6(3):132-7In 1998.

For those who are dissociative and already know the power of such imagery, this can be a way of developing some control for themselves, and their systems, in a safe way.

Hope you can make the chat!

_Sky!

This technique sounds really interesting.
I desperately need something to beat anxiety attacks.
I'll set my alarm to be there next Sunday

See you then...

- Cat

[jbug]

Sky....thanks for doing this chat..I will have to try to remember to pop in. This might just do the trick for me to be able to relax at night to go to sleep.

Jbug

[nightbird]

(((sky)))

this is one of my favorite things!!!!!
(because it works for me)

I hope those on the fence will consider giving it a try!

It helps me with sleep, anxiety, panic, side effects from my medications, lessens pain, helps me to re-focus on things I have to do afterwards, has helped with fighting cancer, and now, I'm using it to prepare for surgery!

all people need to know is that you have to apply yourself, shut off everything else around you ... put up a do not disturb sign on your room if you have too, lol, and forget your smoking, or drinking, or too much caffeine, for that matter ... because you need to be ready to relax and all those distractions aren't best anyway, so if you show up all over-stimulated or altered, you won't get the full benefit...

That's all I wanted to say, because I have lots of respect for the practitioners who do this right, and the help that so many receive from it ... and I would want others to gain the best experience from it, even as a starter ... so, I just shared this in case it clears up stuff for some on the type of setting that is best .. which is the one where you have the least distractions, lol.

see you there!

Peace,
night
xoxo

[314159pi]

is this on sunday at 3pm est (eastern time) ?
or cut (greenwich mean time)?
thanks for doing this. i might try to be around.
pi

[(JD)]

Thanks all! Pi, it's Eastern time. I tried to make it so even the UK members might make it.

[(JD)]

bump (bumping up post to top of forum)

Sky i'd like to say I'll make it but we have to go for turkey dinner an hour after, so i might not. I hope to try though.

[free2beme]

...............

[ECHOES]

Rats, I missed it.
I hope it was good

I love guided imagery. I hope to make it next time.

[(JD)]

Thanks to all who attended this first chat on guided imagery! I will be hosting two more at least, at the same time, place, day.

It was mainly an information sharing chat, some basics from me and abilities from you.

Here's one of the suggestions for "homework" I gave. For those interested in participating in the future, you might try some of these as well, to see how you do.

There is no failure with this method. Everything you do, as you become aware, is beneficial.

_Sky: Picture the color red. and have that color red to fade to pale blue.

_Sky: Hear the screech of chalk on the blackboard... and then have the chalk crumble into a soft powder

_Sky: Feel the tension of a cable... and then slacken the cable

_Sky: Hear the scream of a siren in the night... and then soften that sound to a whisper of a flute

_Sky: See the glare of a searchlight... and have that light fade to a rosy soft glow.

_Sky: Feel the confinement of a dark tunnel... and then have that tunnel open up into a light, airy beach

_Sky: Hear the pounding of a jackhammer....and now jackhammer becomes the hands of a masseuse kneading your muscles.

_Sky: (taken from Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook)

You can practice from 10 seconds to 10 minutes a day. Just don't do these while driving or when you need to focus on what you're doing at home or work!

For those who are already dissociative, this will work well for you. For those with DID, do have a signal for your system to give you, maybe a red flag or stop sign, or something audible, in case a part of you wants you to stop. Setting this up in advance will help keep you safer. If you aren't sure you will wake up, set an alarm clock or a kitchen timer. Generally, if you tell yourself you only want to work on this 10 minutes, your brain will keep time for you.

See you all next week!

[(JD)]

I hope to see you all tomorrow again! There was a great turn-out last week and good chatting! I'm eager to find out what success you may have had with the above exercises, and what you have realized about yourself with regard to needs or such.
No stress, just come and share if you wish!

I went to the mountains, myself. I mean, in my mind's eye. One of the old backpacking trails in the Clark National Forest. I think I'll go there again.

[Capp]

Guided Imagery has been invaluable to me day by day.
I hope I'll soon be allowed into the chat rooms...

Using Imagery has helped me through surviving cancer twice, numerous surgeries, but the absolute best in many ways is the day to day frustrations faced by most of us.
Within minutes, I can go from tachycardia, fear, panic--whatever--into a relaxed state where I feel somewhat in control.
It doesn't always work, to be honest. It will however lessen the impact of these things on me. I might feel like jello on the inside, but I'm still standing...

[(JD)]

You are welcomed to join us next Sunday capp! You have enough posts, so if you still can't enter the chat rooms, it probably is a technical glitch (your computer or settings here IDK) Ask a mod or admin to help you! Capp, adding all the senses to your imagery will help you obtain success each time. That you have done it, and know you can is a great motivator. Being aware of any reactions is a good skill too.
Add in all 5 senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell and ground yourself.
Laughter helps if you can find something.

We had another good chat! We are just covering the basics, slowly, trying to keep it all safe for everyone... helping you to find your strengths to practice first.

Everyone welcome! See you then.

Oh Sky I'm so sorry I missed it hon ..... things on my mind .... I'll be there next week all being well .... hope it was a sgood as last week .... love, Jinny xoxoxoxoxo

[(JD)]

I hope everyone who wishes to come will remember to!

This week I hope you can share some of the ways you use meditation, guided imagery, and the like in your life, to help you relax or cope with your life. (If you don't have any yet, or aren't comfortable sharing, that's ok! No stress.)

I have a very short short short! thing to try which has had good results for me. Very safe.

For those of you who find yourself triggered as you attempt to use guided imagery, remember to keep trying...going very slowly... allowing yourself to feel whatever it is you are feeling...it's all ok. You're ok. This is more work for some than others, but can result in good benefits.

Originally I wasn't planning on going more than 3 weeks with this topic, but since it's so popular, and the pace is slow, I will continue indefinitely for now.

Newcomers are welcomed at any time, and at any time in the chat. If needed in the future, I'll designate the last 15 minutes to bring newcomers up to speed with where the rest of the chat has been. Be sure to ask for fill-ins.

I can PM the previous chats to those wishing to join in the chat in the future. It's quite casual. (I say this because often my hosted chats are quite structured.)

This is a good technique that everyone can use to some extent. Even if you are too busy now to add anything, put it on your list of things to check into at some point.

See you Sunday!

[(JD)]

bumpity bump bump

[(JD)]

This Sunday's chat will touch on those stressful situations that come with the holidays.

Everyone is welcome!

[seeker1950]

Thank you, Sky, for offering this! Is it still this coming Sunday at 3:00? I will try to make it there.
Patty

[silver_queen]

Well Sky I've seen the advert for this in time this week

But it's for what holidays? Christmas and the NEw Year?

[(JD)]

Originally Posted by silver_queen

Well Sky I've seen the advert for this in time this week

But it's for what holidays? Christmas and the NEw Year?

Hi silver! It isn't about any one holiday. It's about each person taking what they project will be a stressful situation and how she/he can visualize it so it isn't. Then, when in the situation, remember the visualization.

Hope you can make it!

[fireinsideasnowball]

Hi Sky, I really enjoyed reading through this thread, the work you're doing sounds excellent. I'm very interested in guided imagery and visualisation techniques and in the last year or so have bought/downloaded plenty of great stuff from people like Denise Linn, Gill Edwards, Louise Hay, Bernie Siegel, Shakti Gawain and Sanaya Roman. The power of such material is indisputable, in fact the results can often be quite overwhelming, but all to the good ultimately! Some of the exercises you suggest also remind me of a book called 'What We May Be' by Piero Ferrucci, which people who can't make the sessions might enjoy.

I'd love to join the chat sessions you're hosting but having read through the thread I now realise that I have to have been posting here for a while before I can get into Chat, and as you can see this is only my second post. So best wishes to you and all who benefit from your generous project. I'll keep my eye on the posts here to find out if things are still happening when I'm able to join you all

[(JD)]

Today's chat will center around the book, Your Body Believes Every Word You Say by Levine.

Having a good sense of the mind-body connection will help anyone with their guided imagery efforts to create a better life.

Hope to see you "here." It's on the main chat schedule... 3 pm in the auditorium.

[(JD)]

Here are some of the main statements used in chat:

• “Seedthoughts” is shorthand for the idea that thoughts affect us physically and emotionally.
  • By externalizing, verbalizing, and examining our hidden emotions, life threatening illnesses often lead to changes, which in turn allow our emotional and spiritual healing to begin.
  • Recognize that you do feel within your body sensations that result from an event in your mind.
  • There is a mental component to your feelings and a physical reaction in your body.
  • “Psychological” and “physical” and their synonyms refer to different ways of thinking about the same event.
  • Though words and thoughts alone don’t cause disease, thoughts affect us by triggering responses in the body which lead to chemical, hormonal, neurological and muscular changes.
  • A mind open to the possibility of healing encourages the process to begin and move more easily to completion.
  • Lack of human companionship is related to virtually every major disease from cancer and tuberculosis to mental illness, the link is particularly marked in the case of heart disease, the nation’s leading killer. Every year millions die, quite literally, of a broken or lonely heart.
  • Disordered thinking can produce disordered brain chemistry.
  • Orderly thinking can produce orderly brain chemistry. By noticing such harmful thoughts as “he drives me crazy” or “he makes me sick” or even “I am scared to death” you will begin to recognize your own connections between language and disease.
  • Include nutritional , spiritual and psychological approaches along with medical protocols and techniques for healing.
  • “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me” is an incorrect statement.
  • If you are obese, saying “I overeat” allows you to recognize yourself as the source of your overweight condition.
  • Recognizing your role in creating dis-ease improves your chances of releasing the disease and returning to good health.
  • It is the body directed by a conscious, creative mind that is most likely to recover
  • The body-mind system cannot distinguish fact from metaphor.
  • One of the origins of the idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy might thus be the reality that our bodies fulfill the prophecies our minds make up.

[(JD)]

Hi folks!

Just a head's up on today's chat....

The weather moving in might prevent me from being here. I'm right between two "cold" fronts and they're predicting some nasty weather for this afternoon. I don't usually have any internet connection problems, however. So should be able to come on and let you know at least, if I don't want to be online during the storm lol.

Hope to see you here at 3 pm today!