"The more asleep we are to the reality beneath our shells, the less we feel that life is fulfilling, meaningful, and pleasurable...our suffering is not the result of being alone or of being in the wrong relationship, is not because we don't have enough money or because we have too much of it, or because of anything of the sort. Nor is it because our outer surface doesn't look as pretty as we think it should or because our personality isn't as pleasant as we think it might be. We suffer because we are living at a distance from our depths – it's as simple as that."
Interactive Guided Imagery is the fast track to connect with our own depths. When done with a Certified Interactive Imagery Guide it is safe, relaxing and enjoyable. I record each person's sessions for their eyes only, using an audiovisual technology so that they can replay and relive the experience. People tell me how surprised they were at how much self-compassion arose in them while viewing the recordings. Developing true self-compassion may be as important as insight for transforming our suffering.
I love Interactive Guided Imagery. Also abbreviated IGI, it is supposed to have a small "sm" for service mark after it - I don't know how to make that subscript. The founders of the Academy for Guided Imagery wanted to preserve the potency of the skill so that not just anybody could use it - so they put "sm" after it. Spoils the look IMO. And still very few people have heard of it, many years after it came into being.
I got certified in IGI in 2004 I think, after 3 years of rigorous learning and practice. NOT something you can go to a weekend class to learn. I think the Academy may now host weekend workshops for healthcare professionals to give them a taste, but I wish they wouldn't. As one of the few dietitians to take the full course and become certified, I fear that people might attend these weekend workshops and then feel qualified to practice, thus doing their clients a disservice.
Now with the advent of Skype and Google Hangouts, this wonderful modality can be accessed easily. I am doing my best to make that happen.
Why? See below my answer to a young woman who wondered if IGI could help with her depression:
First of all, we don't assume that there is anything wrong with anything we are feeling. Feeling depressed can be like a red light on the dashboard of your car – an indicator of something important that you need to pay attention to. You wouldn't want to "fix" your car so that the red light doesn't come on when it's time to change the oil!
So the feeling really is an indication of information for you. Interactive Guided Imagery is a very good way to access that information. During an imagery session I help you to connect with a part of yourself that knows you very well and loves you unconditionally – that is your Inner Advisor. In the company of your Inner Advisor during an imagery session, you can feel the feeling, whatever it is. Tuning into the feeling, you allow an image to form of what it looks like. What do you notice about it, what sort of qualities does it have? What feelings do you have about it? Express your feelings to it. Ask the depression what it's there for? What does it offer? What does it want you to know? You can have a safe conversation with it because you are held by the guide (me) and in the presence of your Inner Wisdom and Self Compassion (your Inner Advisor).
It can feel like depression is a force that is against us, something to struggle with that might overcome us. On the other hand, using imagery, we can access the voice of depression knowing that it is just one part of us, and that all our parts are trying to help us. It is certainly true that our parts sometimes speak to us in ways that are not very helpful! That is why imagery sessions can be so useful. You can ask the part to speak to you in ways that are helpful and that you can understand.
You may want to have several sessions in order to feel free to explore with no pressure to solve anything. Other Inner Advisers may show up that specialize in helping you with this particular issue. This is a lovely way to find out what your nervous system is trying to tell you about your life and how it might like to unfold for you.
This can work with any symptom. As I mentioned, once you have made contact with that part of yourself that shows up as your Inner Advisor, you can go on to dialogue with images of the symptoms themselves.You can ask them what they are there for, what they want, need or offer you. You can also feel into what you, yourself need right now (ex: courage, self-love, etc.) in order to deal with whatever is up, and evoke memories of a time when you had a lot of that quality. That is called evocative imagery and using that, you can "turn up the volume" on the quality and summon it whenever you want. These are just some of the examples of the many ways imagery can work for us.
I hope the readers of this blog will leave questions and comments below! You can also always write to me at TrustinBeing@gmail.com.
Love, Laura
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