Guided Imagery Meditation: Reduce Stress & Enhance Well-being

A regular meditation practice can help you to manage everyday stress. Since stress is associated with many chronic diseases--such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic pain--learning techniques to manage stress is important. There are many forms of meditation. All are helpful. Guided Imagery is one form that is popular.

Identification

• Guided Imagery is a form of meditation where you take the mind off of everyday thoughts. Focus on a relaxing image There are many objects of focus. It depends on your personal preferences.

Images for Pain Control

• If you are living with pain, try imagining the pain as a large red circle. Then as you breathe deeply allow the color of the circle to get lighter and the size to get smaller. Do this until it disappears.

Images for Autoimmune Conditions

• If you are living with a disease that is attacking your own body like cancer, imagine your body destroying the cancer cells.

Images for Relaxation

• For a simple guided imagery relaxation exercise, pretend you are visiting a pleasant place, This can be a beach, mountain or even a special room that makes you feel peaceful.

Benefits

• By focusing on any of the above, you are sending messages to the brain that certain physiological responses are happening on the body. Along with medical care, guided imagery can help you to manage your symptoms.