Mental Imagery Exercises
Resources
Mental Imagery Exercises
Browse our open access library of mental imagery exercises from Healing Visualizations: Creating Health Through Imagery by Gerald “Jerry” Epstein, MD, Reversing Trauma of War by Rachel Epstein and Phyllis Kahaney, and more. Discover even more imagery exercises for a variety of intentions from Dr. Jerry and other wonderful authors at https://acmipress.org.
For common questions about practicing mental imagery, please visit our FAQ page at https://aimi.us/faq/, and see below for some general instructions:
How to Sit: Do the exercises sitting upright, back straight, in a chair with arms. Allow your arms to rest on the arms of the chair, and allow your feet to rest squarely on the floor.
Setting an Intention: Before starting, set an intention – not a goal – for the exercise.
Frequency: Practice most exercises for 21 days, usually for 2-3X per day.
When to Practice Each Day: Upon waking in the morning; before bed; and if possible sometime in the late afternoon or early evening.
Length of Time: Most exercises take half a minute to 3 minutes to do.
Breathing: To start, do three rounds of breathing, starting with a long, slow exhale thought the mouth and a normal inhale through the nose (that is, out–in, out–in, out–in, making sure the exhalation is done through the mouth and is longer and slower than the inhalation, which is done briefly through the nose). Then focus on the imagery and forget
about the breathing.
Remember: Imagery changes as you repeat it. Go with the flow. Anything is possible!
Grief
Frequency: Each morning for seven days with the intention of overcoming the grief (or any intention of a similar nature you may wish to use). Close your eyes and breathe out three times slowly (that is, out–in, out–in, out–in, making sure the exhalation is done...
Through the Magnifying Glass
Intention: For pain Frequency: Every 10 to 15 minutes, for 1 to 2 minutes, until pain subsides. Close your eyes. Breathe out once. See your pain. Look at it from every angle through a magnifying glass, then erase it by wiping it away to the left. Then open your...
Befriending Pain
Intention: For pain Frequency: Every 10 to 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 minutes, until pain subsides. Close your eyes. Breathe out one time. See the pain. After seeing it, know that you can befriend it by entering into it and sit in the center of it. Stay there, and don’t...
Painless Voyage
Intention: To diminish pain Frequency: Every 10 to 15 minutes, for 3 to 5 minutes, until pain subsides. Close your eyes. Breathe out one time. See the pain. After seeing it, find yourself entering your body with a gold can of hot, golden oil. Make your way to the...
Calm Water
Intention: To calm yourself (anxiety) Close your eyes. Breathe out three times. See and sense your entire being becoming like the surface of calm water reflecting the starry sky. When you have fully sensed this, know that your anxiety has gone, and open your eyes.
Blue Light
Intention: For calming the sympathetic nervous system (anxiety) Close your eyes, breathe out three times, and see yourself entering a beautiful meadow. See yourself taking in the blue–golden light, a mixture of bright golden sun and cloudless blue sky, and breathing...
Desert Storm
Intention: For fear (anxiety) Close your eyes and breathe out three times. See yourself entering a desert carrying a backpack. As you walk, you notice darkness looming ahead of you. You know this means that a sandstorm of anxiety is coming toward you. As it...
The White Silk Cape
Intention: For protection (anxiety) Close your eyes. Breathe out and in three times slowly. See in front of you a white silk cape. Put it on and fly above of whatever it is you are afraid. Know the feeling has disappeared. What do you experience? Breathe out and open...
Net Worth
Intention: To increase income Close your eyes. Breathe out a long slow exhalation through the mouth followed by a brief inhalation through the nose three times; then breathe any way you wish. See yourself hurling a fine golden net into the cosmos catching for yourself...
Seeing Tomorrow
Intention: To get rid of a painful situation Close your eyes. Breathe out long, slow exhalations and ordinary inhalations (then breathe any way you want) and see, sense, and feel now the difficult or painful situation or emotion. Breathe out one time and see how you...
It’s In The Stars
Intention: To make a decision Close your eyes. Breathe out three times slowly. Find yourself amongst the stars. See there the one that is brightest for you. Go to it. From there, look down on the situation for which you have to make a decision; see clearly what you...
Tree of Life
Intention: To heal and connect to the Earth Frequency: Do once a day in morning for seven or 21 days. Close your eyes and breathe out three times. See yourself walking along a path, where ahead of you is a strong, tall tree. Go to this tree and embrace it, knowing...
Love, Power & Wisdom
Intention: To Create Well-Being Close your eyes, and breathe out three times slowly. As you breathe out a long, slow breath, let go of everything you no longer need. Breathe in the beautiful blue of the sky and the gold of the sun. See yourself outside on a beautiful...
Reversing the Conflicts of the Day
While you are lying in bed, with eyes closed, breathe out one time slowly and imaginally go over your day in REVERSE order, focusing on any conflictual situations. Start with the most recent disturbing event, then go back in time until you get to the first difficult...
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