Guided Imagery and Creative Visualization

Anyone can use their imagination to promote change. With guided imagery and creative visualization, you enter a relaxed state of heightened awareness, and then use your imagination to move beyond old patterns and beliefs that are limiting. A forgiveness exercise that utilizes imagery, attempts to activate both unconscious and pre-conscious processes to aid in accomplishing the conscious goal of forgiveness.

Although everyone has the capacity to imagine, we each may experience guided imagery or creative visualization differently. Some individuals are able to imagine an object by creating a picture in their mind and then they “see” colors and shapes. Others are able to imagine and then describe an object without actually “seeing” colors or shapes when their eyes are closed. Both styles are effective.

In order for the imagery to be the most effective – it is necessary to have a positive expectation about the exercise. You can create your own imagery, adapt suggested imagery that others have created, or use a trained therapist to help you create a personal and unique imagery that will effectively reinforce your goal of forgiveness.

Here are three examples of visualization exercises.

Visualization to Forgive an Offender

Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed. Take a few deep, cleansing breaths. Relax your body, starting with your feet and moving up to your head. Imagine that you are breathing in and out through the heart and allow the spaciousness of your heart to expand.

Visualize the person you have decided to forgive, and bring the image of the offender into your heart. Imagine that an energy cord connects you both. Wish the person well and then affirm, “I am releasing the pain from the past.” And then cut the cord.

Visualization for Self-Forgiveness

Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed. Take a few deep, cleansing breaths. Relax your body, starting with your feet and moving up to your head. Focus your mind so that you concentrate on the center of your being. Allow the spaciousness of your heart to expand.

Imagine that you and the person that you are asking forgiveness from are walking to meet each other at the center of a bridge of golden light. Ask that person’s “Higher Self” for forgiveness, and imagine a loving response.

BALLOON VISUALIZATION

1. Make yourself comfortable and close your eyes.

2. Take several slow cleansing breaths.

3. Check your body to see if there is any tension, if there is take it a spot at a time and relax.

4. Bring to mind a beautiful, pleasant scene.

5. Visual a hot-air balloon that is attached to a wicker basket. The basket has a lid. The balloon and the wicker basket is tethered to ground by four ropes. Each rope is attached to a corner of the basket and then tethered to the ground.

6. Imagine yourself lifting the lid to the basket, and then dumping all of your emotional garbage into it. Fill the basket with your everything that you are intending to release today. Fill the basket with your

• damaging feelings of toxic guilt and shame.
• fill the basket with the old memory of any inappropriate behavior that you are attempting to release today
• Put in any self-deprecating statements of
• fill the basket with old mental tapes that continue to go through your mind and have no use anymore
• continue to fill the basket with anything that prevents you from accepting yourself.

7. Then replace the lid.

8. Now take out a magical scissors from your pocket and one-by-one cut the ropes that tether the balloon and the basket to the earth.

9. Watch the balloon as it starts to rise in the sky. How high can you see it go? Watch it until it is no more than a speck of light, high in the sky.

10. And now, be aware once again of yourself standing in your peaceful place. Feel the area surrounding your heart beginning to expand and your whole body beginning to be filled with a beautiful, vibrant healing energy. You can feel this energy entering every cell of your being.

11. And now, from this expanded sense of self, from a place of self-love and compassion, repeat to yourself…..

• I accept that I have imperfections and make mistakes
• I accept that I can learn from my mistakes and then let it go.
• I accept that I can now release the past
• I accept forgiveness.

12. Take in another few slow breaths, and again become aware of your body sitting in the chair, become aware of the room that you are sitting in, and in moment when you are ready open your eyes.