If you're skeptical about guided imagery audio recordings then check out this free download. It's for stress relief and relaxation. It's a little shorter than most guided imagery audio recordings - it's only 15 minutes, but even 15 minutes can make a big difference if you're really stressed out.
Showing posts with label Guided Imagery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guided Imagery. Show all posts
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Recommended Guided Imagery Audio Recordings
Belleruth Naparstek has pioneered "guided imagery" as a form to heal from depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this post, I go over some of the guided imagery audio recordings that I have used and find useful. I hope that you will also find them useful. If you are on a tight budget then consider looking for them at your local library - my library had several of them. Some libraries even take requests from users, so you can request that they purchase them.
Before I begin, let me briefly describe guided imagery. Guided imagery is basically a form of meditation where symbolism and your imagination are used to explore and process deeper underlying emotions. For some people, especially people with depression or deep inner turmoil, it can be a very powerful tool to work with your own subconscious. It also has the added benefit of being something that you can do in the privacy of your own home where you can feel safe and protected and able to really open up and dig deep inside of yourself.
If you are new to meditation, guided imagery can be a good stepping stone. Most of the audio recordings come with a set of affirmations that are designed to help you develop positive thinking; these work best if you quiet your mind and block our negative thoughts and truly open up to the positive messages in the affirmations. Since guided imagery and affirmations work on a subconscious level, they work particularly well when you listen to them right before you go to sleep. Guided imagery also has the advantage that you can do it from the comfort and safety of your own home where you can really relax, focus inwards, and open up to yourself.
I have to admit that the first time I lay down with my head phones on to listen to the guided imagery, I felt skeptical and a little silly. At first, I couldn't help but laugh a little at the deep, soothing, articulate, and dramatic voice that came on. I think I laughed more at myself then at the voice, since I felt so nervous and out of my element. But gradually I settled in and really gave the recordings a chance. Things were really bad for me when I checked out my my first guided imagery CDs from the library and I was completely destroyed - I spent the days sobbing uncontrollably in my room and drifting in and out of an exhausting series of flashbacks. Half the time, I couldn't tell if I was alive, in a dream, or had traveled back in time to my childhood self. I felt isolated, alone, and abandoned. I felt terrified, enraged, and saddened. I felt hopeless, powerless, worthless, and defeated. The world stopped making sense and the future grim if at all imagined. It was a very dark time as I felt that I was losing my grip on everything - even my own mind was out of my control. Time ceased to exist. Everything suffered - I couldn't think, my memory was disjointed, I couldn't focus on a conversation, I would slip in and out of thoughts even if I was in the middle of a conversation. I felt numb and I lost interest in anything and everything that had ever given me joy. I felt like a shell of a human being - like some strange phantom.
I have felt these things and trust me when I say that things can get better and that they will get better. Have faith. Look for help from your family, friends, lover, books, audio, spiritual leaders/healers, therapists, travel, writing, exercise, meditation, yoga, etc - do anything and everything that you can. I hope that my experience can give you ideas and a framework with which to work from. Guided imagery was one of the first things to help me - it made my mind calm down and it helped me relax. It especially helped me late at night when I would lie awake in my bed terrified - in a state of panic and hyper arousal - unable to sleep and sobbing as bad memories resurfaced in the form of vivid flashbacks. The audio recordings became something comforting and soothing that I could focus on. Many times when listening to them, I would fall asleep, but that didn't matter - they helped me get a deep and restful sleep at a time that that was nearly impossible. Research also indicates that since the recordings function more on a subconscious level that dosing off or falling asleep while listening to them can actually make them more effective.
Below I list some guided imagery or guided meditation recordings that are designed for people experiencing depression, post traumatic stress disorder, and the associated feelings of anger, stress and grief. There are many more designed for specific needs like preparing for surgery, getting through cancer, insomnia, alcohol/drug abuse, and weight loss, so you should browse their selection to decide which one is best for you.
Combat Depression
Healing Trauma (PTSD)
Panic Attacks
Healthful Sleep
Anger and Forgiveness
Ease Grief
Relaxation and Wellness
Relieve Stress
Self Confidence
NOTE: To learn more about how guided imagery can specifically help with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) then please refer to Belleruth Naparstek's book, Invisible Heroes where she discusses the scientific evidence that supports its effectiveness:
Before I begin, let me briefly describe guided imagery. Guided imagery is basically a form of meditation where symbolism and your imagination are used to explore and process deeper underlying emotions. For some people, especially people with depression or deep inner turmoil, it can be a very powerful tool to work with your own subconscious. It also has the added benefit of being something that you can do in the privacy of your own home where you can feel safe and protected and able to really open up and dig deep inside of yourself.
If you are new to meditation, guided imagery can be a good stepping stone. Most of the audio recordings come with a set of affirmations that are designed to help you develop positive thinking; these work best if you quiet your mind and block our negative thoughts and truly open up to the positive messages in the affirmations. Since guided imagery and affirmations work on a subconscious level, they work particularly well when you listen to them right before you go to sleep. Guided imagery also has the advantage that you can do it from the comfort and safety of your own home where you can really relax, focus inwards, and open up to yourself.
I have to admit that the first time I lay down with my head phones on to listen to the guided imagery, I felt skeptical and a little silly. At first, I couldn't help but laugh a little at the deep, soothing, articulate, and dramatic voice that came on. I think I laughed more at myself then at the voice, since I felt so nervous and out of my element. But gradually I settled in and really gave the recordings a chance. Things were really bad for me when I checked out my my first guided imagery CDs from the library and I was completely destroyed - I spent the days sobbing uncontrollably in my room and drifting in and out of an exhausting series of flashbacks. Half the time, I couldn't tell if I was alive, in a dream, or had traveled back in time to my childhood self. I felt isolated, alone, and abandoned. I felt terrified, enraged, and saddened. I felt hopeless, powerless, worthless, and defeated. The world stopped making sense and the future grim if at all imagined. It was a very dark time as I felt that I was losing my grip on everything - even my own mind was out of my control. Time ceased to exist. Everything suffered - I couldn't think, my memory was disjointed, I couldn't focus on a conversation, I would slip in and out of thoughts even if I was in the middle of a conversation. I felt numb and I lost interest in anything and everything that had ever given me joy. I felt like a shell of a human being - like some strange phantom.
I have felt these things and trust me when I say that things can get better and that they will get better. Have faith. Look for help from your family, friends, lover, books, audio, spiritual leaders/healers, therapists, travel, writing, exercise, meditation, yoga, etc - do anything and everything that you can. I hope that my experience can give you ideas and a framework with which to work from. Guided imagery was one of the first things to help me - it made my mind calm down and it helped me relax. It especially helped me late at night when I would lie awake in my bed terrified - in a state of panic and hyper arousal - unable to sleep and sobbing as bad memories resurfaced in the form of vivid flashbacks. The audio recordings became something comforting and soothing that I could focus on. Many times when listening to them, I would fall asleep, but that didn't matter - they helped me get a deep and restful sleep at a time that that was nearly impossible. Research also indicates that since the recordings function more on a subconscious level that dosing off or falling asleep while listening to them can actually make them more effective.
Below I list some guided imagery or guided meditation recordings that are designed for people experiencing depression, post traumatic stress disorder, and the associated feelings of anger, stress and grief. There are many more designed for specific needs like preparing for surgery, getting through cancer, insomnia, alcohol/drug abuse, and weight loss, so you should browse their selection to decide which one is best for you.
Combat Depression
Healing Trauma (PTSD)
Panic Attacks
Healthful Sleep
Anger and Forgiveness
Ease Grief
Relaxation and Wellness
Relieve Stress
Self Confidence
NOTE: To learn more about how guided imagery can specifically help with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) then please refer to Belleruth Naparstek's book, Invisible Heroes where she discusses the scientific evidence that supports its effectiveness:
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Inspiration for Making Your Own Guided Imagery Audio Tapes
Below I provide several ideas or concepts around which you can create your own audio tapes.
(1) One concept is what I like to call “Forecast, Dream, and Aspire” and in this concept you imagine who you are and your life, and then you describe it to yourself. You can include details like how much you’re enjoying your yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices, and how those are making you a healthier and happier person. You can describe how beautiful, clean, and great feeling your home is now that you’ve consciously tried to make the space around you more harmonious. You can include concrete details like how many kids you will one day have or the awesome job you’ll eventually enjoy, but remind yourself that it’s not the number of kids or gender or the exact job and company that will make you feel fulfilled, but rather it’s the sense of community, love, pride, or purpose that it gives your life.
The idea is not to create goals that you’re waiting to achieve, but to recognize and hope that life will get better because it can. You will never achieve a better life situation if you can’t envision it, so start there and the rest will follow. Just don’t get frustrated because things aren’t precisely how you envisioned. The idea here is not to create a checklist of details you can check off, but rather to create a vision of love, warmth and power. It should be a vision of hope and optimism.
I recommend using the active voice and describing the situation as if it was true right at this moment – that you are living it. I also recommend emphasizing the love and compassion that you give to yourself constantly and discuss the awareness and mindfulness that you are constantly cultivating.
(2) Another idea is what I call “symbolic dreaming” audio tapes. For example, I like to imagine myself as a dolphin swimming through the ocean. It’s good to describe what you’re experiencing that you enjoy – the water running over your body; the freedom of the wide, open ocean; the sense of being part of a special community; the magic of the ocean; the exhilaration of jumping and twirling up over the water. Other times, I like to imagine myself as a fairy flying over the world or the ocean or even to other galaxies and make believe lands. I imagine the peace and quiet of the wind passing over my ears and the thrill of souring. I imagine travelling down into redwood groves and exploring under leaves and around streams. I imagine falling in love with another fairy and travelling on adventures together.
(3) Another idea is what I fondly call the “Patronus Charm,” a term that I am borrowing from Harry Potter. In case you haven’t read Harry Potter (which you should! It’s such a fun, imaginative, and light-hearted read!), the Patronus Charm is used to combat Dementors who are basically monsters that feed off of people’s fear and pain. The Patronus Charm can only be conjured up by thinking of the most powerful happy thought that you have and yelling “Expecto Patronum” and then an avatar of sorts bursts out of your wand and staves off the evil Dementors. In this case, our bad memories or thoughts are dementors and we need to combat them with good thoughts. So first, try to express what scares you – maybe try doing it metaphorically if it’s too difficult to talk about. For example, I describe my pain, anger, and fear with images of ripped flesh, blood, screams, silent screams/sobs, lying prostrate on the ground, the sense of not existing or ceasing to exist. But you can also use more synthesized descriptions of your thoughts like stating that you feel lonely or scared. You can also describe a bad experience that happen to you – like a rape or beating – and express your fear of it happening again.
Then you need to counter these bad thoughts with your best memories. For example, the love you feel for your significant other, the sweet embrace of a lover, the kind nudge of a pet, the thrill of running or biking up a mountain, the warmth of true friendship, the respect and admiration of coworkers or something along those lines. You can also remember less powerful memories that still bring good feelings – like a fun party you went to or a great laugh you had with some friends or a great concert you went to or listening to your favorite comedian.
The purpose behind all of these exercises is to remind ourselves that there are bad things in the world and bad things have happened, but there are also good things in the world and good things have happened to us. And most importantly – that good things will come to us again if we just start believing that then can and will.
Below is something that I wrote in my journal and I find it useful to look back at every once in a while – I hope that it will help you too.
What is innocence? What does it mean to lose it? I think when considering these things it is important to differentiate between what it means to be naive and what it means to be innocent. To be naive is to believe the world is all good and to lose naivete is to gain sight. However, to lose innocence is to lose the desire to live...to lose the ability to see good in the world...to lose the belief that life is supposed to be good...the conviction that it SHOULD be good.
To lose naivete is to reach adulthood, but to lose innocence is to die.
(1) One concept is what I like to call “Forecast, Dream, and Aspire” and in this concept you imagine who you are and your life, and then you describe it to yourself. You can include details like how much you’re enjoying your yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices, and how those are making you a healthier and happier person. You can describe how beautiful, clean, and great feeling your home is now that you’ve consciously tried to make the space around you more harmonious. You can include concrete details like how many kids you will one day have or the awesome job you’ll eventually enjoy, but remind yourself that it’s not the number of kids or gender or the exact job and company that will make you feel fulfilled, but rather it’s the sense of community, love, pride, or purpose that it gives your life.
The idea is not to create goals that you’re waiting to achieve, but to recognize and hope that life will get better because it can. You will never achieve a better life situation if you can’t envision it, so start there and the rest will follow. Just don’t get frustrated because things aren’t precisely how you envisioned. The idea here is not to create a checklist of details you can check off, but rather to create a vision of love, warmth and power. It should be a vision of hope and optimism.
I recommend using the active voice and describing the situation as if it was true right at this moment – that you are living it. I also recommend emphasizing the love and compassion that you give to yourself constantly and discuss the awareness and mindfulness that you are constantly cultivating.
(2) Another idea is what I call “symbolic dreaming” audio tapes. For example, I like to imagine myself as a dolphin swimming through the ocean. It’s good to describe what you’re experiencing that you enjoy – the water running over your body; the freedom of the wide, open ocean; the sense of being part of a special community; the magic of the ocean; the exhilaration of jumping and twirling up over the water. Other times, I like to imagine myself as a fairy flying over the world or the ocean or even to other galaxies and make believe lands. I imagine the peace and quiet of the wind passing over my ears and the thrill of souring. I imagine travelling down into redwood groves and exploring under leaves and around streams. I imagine falling in love with another fairy and travelling on adventures together.
(3) Another idea is what I fondly call the “Patronus Charm,” a term that I am borrowing from Harry Potter. In case you haven’t read Harry Potter (which you should! It’s such a fun, imaginative, and light-hearted read!), the Patronus Charm is used to combat Dementors who are basically monsters that feed off of people’s fear and pain. The Patronus Charm can only be conjured up by thinking of the most powerful happy thought that you have and yelling “Expecto Patronum” and then an avatar of sorts bursts out of your wand and staves off the evil Dementors. In this case, our bad memories or thoughts are dementors and we need to combat them with good thoughts. So first, try to express what scares you – maybe try doing it metaphorically if it’s too difficult to talk about. For example, I describe my pain, anger, and fear with images of ripped flesh, blood, screams, silent screams/sobs, lying prostrate on the ground, the sense of not existing or ceasing to exist. But you can also use more synthesized descriptions of your thoughts like stating that you feel lonely or scared. You can also describe a bad experience that happen to you – like a rape or beating – and express your fear of it happening again.
Then you need to counter these bad thoughts with your best memories. For example, the love you feel for your significant other, the sweet embrace of a lover, the kind nudge of a pet, the thrill of running or biking up a mountain, the warmth of true friendship, the respect and admiration of coworkers or something along those lines. You can also remember less powerful memories that still bring good feelings – like a fun party you went to or a great laugh you had with some friends or a great concert you went to or listening to your favorite comedian.
The purpose behind all of these exercises is to remind ourselves that there are bad things in the world and bad things have happened, but there are also good things in the world and good things have happened to us. And most importantly – that good things will come to us again if we just start believing that then can and will.
Below is something that I wrote in my journal and I find it useful to look back at every once in a while – I hope that it will help you too.
What is innocence? What does it mean to lose it? I think when considering these things it is important to differentiate between what it means to be naive and what it means to be innocent. To be naive is to believe the world is all good and to lose naivete is to gain sight. However, to lose innocence is to lose the desire to live...to lose the ability to see good in the world...to lose the belief that life is supposed to be good...the conviction that it SHOULD be good.
To lose naivete is to reach adulthood, but to lose innocence is to die.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Recommended Books, Websites, and other Valuable Resources
Note: I will be updating this post as I become aware of resources that can aid you and me on our path towards inner peace and personal growth.
Books
A very dear and wise friend recommended this book to me. At first I was skeptical when I read the name and took a look at the odd symbol on the cover, which was suggestive of some sort of strange cult or religion. But once I dove into the book, it did not disappoint and I now consider it one of the most pivotal books I have ever read. The Wisdom of the Enneagram is insightful and does not export any specific doctrine, but rather encourages personal development through the development of mindfulness and awareness by promoting self observation and understanding the deeper factors at play in our experiences. This is the kind of book to keep by your nightstand and pull out whenever you feel anxious, vexed, or in a negative spiral.
Available on Amazon:
The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types
Available on Amazon:
The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types
This book was recommended to me by my life coach who has helped me make amazing progress just in the past few weeks by helping me see myself and the world in a different way. The book did not disappoint and as an interesting sales point, not only has this book spent substantial time as a #1 New York Times Best Seller, but when Oprah delivered her commencement speech at Stanford University this past June, she bought every graduating senior a copy of the book and she made it a central theme in her speech. At the core of the The Power of Now is the idea that we are not our mind and that we shouldn't believe everything we think.
Available on Amazon as a paper book or audio book set:
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
The Power of Now Unabridged on 7 CDs in Box [Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment]
Available on Amazon as a paper book or audio book set:
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
The Power of Now Unabridged on 7 CDs in Box [Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment]
Tao Te Ching By Lao Tzu. New English Version, with Foreword and Notes, by Stephen Mitchell.
I stumbled on the Tao Te Ching in high school while I was doing a project on Asian philosophies and religions. The Tao Te Ching (pronounced Daw Deh Jing) translates roughly into The Book of the Way. The book has 81 chapters or sections that offer advice to reach spiritual enlightenment. The Tao Te Ching goes hand-in-hand with the concept of "Wei Wu Wei," which, literally translated, means "doing nothing" or non-action. However, the idea that you're supposed to literally do nothing and sit around all day with your thumbs in your ears is a gross misinterpretation of the true meaning of the words. The true idea behind wei wu wei is to do things and achieve the right movement effortlessly without interference by the pernicious mind or the sense of conscious will. I will also be using different chapters from the Tao Te Ching to discuss important ideas.
Available on Amazon:
Tao Te Ching Persona
Available on Amazon:
Tao Te Ching Persona
The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook: A guide to healing, recovery, and growth. By Glenn R. Schiraldi, Ph.D.
This book was recommended to me by a survivor of childhood trauma who is now a clinical psychologist with a PhD. She has a thriving practice and three children who she loves and nurtures with utmost empathy, care, and attention. This book takes a very practical approach to treatment and makes for a very good self-help book.
Available on Amazon:
The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook: A Guide to Healing, Recovery, and Growth
Available on Amazon:
The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook: A Guide to Healing, Recovery, and Growth
This book was one of the first books that I read after my doctor diagnosed me with post traumatic stress disorder and depression. It was a relief to read because at first I thought that I was going crazy, since terrible flashbacks would take hold of my body and the sense of pain, fear, and terror would completely unhinge me. This book is a good place to start if you've just found out that you have PTSD because it offers an overview of the symptoms, a biological/chemical explanation of what your body is experiencing physically, and the reassurance that you're not alone and that other people have made full recoveries. The latter chapters of the book focus on treatment techniques, in particular guided imagery, which is a form of powerful guided meditation.
Available on Amazon:
Invisible Heroes: Survivors of Trauma and How They Heal
Available on Amazon:
Invisible Heroes: Survivors of Trauma and How They Heal
Healing from Trauma; A Survivor's Guide to Understanding Your Symptoms and Reclaiming Your Life. By Jasmin Lee Cori
This book digs deep, so be aware of that before you dive in. It includes chapter-by-chapter exercises to help you process your trauma. I recommend that you find a professional to help you work through the chapters in this book. Also, make sure you're in a safe place physically before starting work on this book, as it can bring up a lot of strong feelings.
Available on Amazon:
Healing from Trauma: A Survivor's Guide to Understanding Your Symptoms and Reclaiming Your Life
Available on Amazon:
Healing from Trauma: A Survivor's Guide to Understanding Your Symptoms and Reclaiming Your Life
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. The Clinically Proven Drug-Free Treatment for Depression, By David D. Burns.My therapist recommended this book to me because it focuses on treating the root issues surrounding depression. Although drug therapy is indispensable in some cases, many doctors and some therapists jump to drug treatments too quickly, rather than doing the hard work to fundamentally change your life for the better. Remember - you have to take an active role in your treatment and that means doing the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical things that need to get done. Drugs are ultimately a band aid that offer a numb sense of temporary relief, but they will not provide you with genuine joy. Feeling Good helps you identify and understand your moods. At the core of the book is the idea that feelings are not facts and that your emotions are a result of your thoughts. This book is a good complement to The Power of Now because in The Power of Now, we are taught to not believe everything we think and that we are not our mind. I know all of this sounds rather far-fetched, but if you invest yourself in your personal development and spiritual enlightenment then I know these words will soon resonate with you as well.
Websites
Health Journeys:Here you will find a collection of guided imagery audio recordings that can help you on your path to recovery. To learn more about how guided imagery can help with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) then please refer to Belleruth Naparstek's book, Invisible Heroes (see details above). If you are new to meditation, guided imagery can be a good stepping stone. Most of the audio recordings come with a set of affirmations that are designed to help you develop positive thinking; these work best if you quiet your mind and block our negative thoughts and truly open up to the positive messages in the affirmations. Since guided imagery and affirmations work on a subconscious level, they work particularly well when you listen to them right before you go to sleep.
Dealing with Depression: This site offers synthesized self-help and coping tips. It's a really good place to start if you're suffering from mild depression or an extended low-mood.
PTSD Forum Organization: This site includes a short assessment test to help you determine if you may have PTSD
Click here for the PTSD assessment test
Steve Pavlina's Blog: Personal Development for Smart People: Steve's blog has many interesting pieces. The home page provides a good intro as well as where to start reading his blog.
Click here for the PTSD assessment test
Steve Pavlina's Blog: Personal Development for Smart People: Steve's blog has many interesting pieces. The home page provides a good intro as well as where to start reading his blog.
PTSD.org (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder): This site it not yet running, but I felt that it would be useful to keep an eye on it. I will provide a more thorough review when they debut.