Guided Imagery

 

Ms. P. Sincy

Asst. Professor, Department of Obstetrical & Gynecological Nursing, RITEE Nursing College, Raipur

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.                                                                                                                                                      Buddha

 “You can bring into your life more power, more wealth, more health, more happiness, and more joy by learning to contact and release the hidden power of your subconscious mind”

 

Definition

Guided imagery is the use of relaxation and mental visualization to improve mood and/or physical well-being.

 

Purpose

Positive mental imagery can promote relaxation and reduce stress, improve mood, control high blood pressure, alleviate pain, boost immune system, and lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

One of the biggest benefits of using guided imagery as a therapeutic tool is its availability and equal opportunity. Imagery can be used virtually anywhere, anytime.

Guided imagery also gives individuals a sense of empowerment, or control.

 

Principles

Thought process is the communication mechanism between perception, emotion, and bodily change. A major cause of both health and sickness, the image is the world’s greatest healing resource.

 

Guided imagery is simply the use of one’s imagination to promote mental and physical health. It can be self directed, where the individual puts himself into a relaxed state and create his own images, or directed by others. 

 

Guided imagery is a two part process.

·        Reaching a state of deep relaxation

·        Imagery (or)     Visualization

 

“The mind cannot tell the difference between an actual, ‘real-life’ event and a vividly imagined one”

Guided meditations help us to vividly imagine positive experiences that represent, either directly or symbolically, whatever changes we wish to express in our life.

 

How does image works?

The ultimate mechanisms of imagery are still a mystery. They have shown that the two sides of the human brain think in very different ways and are simultaneously capable of independent thought. In a real sense, we each have two brains. One thinks as we are accustomed to thinking, with words and logic. The other, however, thinks in terms of images and feelings.

 

In most people, the left brain is primarily responsible for speaking, writing, and understanding language; it thinks logically and analytically, and identifies itself by the name of the person to whom it belongs. The right brain, in contrast, thinks in pictures, sounds, spatial relationships, and feelings. It is relatively silent, though highly intelligent. The left brain analyzes, taking things apart, while the right brain synthesizes, putting pieces together. The left is a better logical thinker, the right is more attuned to emotions. The left is most concerned with the outer world of culture, agreements, business, and time, while the right is more concerned with the inner world of perception, physiology, form, and emotion.

 

The essential difference between the two brains is in the way each processes information. The left brain processes information sequentially, while the right brain processes it simultaneously. Imagine a train coming around a curve in the track. An observer is positioned on the ground, on the outside of the curve, and he observes the train to be a succession of separate though connected cars passing him one at a time. He can see just a little bit of the cars ahead of and behind the one he is watching. This observer has a "left-brain" view of the train.

 

The "right-brain" observer would be in a balloon several hundred feet above the tracks. From here he could not only see the whole train, but also the track on which it was traveling, the countryside through which it was passing, the town it had just left, and the town to which it was headed.

 

This ability of the right hemisphere to grasp the larger context of events is one of the specialized functions that make it invaluable to us in healing. The imagery it produces often lets you see the "big picture" and experience the way an illness is related to events and feelings you might not have considered important. You can see not only the single piece, but the way it's connected to the whole. This change of perspective may allow you to put ideas together in new ways to produce new solutions to old problems. A right-brain point of view may reveal the opportunity hidden in what seems to be a problem.

 

The right brain has a special relationship not only to imagery but to emotions. This is another of the major strengths it brings to the healing adventure. Many studies have shown that the right brain is specialized to recognize emotion in facial expressions, body language, speech, and even music.

 

Guided imagery is a made-to-order intervention for the unique demands of pregnancy and childbirth. A deliberate kind of directed daydreaming, narrated by a soothing voice over relaxing music, it produces a calm state of focused, energized readiness that reduces discomfort while offering emotional support and a feeling of confidence in the body's inherent wisdom. More than just relaxing, imagery can set the stage for productive, confident labor; it can focus breathing and encourage a powerful alliance with uterine contractions; it can increase a sense of gratitude for the body and the miracle of childbirth; and it can enhance a feeling of connection with the growing baby.

 

For women in childbirth, there is the added advantage of the natural flood of trance-inducing hormones that cascade through the body, intensifying the altered state and potentiating the imagery experience even further,

Early on in the pregnancy, it can promote delight in the genius of the body and its dazzling ability to support life; it can create a sense of connection to the mystery unfolding within;

 

It can also help her better tolerate the discomforts of bloating, fatigue, changing body image, and shifting moods

 

Preparation

Find a room in your home where you will be undisturbed. If this is not possible, a corner in a room could become your place of regular meditation. Prepare the room if you can with a lighted candle, some fresh flowers, and some lighted incense, or aromatherapy oils to purify the space. Make sure the room is warm, and that the lighting is soft. When you first begin to meditate choose a place that is not too noisy. A blanket over your legs can be comforting. Placing a shawl, or blanket around your shoulders can also be a part of your attire for your meditations. Wear loose, comfortable clothing making sure there is no tightness at your waist, hips, or chest. Switch off your mobile, and take the phone off the hook. Turn off any other appliances that may interfere with your meditation. This is time out for you, your time away from all other responsibilities. Affirm that you deserve this time out.

 

Posture

You can sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, and your hands resting in your lap, or on your thighs. It is preferable to sit for meditation without leaning onto the back of the chair.

 

You may choose to sit on a cushion on the floor. You can do this by sitting cross-legged. Choose a cushion that elevates your buttocks. Rest your hands in your lap. Traditionally the palms of the hands can be upturned on your thighs with the thumbs and index fingers lightly touching.

 

Some of the meditations you can do lying down. However, in the early stages there is a tendency to fall asleep, and so lying down is not generally recommended. As you continue your practice lying down to meditate can also be a challenge to stay awake.

However you decide to sit, keep your back straight throughout the practice.

 

To help centre yourself, gently sway from side to side, and then gently move from your hips, forwards and then backwards. You will sense where the centre of gravity is in your body to keep you aligned.

 

GENERAL TIPS AND POINTERS

Here are some general pointers to try guided imagery for pregnancy and labor:

 

• Imagery works best in a permissive, relaxed, unforced atmosphere.

 

• Effective imagery uses all the senses, not just the visual sense, and especially it uses the kinesthetic or feeling sense

 

• Poetic language, filled with symbols, similes, and metaphors, is especially effective at capturing attention, driving the altered state, and making a deep impression on mind, body, and spirit.

 

• The narrator's voice should be natural, low, deep in the body, and the pacing should be a natural outcome of his or her relaxed breathing.

 

• Imagery that deliberately elicits feelings of love and gratitude has special ability to reduce fear and center the listener.

 

• It's best to avoid the imperative verb form, so that inadvertently "bossy" language doesn't marshal unnecessary resistance.

 

• Touch may be the most powerful accompaniment to imagery, both to help with relaxation and to increase the kinesthetic power of the images. Imagery when combined with therapeutic massage, energy work, or other kinesthetic modalities is very potent, and more than the sum of its parts.

 

• When the listener uses the same postural cues, gestures, or hand-positioning with each imaging experience, an "anchor" is created that conditions an immediate relaxation response when needed, particularly during labor.

 

• Imagery that creates feelings of lovingness and gratitude elevates serotonin levels enough to reduce pain.

• Imagery by its very nature distracts and refocuses attention, and thus reduces pain.

 

• Because of hormonal activity, laboring women are in a natural trance state, which potentiates the imagery experience even further.

 

Are there any side effects or indications where guided imagery should be avoided?

There are no known contraindications for using guided imagery.

 

Are there other therapies that might work well in conjunction with guided imagery?

Mind-body medicine can work well as an adjunct to any conventional or alternative therapy. Imagery techniques are often used in conjunction with massage and other touch therapies. Guided imagery is frequently employed along with various forms of psychotherapy to facilitate behavioral change.

 

CONCLUSION:

Guided imagery is a best practice, which can accomplish a great deal to support the pregnant or laboring woman, taking her beyond simple relaxation, to support a more confident, meaningful, and positive pregnancy and labor experience, while demanding very little by way of training or effort in return.

 

"The      mind      is everything. What you think you become."

Guided meditations help us to achieve a state of deep inner stillness, so that our mind can be cleared of clutter and unwanted thoughts, and then filled with vivid visualization experiences that effect positive personal changes.

 

REFERENCES:

Bennett, P., and D. Carroll Stress management approaches to the prevention of coronary heart disease. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 29 (1); 1990:1-12.

Cyna, A. M., G, L. McAuliffe. and M. I. Andrew.. Hypnosis for pain relief in labor and childbirth: A systematic review. British journal of Anesthesia 93 (4); 2004: 505-511.

 Domar, A. D., D. Clapp, E. A. Slawsby, et.al. Impact of group psychological interventions on pregnancy rates in infertile women. Fertility end Sterility 73 (4); 2000: 805-811.

 Dreher, H.. Mind-body interventions for surgery: Evidence and exigency. Advances ir] Mind-Body Medicine 14; 1998:207-222.

 Esplen, M. J., P. E. Garfmkel, M. Olmsted, R. M. Gallop, et.al.. A randomized controlled trial of guided imagery in bulimia nervosa. Psychology and Medicine 28 (6); 1998: 1347-1 357.

Ginandes, C. S., and D. I. Rosenthal. Using hypnosis to accelerate the healing of bone fractures: A randomized controlled pilot study. Alternative and Complementary Therapies in Health and Medicine 5 (2); 1999: 67-75.

 

 

 

Received on 17.02.2015           Modified on 02.03.2015

Accepted on 15.03.2015     © A&V Publication all right reserved