| Guided imagery meditation and regression are | | | | accelerate one's process of healing, growth, and |
| modalities that have been used with more | | | | empowerment. There can be spontaneous |
| frequency over the past several years and are | | | | transformations and emotional breakthroughs. |
| powerful tools for both transformation and | | | | In addition, a skilled and intuitive practitioner can |
| empowerment. | | | | individualize the session to your needs and, |
| What is guided imagery meditation? Actually, | | | | moreover, can also actually "be there" with you |
| guided meditation is somewhat of a cross | | | | and sense how to steer the imagery and, thus, |
| between relaxation, hypnosis, and meditation, in | | | | the experience. This can elicit much more |
| which a relaxed state is induced and a deeper | | | | powerful results than may be gained through |
| level of consciousness is reached, a state | | | | preprogrammed guided meditation tapes that |
| somewhere between the waking state and the | | | | may not be individualized to your needs (although, |
| unconscious or sleep state. In this state, we can | | | | in lieu of individualized sessions, tapes can definitely |
| go "within" and quiet outside influences and | | | | be helpful). |
| distractions to tap our inner core. Various types | | | | Regression sessions are a modality similar to |
| of imagery may be used, depending upon what | | | | guided imagery meditation, in that a relaxed state |
| the guided meditation is attempting to do. In | | | | is induced and a person is taken to a deeper level |
| some way, because imagery is utilized, this | | | | of consciousness. Age or past-life regression may |
| modality draws on our imagination and may allow | | | | be attained either through guided imagery or a |
| us to more easily be pulled "into" the meditation | | | | more straightforward approach. The key |
| and dissolve blocks that may otherwise have | | | | component of regression sessions is that of being |
| been barriers to finding answers. | | | | taken to a different time -- usually to a younger |
| Guided imagery meditation may be used for a | | | | age in the present lifetime or to a past lifetime. |
| variety of purposes. At its simplest, it may be | | | | One may do regression for a variety of reasons: |
| used for relaxation, to still and calm anxiety. It | | | | to tap into childhood issues and primary causes of |
| may be used to access spirit guides and to obtain | | | | pain and fear, so as to facilitate insight and |
| guidance, and to reach our Higher Self. It may be | | | | breakthroughs; to explore past lifetimes in order |
| used to face and deal with fears, thereby | | | | to identify possible past-life causes of present life |
| overcoming them. It may be used to deal with | | | | problems, fears, relationship issues, etc.; to learn |
| childhood issues and pains and heal them. It may | | | | what one's past lives may have been; etc. |
| be used to attain self-esteem and self-love. And, | | | | Regression can also be a powerful transformative |
| as we attempt to move toward living consciously, | | | | tool and can help elicit breakthroughs and insights. |
| it allows us to plumb our own depths, know | | | | One can also go forward in time, either to the |
| ourselves better, and bring unconscious things to | | | | future in the present life or to future lifetimes. We |
| consciousness. | | | | may call this technique, progression. |
| One of the very positive aspects of guided | | | | At their best, guided imagery meditation and |
| imagery meditation is that it can allow us to find | | | | regression/progression sessions can be powerful |
| our own answers within. Thus, it is a powerful tool | | | | tools for self-transformation and empowerment |
| for empowerment. The practitioner who uses this | | | | with great gains attained in a noninvasive and |
| technique can facilitate his/her client's process of | | | | facilitating manner. The noninvasive and facilitating |
| empowerment, rather than just giving the client | | | | approach in these techniques allows you to walk |
| answers that he/she could have found within or | | | | your own path, find your own answers, and |
| telling the client what to do. For the client, | | | | empower yourself. |
| encountering one's own guides and finding one's | | | | This article was first published in the June 1994 |
| answers can be a very powerful and | | | | issue of "Connexions. |
| transformative experience and can greatly | | | | |