Illness as Initiation
In approaching illness, and healing from illness, one of our first thoughts is often, “how can I make this go away?” Illness can motivate us to make changes to relieve the discomfort, the strain, the lack of ease (dis-ease) that we are experiencing. However, in our effort to heal, there are more powerful questions we can ask. One of them is, “what wishes to be born from this?” Another way of asking this could be, “what can I learn from this.” There is always something we can learn. It could be a simple...
read moreCreative Visualization
The faculty of the imagination has been used throughout history for healing purposes. There are many techniques and terms which describe this, including creative visualization, guided imagery, metaphor, story-telling, fantasy, role-playing, active imagination, and art therapy. Below I will describe some types of imagery used in healing as well as “how to” tips. Ultimately, while I believe that the healing potential of imagination and the use of our mind is incredible, I’d like to begin with a few cautioning comments....
read moreImagination, part 3
Can the mind heal the body? Can the mind heal the mind? Yes and yes. How? Let’s see…. I realize that I’ve been citing a lot of studies in these posts. Hopefully that is helpful, or inspiring, or legitimizing. I like studies because they can expand your perspective, and they can point the way to further possibilities. But imagination is not bound by what has already been done. So please do not let the lack of studies in a certain area limit you. I am sharing only a small taste of the many studies demonstrating the power of...
read moreFinite and Infinite Games
This is the title of a fabulous little book by James P. Carse, written almost 20 years ago, that I just found again in my basement. I can still remember the excitement I felt reading it for the first time in my early 20’s. What a vision of possibility it opened. What an playful invitation! “A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility.” I highly recommend it. It is not a long book. It does demands a certain kind of attention, but it also leads you along playfully. James Carse constructs a logical argument/discussion that at...
read moreImagination, part 2
For this next post about imagination (there will be many), I am going to depart from the area of health and healing to look at some of the other powers of our imagination. It has been accepted for some time now that creative visualization and mental rehearsal are powerful boosters of performance – in the arts, in sports, in occupational learning and even in social relationships. To be a top athlete now it is basically an imperative that you engage the use of your imagination to excel in your sport. You may have already heard about an...
read moreImagination, part 1
One of the most powerful tools we have for personal growth and healing is our imagination. We all know that imagination can be a form of play and fun, and that it also spurs the creation of art, entertainment, inventions and new ideas. These are all grand uses of imagination, and have many life affirming aspects in their own right. For the purpose of this discussion, however, I will focus on how imagination can be used specifically for physical and emotional healing, to bolster self-confidence, to manifest needs or desires, to ease stress,...
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