EXERCISE 13

Visualize a healing river

Guided visualization is a highly versatile meditation method. You can use the following script to picture healing forces at work in your body – this may help you to cope with a painful treatment, such as chemotherapy. To allow you to focus completely on your visualization, it is a good idea to record the script onto an audio cassette, speaking calmly and gently, with pauses after each sentence. You can create visualizations of your own to help you face any kind of challenge, not just an illness.

1. Relax by taking deep, cleansing breaths and tensing and releasing all your muscles.

2. Close your eyes and visualize the following scene: “I am standing on the bank of a river. I know that this is a healing river. I put my toes in the water – it feels warm and soothing. I walk slowly into the river, enjoying the warm, soothing water. The water is all around me now. It penetrates my skin, my muscles and enters each individual cell, bringing with it a wonderful healing energy. This healing energy knows exactly where to go in my body to cleanse me. It washes away all sickness and restores me to health. I have a deep knowing that I am well. I watch my illness flow away downstream. I wade back to the bank and emerge feeling healthy and whole.”

3. Take a few moments to linger by the healing river before opening your eyes.