EMPOWER YOUR INNER HEALING - page 2. (Sample)

Inner images of the body and of illness

When we think about our body, especially if we think of a specific part of the body or a specific area in the body, we create, consciously or sub-consciously, inner images.
How you relate to these images, how they influence you emotionally, influences how you relate to your illness.

These images can have different components: the visual component, maybe an audial (for example the sound of heartbeat or of breathing, or an inner dialogue), and a kinesthetic (body related) component - how you are feeling, pain, sensations, emotions that are activated. Emotions, even if they lead to thoughts, are basically body sensations. I here call the different components of the inner image the modalities of the image.

Each of these "perception channels" - the visual, the audial and the kinesthetic have furthermore individual specific properties, which I call sub-modalities.

Sub-modalities

In the visual channel typical sub-modalities can be how colorful the image is, or if it is black-and-white, the level of contrast, if the image gives an overall light or dark impression, the apparent distance to the image, if it seems to have a distinct boundary or if it is connected with a surrounding area of other body parts.

The audial channel has it's own specific sub-modalities: how load the sound is experienced, from where it seems to come, if the sound is heard at a distance or inside your head, the different qualities of the sound, if it sounds healthy or un-healthy, active or passive, and so on. The audial channel can also include an inner dialogue, like "this hurts, but it will pass..."

The kinesthetic, the body related, channel finally has it's own sub-modalities: where something is felt, how much, if the sensation is pleasant or unpleasant, the quality of the sensation as piercing, sore, a dull pain, a chilling feeling, etc. The inner image can also be connected to specific emotions like fear, uneasiness, frustration, stress, etc.

An inner image of healing

I now want you to remember or to reflect on something your body became a victim of, something you at that time were completely convinced it would heal by itself or with the help of some medical treatment. Select a memory of an injury or an illness that resembles the injury or illness you are suffering from now, but one that you were convinced would heal, and when it later did so you were not surprised at all, so convinced were you that it would heal or be OK with the treatment. It can for example be a major wound, a fractured arm or leg, a terrible cold or other infection, a food poisoning, or something entirely different, but which at the time felt beyond any doubt that it would heal and be OK, with or without some measures taken or with the help of some treatment.

Go back to this memory, enter into it, experience it again with your inner vision and inner feeling. Take the time you need in order to fully re-experience the memory. Now, make yourself aware of the inner images you created at the time of the injury or illness. Where you now are, in the memory, at that time, reflect on the injury or illness you have and become aware of the inner images you have of this injury or illness, of the part or the area of the body. Become aware of whether you actually see something visually, and what you see, whether you hear or imagine some sound, how that injury or illness felt, which emotions you had in connection to it.

Make yourself aware of the sub-modalities of this inner image, for each one of the three perception channels. How do you represent to yourself, through creating this inner image, your injury or illness? Is the image in color or is it black-and-white? Is the level of contrast high or is the image fuzzy? Is it limited, such that you see only the part or the specific area of the body involved, or do you see it connected to the rest of the body? Which sounds do you experience, which qualities do these sounds have? Which body sensations are there in connection to the image - describe these in detail. Which emotions are activated by this image of your injury or illness?

Take the time you need to scrupulously study the memory, make written notes on a piece of paper about all the sub-modalities, for each channel: the visual, the audial and the kinesthetic.

Anchor the image

Now, make yourself fully aware of all the properties and qualities of the inner image you have of the injury or illness you were convinced would heal completely, by itself or with proper treatment. When you are completely aware of all this, fully aware of the image and its sub-modalities, anchor the experience by gently taking hold of your left wrist with your right hand. Go into the memory, make yourself aware of how you see and experience the memory, and anchor this inner knowledge with the sensation of how it feels to calmly hold your left wrist. Keep doing this until it feels like the image and it's qualities, together with how your hand feels on your wrist, sinks down into your sub-conscious mind, deep down.

Listen at the two last pages, or download the audio file.

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(mp3, 12 Mb, 12 minutes.)

When you feel ready with this page, you can continue to the next chapter in the course, by clicking Next.