Lesson 26 Guided imagery Activity

EMOTIVE IMAGERY SCRIPT

Now close your eyes, sit back, and relax. Eyes closed, sitting back in the chair, relaxing. Now visualize yourself standing by the shore of a large lake, looking out across an expanse of blue water and beyond to the far shore. Immediately in front of you stretches a small beach, and behind you a grassy meadow. The sun is bright and warm. The air is fresh and clean. It is a gorgeous summer day. The sky is pale blue with great billowy clouds drifting by. The wind is blowing gently, just enough to make the trees sway and make gentle ripples in the grass. It’s a perfect day. And you have it entirely to yourself, with nothing to do, nowhere to go. You take from your car a blanket, towel, and swimsuit, and walk off through the meadow. You find a spot, spread the blanket, and lie down on it. It’s so warm and quiet. It’s such a treat to have the day to yourself just to relax and take it easy. Keep your eyes closed, thinking about the warm, beautiful day. You’re in your suit now, walking toward the water, feeling the soft, lush grass under your feet. You reach the beach and start across it. Now you can feel the warm sand underfoot. Very warm and very nice. Now visualize yourself walking out into the water up to your ankles, out farther, up to your knees. The water’s so warm it’s almost like a bath. Now you’re moving faster out into the lake, up to your waist, up to your chest. The water’s so warm, so comfortable. You take a deep breath and glide a few feet forward down into the water. You surface and feel the water run down your back. You look around; you’re still all alone. You still have this lovely spot to yourself. Far across the lake you can see a sailboat, tiny in the distance. It’s so far away you can just make out a white sail jutting up from the blue water. You take another breath and kick off this time toward the shore swimming with long easy strokes. Kicking with your feet, pulling through with your arms and hands. You swim so far that when you stop and stand the water’s only up to your waist, and you begin walking toward the beach, across the warm sand to the grass. Now you’re feeling again the grass beneath your feet. Deep, soft, lush. You reach your blanket and pick up the towel, and begin to dry yourself. You dry your hair, your face, your neck. You stretch the towel across your shoulders, dry your back, your legs. You can feel the warm sun on your skin. It must be ninety degrees, but it’s clear and dry. The heat isn’t oppressive; it’s just nice and warm and comfortable. You lie down on the blanket and feel the deep, soft grass under your head. You’re looking up at the sky, seeing those great billowy clouds floating by, far, far, above.

REFERENCES

Cormier, W. & Cormier, L. (1985) Interviewing strategies for helpers. 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.