Meeting Your Friendly Inner Advisor
AN IMAGERY SCRIPT BY ARLENE HARDER, MA, MFT
This guided imagery exercise opens you to the wisdom that lies at the center of who you are, a resource of strength we all need in our lives today.
Many people are discovering a marvelous source of wisdom they experience almost as though it were an "inner advisor," a "personal coach," a "special teacher," etc. Although the idea may seem strange at first, once you learn how to use this technique, you will discover it is a wonderful and quick way to find answers to problems you have been struggling with for a long time.
As with all the imagery scripts on this website, you can use this in several different ways. First, simply read it as you would read any article, with the purpose of learning something and exploring how that might apply to you. On the other hand, you may want to get into the piece more deeply by reading it several times to yourself, pausing when you come to breaks identified by three periods (. . .) in order to have time to experience that section in whatever way feels comfortable to you.
Or, you can try to experience it as a regular imagery exercise is usually done, that is, first read it into a tape player (or have a friend or family member read it for you) and then, as you listen to it, close your eyes and follow along in whatever way feels right to you. To learn more about the technique of imagery, I suggest you read Exercising the Right Side of Your Brain, Part One of Images and Symbols: The Glue of Habit, the Lubricant of Change.
Incidentally, this piece talks about a "signal breath." This is a special kind of breath that you can easily learn to do by taking in a deep breath through the nose, holding it slightly, and then exhaling through the mouth, impeding the flow slightly with lips almost closed (rather like imagining you are slowly and gently blowing on a candle). This kind of breath acts as a signal or trigger to the body that the person is ready and willing to relax.
As you prepare to explore the wisdom and intuition which lies within you, let yourself become comfortable and gently close your eyes. . . . Begin to relax by taking a few deep breaths, using those breaths as a signal to your body that you are ready to relax and quiet the chatter of your mind .. . . And now allow your body to breathe naturally and easily . . . noticing how, with each breath, you become more and more comfortable, more and more relaxed . . . and you soon find yourself very relaxed and, at the same time, alert . . . .
As you allow your relaxation to deepen, let your mind become quiet and still. . . . and out of the stillness allow yourself to remember a problem or situation you would like resolved. The issue may be a fairly recent one, or it may be something with which you have been struggling for a long time. It may involve an area of your life that seems almost insurmountable or it may be a relatively minor nuisance that you need a little help with. Of course, as you reflect on the many different areas in your life, there may be several issues that want your attention. But for right now, let just one problem come to the forefront, accepting whatever arises as the one you need to deal with at this time . . . .
Looking at that issue as objectively as you can, reflect on how you have tried to resolve this matter, using all the resources that you felt were available to you. . . . And as you notice what you have done, see if you can define what you feel is the basic, core issue, perhaps making a brief statement to yourself about it, defining your area of concern in one or two sentences. . . . And as you consider how much you want this problem to have a solution, notice your willingness to take a new approach to resolving it. . . .
And now, feeling your resolve to explore new answers, ones that you may not have considered, I invite you to move easily into a quiet and still space within, where the intuition of the mind can offer solutions that the logical, rational mind may have overlooked. And from this quiet center, allow an image to arise of a place where there is great beauty and serenity. You may actually see this place, within the landscape of your mind, or you may just get a sense of how wonderful it would be to enjoy the peacefulness and tranquility of a special place within. . . . Take several moments to experience this place as completely as you can, in whatever way feels right to you . . . .
And now, to help you explore a new way of approaching your problem, invite, if you wish, a friendly inner advisor to join you in your special place. To meet this wonderful source of wisdom and intuition, allow an image to form out of the kindest, wisest part of you. This wise being may appear in many ways-perhaps as a wise old man or woman, as a friendly animal, an angel, a leprechaun, an old friend, a relative or a spiritual leader. This image of wisdom may be familiar to you, or it may be something entirely new. And you may experience this being as someone you can clearly see and touch it, knowing who it is immediately, or you may just have a sense that within you resides a source of wisdom and love. Feel the kindness and compassion of this image, sensing its wisdom and its desire to be of assistance in resolving an issue in your life. And if nothing at all seems to arise in your imagination, simply allow yourself to feel what it would be like if you could have an inner friend who could offer you wise advice . . . .
And now, as you greet this wise and wonderful source of knowledge, imagine you can communicate with this friendly advisor, perhaps experiencing this dialogue as though a real conversation were taking place inside of you. Or it may be that you can experience information passing between you in another way. Just allow yourself to communicate in whatever way seems most natural and begin by asking if the wise being has a name. . . . Accept the name that comes to you and welcome him or her to this special place in your inner world, taking a moment now to experience this introductory stage in your relationship in whatever way feels right to you . . . .
Now take a moment and tell your friendly advisor about the problem that you reflected upon earlier in this exercise. Share with this wise being your thoughts on what you believe is the central issue and how you have worked very hard on this problem and need some advice. . . . And as he or she listens to your situation, notice the response. Is there a confirmation that the core of the issue is as you see it, or is there another way to look at it and what does this friendly advisor say you need to do in order to help resolve the problem. Listen to the answer just as you would listen to the opinion of a wise and respected teacher, accepting for now what you sense to be true. . . .
If your friendly advisor gives you the feeling that you are already on the right track, accept that you are doing as well as you can. And if this source of inner wisdom feels you need to be more gentle and less critical of yourself, allow the love and caring of this wonderful inner friend to fill you with joy and warmth and pleasure. But perhaps you get a sense that this wise being feels you need to move in a new direction in your life regarding this matter and you have some questions about what it will mean to follow that advice. And so, continue the conversation until you feel you have learned all you can at this time. . . .
And now take a few moments to reflect on how your life would change if you put into action the advice you have received . . . .
Perhaps, as you reflect on what your friendly advisor seems to be suggesting, you keep thinking "yes, but." Your mind keeps bringing you back to the obstacles which you see before you, obstacles that appear to prevent you from acting on the advice. If that is your situation, take a moment now to ask your advisor how you can deal constructively with these barriers. And particularly ask what could be a small step, perhaps even an insignificant step, that you could take which would allow you to begin moving in the suggested direction . . . .
And now notice that your wonderful inner advisor and friend has a gift for you. It is a gift that symbolizes the power of intuition and the availability of inner guidance that complements that which you learn in your interaction with the outside world. . . . As you accept the gift with thanks, imagine what gift you could give as evidence of your willingness to rely more fully on this source of wisdom from within . . . .
And now bring your meeting with your friendly inner advisor to a close by thanking him or her for meeting with you and asking how you can most easily get back in touch. Perhaps you may even want to set a specific time when you will call another meeting with this source of inner wisdom and friendship and exploring another problem . . . .
And now, if you have not already done so, say good-bye in whatever way seems appropriate. . . . And allow yourself now to come back to awareness of the room you are in . . . taking an energizing breath and stretching a little . . . gently opening your eyes and remembering what was significant about this meeting and what you plan to do about your problem.
© Copyright 1987, ARLENE HARDER, MA, MFT |
