Guided imagery

Image: a spectrum of care

Imagery is the most fundamental language we have. Everything we do is processed in the mind through images.

The term ‘guided imagery’ refers to a number of different techniques, including visualization; direct suggestion using imagery, metaphor and storytelling; fantasy and game playing; dream interpretation; drawing; and active imagination. Therapeutic guided imagery is believed to allow patients to enter a relaxed state and focus attention on images associated with issues they are confronting.

For the past hundred years, many renowned Western psychologists have worked with imagery (dreams, daydreams and fantasies), some of whom have even postulated their own psychoanalytic techniques. Besides Wolfgang Kretschmer (whom I mentioned in my previous post), Robert Desoille’s ‘guided daydreams’, Jacob Morena’s ‘psychodrama’, and Hans Carl Leuner’s ‘experimentally introduced cathathymic imagery’ have all contributed to using imagery in therapy. Hans Carl Leuner had further developed psychodrama, calling it symboldrama psychotherapy or guided affective imagery.

However, according to Joe Utay, Assistant Professor, Counselor Education, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Director of Counseling and Evaluation Services, it is David Bresler’s and Martin Rossman’s work with guided imagery which is better known today. Bresler and Rossman co-founded the Academy for Guided Imagery and defined guided imagery as a “range of techniques from simple visualization and direct imagery-based suggestion through metaphor and storytelling.”

There are many others, of course, who have worked, and continue to work, with guided imagery. In fact, there is no end to the amount of research that’s going on today in this field. In an article from March 2006, (originally) from Journal of Instructional Psychology [now available in The Free Library], Professors Utay and Megan Miller explain, “Guided imagery can be used to learn and rehearse skills, more effectively problem solve through visualizing possible outcomes of different alternatives, and increase creativity and imagination. It has also been shown to affect physiological processes: in addition to its use in counseling, guided imagery has also been used with very positive results in sports training, rehabilitative medicine, and healthcare.”

Although its applications are manifold, guided imagery is considered a part of alternative therapy/medicine and yet to be embraced by the mainstream medical fraternity. “Research is early and is not definitive.”

[Citation: Guided imagery as an effective therapeutic technique: a brief review of its history and efficacy research, The Free Library, March 1, 2006.]

Dreams, daydreams and fantasies

Image – LucidDreaming – Writers Cafeteria, Dechen Choiling

Dreams, daydreams and fantasies are overlooked for all the good they do – or can do – for us. On the contrary, we scold people for frittering away time daydreaming or fantasising about things which are unreal and may not happen. In everyday life, dreams and daydreams have no substance. It’s foolish to spend time in such activities.

Yet, in older traditions and cultures, such as those of ancient Hindus, Chinese Tibetans, Australian Aborigines, or Indigenous Peoples of America, dreams, daydreams and fantasies played an important part in forming imagery and imagination. They were essential in the formation of the concept of ‘I am’ and, therefore, essential to life.

Tribal people believed that dreams, daydreams and fantasies could be used effectively for relaxation and healing, for solving problems, and for guiding the progress of their tribes. These people went to the extent of using hypnosis or hallucinogens (mind-altering drugs), such as opium, datura or peyote, to induce daydreams and fantasies… using symbols for meaning.

In the West, perhaps thanks to Descartes, imagination didn’t fit into the nature of rational thinking, and was considered ‘unreal’. It was with the advent of psychology in Europe and, particularly, Sigmund Freud’s declaration that dreams, daydreams and fantasies can help unravel a great deal about a person’s mind, that the use of dreams, daydreams and fantasies became popular as a psychoanalytical tool.

Besides Freud, many psychologists began working with dreams, daydreams and fantasies. Among them Carl G Jung, Roberto Assagioli, Carl Happich, Hans Carl Leuner, Wolfgang Kretschmer and Robert Desoille… who started using daydream and meditation in therapy, introducing the Eastern concept of ‘I am’ in their psychoanalysis.

It was Kretschmer who referred to daydreams as inner visions, or ‘thinking in the form of a movie’.

Everyday fantasies are a real thing

Image: Second Life – E&T Magazine

Although the concept of the metaverse has become popular these days, there’s no doubt that we find it difficult to identify ourselves with the reality-and-fantasy sequences, and jump-cuts in books and sci-fi films, that many authors and filmmakers present to us in their narratives. Yet, these narratives, apparently, are happening all the time in our minds. Psychologists say, we all live our lives in similar fashion, i.e. in metaverse-like fantasies, almost all the time.

Whenever we are looking for ideas, or searching for solutions to complex problems, or simply unable to cope with reality when the events in our lives overwhelm us, we escape into fantasies, daydreams and wishful thinking… creating make-believe worlds of our own. We continuously engage in a process of self-creation and self-discovery, constructing autobiographical narratives. We create these fictional worlds where our problems are sorted out and resolved, providing much-needed relief from mental anguish.

In these constructed narratives, we transform ourselves into fiction and become extensions of our individual selves, in the same way many authors and filmmakers present their characters in their narratives. We create alternative versions of ourselves, ‘avatars’ you might say, who play different roles in different situations or narratives, express different moods… although, in reality, our lives and everyday experiences may never change. These ‘avatars’ have the ability to escape from ‘our reality’ and have the freedom to change almost anything, living a life of unlimited possibilities.

Through them, we can stretch the time at our disposal, living through not only one or two events from our lives, but, sometimes, our entire lives. In our minds, we see our lives being lived differently… fulfilling our desires, resolving issues which are too complex or painful for us to manage, by transporting ourselves into fantasies which offer different more-gratifying outcomes to our problems. Some of these outcomes are even fun and entertaining. And, should the reality we face everyday not change for us in accordance to our desires, we may live and re-live these fantasies for years together.

Some of us are actually quite skilful in weaving our real lives and fantasy lives, enjoying the experience, though we may never reveal this to our friends or to the outside world lest people think we are crazy. For, expressing our indulgence in such fictional worlds may mean we have lost touch with reality. Hence, revealing such narratives in stories, plays, films and other forms of creative expression seem to be the only acceptable means to reach the public at large. Even then, whenever we read about or watch a performance of or experience such narratives, we can’t help but feel a little discomfort which we are unable to explain.

Are creative people more attractive to others?

Image: Pablo Picasso – DW

I’m the proverbial ‘suit’, working on marketing and business strategies. Much of my work deals with helping my clients push marketing messages through to their customers, hoping to catch them (the customers) at the right place, at the right time, and win them over. My work is not perceived to be creative. Creativity is reserved for creative people; I’m not one of them.

A conservative view, no doubt. I didn’t let it bother me until I read this BBC news story from several years ago: Creative people ‘luckier in love’. The story openly stated, “the more creative a person is, the more sexual partners they are likely to have.” Apparently, “artists and poets had an average of four to 10 sexual partners, compared to three for non-creative types.” I wonder if this is true for us Indians! Or, even if it is gender-specific.

The sub-head to the story announced, “If you are hoping to improve your love life, it may be wise to develop artistic traits, researchers suggest.” I didn’t need to hear this. At my late age, I felt lonely – even envious.

Dr Daniel Nettle, who was a part of the team which researched this phenomenon, explained, “Creative types lead a bohemian lifestyle and tend to act on more sexual impulses and opportunities, often purely for experience’s sake, than the average person would.” He went on to add, “It’s common to find that this sexual behaviour is tolerated. Partners, even long-term ones, are less likely to expect loyalty and fidelity from them.”

Dr John Gruzelier, professor of psychology at Imperial College London, gave a somewhat contrary point of view, saying, “…some arts required introversion. Some creative people, such as artists and writers, are solitary people. They are almost hermit-like. That’s partly because they are so driven. Their art is all they want to do.”

Confused? Well, as usual, there was a perfectly good reason for this contrary behaviour. Creative people could be displaying the ‘positive side’ of their personality traits seen in schizophrenia, the article stated. Would this be such a good thing after all? I’m not so sure. Recent research may have more to say on this.

I think I’ll stick to my less-promiscuous marketing and business strategies for the time being.

[Citation: Creative people ‘luckier in love’, BBC News, 29 November 2005.]

The creative thinking process

Image: NPR

The little girl had the makings of a poet in her, who, being told to be sure of her meaning before she spoke, said, “How can I know what I think till I see what I say?”
[Graham Wallas in his book The Art of Thought]

The creative thinking process has confused mankind for centuries. From ancient times to present-day ‘creative thinking’ teachers, the likes of Roger von Oech and Edward de Bono, people have tried to understand the human brain and make sense of our thinking and creative processes. More accurately, the creative thinking process – or, how do we get ideas? Where do ideas come from?

Here are two schools of thought to keep you busy thinking:

Graham Wallas (1858-1932), social psychologist, in his seminal work, The Art of Thought (1926), described four stages of the creative process:

Preparation. The person expecting to gain new insights must know his field of study and be well prepared. People get inventive ideas mainly in their own fields – poets in poetry, scientists in science.

Incubation. Many ideas come only in a period of time spent away from the problem, usually after actively engaging with the problem. [Archimedes got his idea in the public bath.]

Illumination. The ‘flash’ of a new idea. Resting the mind by doing other activities and letting the creative ideas form. [This is indeed a mysterious phase.]

Verification. Ensuring that the idea actually solves the problem. Since many great ideas don’t always work out in actual practice, this final step is vitally important to the success of any project.

Roger von Oech, creative thinking speaker and specialist, most famous for his book, A Whack on the Side of the Head, recommends a seven-stage process and says that creative thinking can be learnt and practised. He breaks the seven stages into two groups: The Germinal phase where ideas arise, and the Practical phase where the ideas are evaluated and processed.

The Germinal Phase

Motivation. The desire to be creative, generating the energy.

Search. Information gathering; looking in other fields for ideas; looking at the big picture; being willing to go astray, exploring other areas.

Manipulation. Transforming and manipulating the resources and ideas found, delaying judgement and eliminating some old assumptions.

Incubation. Walking away from the problem after a time of focused attention and turning it over to the subconscious. This ‘letting go’ puts the problem into perspective, and the planted idea grows in the subconscious. Delaying action often improves ideas.

Illumination. The Aha! or Eureka! experience [Archimedes again!]. Oech advises, “…ideas can strike at any time, so always carry a means of recording an idea.” Recognising one’s creative time of the day may also be important.

The Practical Phase

Evaluation. Making a decision even if the ideas aren’t perfect.

Action. Completing the creative process can be the most difficult step of all.

According to von Oech, the focus of the creativity technique is on the Germinal phase and how we can generate and manipulate ideas.

And yet, others protest, creative breakthroughs don’t always come from the most expert thinkers. But then, why leave things to chances!