We have seen how closely the mind and body work together. Our mind can be a vital force in healing if we know how to harness its power.

     Each of us has a healer within. How is this possible? How can we reach this healing essence? The stresses of modern life often separate us from our true natures, and from our connections with the powers of creativity and energy. This portion of the book will help to lead us back to some of those healing forces, beginning with the power of imagery.

    Authors Irving Oyle and Susan Jean suggest that there are three ways to trigger, or access, our inner healers. Paraphrasing an excerpt from their work The Wizdom Within: On Daydreams, Realities, and Revelations [H. J. Kramer, 1993], these ways are:

Intention:	such as holding positive thoughts which translate into deeds;
Faith:	examples could include the be belief that visiting a holy place, or taking a remedy (including a prescribed medication) will help; having a sense of confidence in the doctor or health care practice, or confidence in the powers of a higher power;
Ritual:	shamanic healing practices, or the rituals involved in the common act of going to the doctor's office (ritual garb such as the whitecoat, the stethoscope, the healing powers of touch, etc.) Any ritual can be a powerful event and have a major impact on the participant.

     We have already explored some of these pathways. You use the power of intention in the Conditioned Relaxation exercise. You literally tell your body what to do-and it listens in many cases.

     What about faith? Obviously religious faith can play an important role in how a person deals with illness. Having faith in whatever treatment is prescribed helps to encourage a positive outcome in many cases.

     Can it play a role in stress management? I believe that it can. If you believe that you can learn new and more effective ways of coping with your life stresses, you will be able to achieve a greater feeling of empowerment and control over difficult situations. Your belief in your own abilities, or your belief in the abilities of the patients with whom you employ these strategies will help you and your patients to achieve a higher level of wellness.

     The core of this healing process in the incredible power of imagery.
      What is imagery?

      Jeanne Achterberg, author of Imagery in Healing: Shamanism and Modern Medicine  [Boston: Shambala New Science Library, 1985], defines it as follows:

Imagery is the thought process that invokes and uses the senses: vision, audition, smell, taste, the senses of movement, position, and touch. It is the communication mechanism between perception, emotion and bodily change... A major cause of both health and sickness, the image is the world's oldest and greatest healing resource [Achterberg]

Imagery impacts on the body on multiple levels: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Sound preposterous?
Take a moment to think about it, and to think about some real life examples.
          For example, what is worrying?
          Worrying is imagery: It is the process of imagining some potential
 outcome or event that has not happened and may never happen. When we worry, we are using our powers of imagination-of imagery. What does our body do?

     List three physical reactions you have experienced when you were worried about something:

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

     Worrying is something that happens in your mind; your body reacts. Same thing with fantasizing-the mind imagines, the body reacts.

     Often when I lead groups or stress management classes, somebody will
share that they do not believe that they have strong powers of imagination, or imagery. This a common feeling, and is OK. You may feel this way as you read this chapter. But you have already learned from our discussion that you already use imagery to some extent. Perhaps an exercise which is a bit more concrete, will help to illustrate just how close the connection between the mind and body is:

Imagery Exercise Think of a lemon.................... A big, juicy, yellow lemon. Think of cutting it in half and beginning to squeeze the juice into a bowl. How does your mouth feel right now, as you hold the image of the lemon in your mind? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________

Your mind saw the lemon, imagined how it would taste and smell, and your body reacted.

     The images in the mind have a strong impact on the reaction of the body. If I believe, if I imagine that a pill will help me feel better-there is a greater likelihood that it will do so. The so-called Placebo Effect [Latin for "I will please"] is largely due to the power of imagery: the power of the mind to cause a physical and biochemical effect on the body.

The Medicine of the Imagination
     Before we had the technology and drugs which we rely up on today, healers had to make-do with what resources they had: the products of the earth, the belief in the power of faith and ritual, and the belief that the body could be healed through a restoration of the balance between the mind-body-spirit and psyche.

     The earliest known healers, known as shamans, practiced what Achterberg calls "the medicine of the imagination" [ Imagery in Healing, p. 6] Shamans incorporated the use of herbs, music, dance, and various ritualistic practices to assist their clients to achieve this balance which was needed for them to heal. Imagery is a powerful tool in this practice: the faith of the client in the skills of the shaman and his/ her ministrations was a key ingredient to the success of the treatment.

      When we use imagery today, we are following in very well established traditions of healing. Modern science, through the efforts of the psychoneuroimmunologists and other researchers, is lending credence to the value of the mind in the process of healing. Barbara Montgomery Dossey, a leading figure in the holistic nursing community, states that '^people can be taught how to direct their imagery process to produce positive healing results" [Barbara Montgomery Dossey, "Imagery: Awakening the Inner Healer," included in Holistic Nursing: A Handbook for Practice , Dossey, et al. (Gaithersburg: Aspen Publishers, Inc., 1988), p.225].

      This fact has implications to our discussion of stress management. Once again quoting Dossey, "the goal of the imagery process is for a person to create an end result image of reaching one's potential that directly evokes positive psychophysiologic responses" ["Imagery].

      In other words, you use imagery to see yourself as relaxed, healed, and coping effectively with life's stresses. Imagery becomes another tool, or method which you can utilize to assist yourself and your patients or clients to deal with difficult situations.

Imagery and Stress Management
    How can imagery be used in stress management? Let's look at one example. How many times have you said or thought "I need a vacation" during the course of a stressful day at work or at home? Time to escape and re-group.

      Imagery is one way to do this without leaving town. Using the powers of your own mind, you can take a ''mini-vacation" without leaving your desk. Think of it as a more intentional form of daydreaming, in which your purpose is to help yourself relax and refresh your mind and body.

     As with any relaxation exercises, do not do this while driving!

Imagery Exercise: A Quick Getaway As with the other exercises, begin by making yourself comfortable in your chair, or reclining. Close your eyes, and begin to focus on your breathing-take in a slow, deep breath: a healing breath. As you breathe in, feel the healing powers of oxygen circulating throughout your entire body. As you breathe out, let go of the tension and stress which you are holding in your body. Repeat this sequence, releasing and relaxing your body with each breath..........          Now let your mind begin to wander to a special place. A peaceful, safe place... It can be real or imaginary... That doesn't matter, as long as it feels safe and restful to you.... Imagine your self in misplace... Try to experience as many dimensions of the experience as you can: the sights, the smells, the feelings... Just enjoy being relaxed and comfortable in this special, very personal place..      After a few minutes, prepare to come back to your present world. Say good bye to your special place, but remember that you can go back there any time you wish-all you need is the power of your own mind, and the power of imagery.        Come back, take in a few deep breaths, begin to wiggle your toes and fingers-reconnect with the physical world around you. When you are ready, open your eyes...feeling relaxed and refreshed.

     You may want to take a few moments to process this experience by writing about it, or by drawing a picture of what you saw. Make any notes or drawings you want to: what the place was like, how you felt,, or any other thoughts you have:

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

     Once you learn the technique, you can use imagery as a helpful relaxation tool. It can also be even more effective in conjunction with other creative processes and experiences, such as incorporating draw sensory dimensions together, you can reach multiple facets of the mind and the psyche, and in turn have a more holistic impact on your entire being. Words and images on paper help to ground the images in another dimension of reality, as well.

     Brief writing exercises have been included throughout the book to provide you with a means of expressing and processing your experiences and thoughts. Writing, whether in the form of a journal, notes to yourself, or poetry can be a very valuable practice for many people. It is especially helpful for assisting people to sort out and clarify their thoughts about difficult situations or life changes. I strongly encourage everyone who reads this book- regardless of your profession or experience with writing-to complete each of the writing exercises. If all you have to say is two or three words, that's OK-just do it! Learn to use your creative talents as tools for your own healing and stress [and life] management.

     The utilization of the creative arts as healing tools does not end with writing or keeping a journal, as we shall discuss in the next section of the book. Remember what you have already learned about the powers of imagery; we will be incorporating this information further as we move along.