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Meditation

A simple and easy form of one type of meditation is to sit quietly and notice your breath. As you pay attention to your breathing in and breathing out, other pressing thoughts may slow down their pace, then they may subside. Usually during this time, your breathing becomes slower and deeper. If the mind wanders away from its focus on the breath, simply return to observing your breathing pattern. There is no particular need to breathe in any special way, although you may want to take more deep breaths; just pay attention to your breathing.

Then you may proceed to another part of basic meditation called mindfulness. During the mindfulness phase of meditation, you expand your awareness and attention to the continuous feelings, thoughts, sounds, smells, images, and sensations that you experience even while being still and silent. You merely watch whatever you are experiencing. It's not necessary in this type of meditation to try hard to "focus" or "concentrate" or "control" your thinking. Just be with whatever thoughts and feelings emerge and notice the patterns, the pace, and even the spaces between the thoughts and feelings. Also notice the spaces between the physical sensations, when they don't seem as noticeable. Be a spectator or witness to your own thinking and feeling. If you find yourself worrying or problem solving, that's OK too. Just be with yourself for 15 to 20 minutes, twice a day and over a week or so, you will begin to notice increased sense of deep relaxation and a calm, comfortable level of enjoyment with the whole process.

The principle driving this type of mediation is considered a truism: the mind will naturally go to where it needs to go if given the chance. Just sit with the eyes closed and "listen to inner silence." This type of meditation makes sense especially in light of the differences between the logical brain and the non-logical side of the brain as discussed, in more detail below, under imagery.

Those who practice meditation suggest that you allow about 15 to 20 minutes for each meditation session, once in the morning and again at night. Try to make it the same time every day. Most people suggest meditation should be practiced in the same location every day and to do your meditation before meals rather than after eating. It is also important to be in a quiet, comfortable room that is free from distractions. Most people find that meditating in a sitting position helps to prevent falling asleep while in a deep meditative state, but it's also fine to fall asleep if you need to. It's also fine to meditate in a bed; the point is to just be comfortable. As you catch up with your need for sleep, your meditations will also change.

What Is Imagery?

Guided imagery is the use of the imagination for emotional healing, by creating pictures in the mind that can help you relax and deal with specific conditions. Einstein, late in his brilliant life, said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

If you don't believe the imagination has that kind of power, then do the following exercise. Pretend you are very thirsty and you go to the kitchen for water and all the water is turned off and there is no liquid in the house except one lemon. You imagine that you pick it up and squeeze the yellow ball. Being very thirsty you consider cutting it open since it's the only liquid available. After a moment, you grab the sharp knife and cut into it, noticing the juice leaking out. You cut it into quarters and quickly stick one of the pieces in your mouth.

Are you grimacing with the thought? Do you now taste the sour juice? Is your mouth salivating? You can learn to develop your imagination so that such scenes become virtual experiences, as if they really happened, as if you actually put a piece of lemon in your mouth. Then you can create new imagery to help you reduce stress.

Like the exercise above, imagery uses the mind as well as the senses to create a vivid picture and even sensations. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Do you have such a picture? Most people have a few important pictures of people in their families or of special events. Think of one of those pictures now and notice what emotions you feel? Do you remember the whole situation when the picture was taken? The weather, the excitement, the food, the noises? Again, you are using vivid imagery and it may be changing your current feelings and experiences.

Create New Images For Emotional Healing

Imagery is the language of the heart, some say even the soul. Imagery can represent ideas that cannot be explained logically in the normal sense, just as the picture you just recalled had much more meaning to you than it would to a stranger. We all experience emotions, memories, goals, values, beliefs, and desires that may not always fit into rational boxes. In our scientific, rational, thinking world, we sometimes forget that we are more than what we think.

Imagery illustrates dreams and daydreams; memories; plans, projections, and possibilities. It is the language of the emotions and the deeper self.

Most of us think most of the time using the left side of our brain. It is the left brain that originates the little voice in our head talking to us throughout the day - and sometimes at night. But the right side is also important in ways we may not notice. To oversimplify for an example, the right brain is probably at work when we suddenly find ourselves exclaiming, "I got It!" Whether we are solving a problem, making a touch down pass, or giving birth, at some point we realize the whole meaning of the total situation and can take action. The left brain collects the facts, but the right brain puts it all together for us so that we can perform well - not just to know how to do it, but to organize all the facts and mobilize all the physical and emotional efforts.

Using our imagination is a right brain activity that may seem unfamiliar and even silly to those who spend most of their careers and lives thinking things through logically. The right brain operates by different rules than the left brain and its language is vivid imagination to create virtual experiences. The right side of the brain processes information in an abstract, symbolic manner and is more creative, intuitive, and instinctive.

How To Get Started

Set aside 15 to 20 minutes, twice a day to practice meditation and imagery. You may lie down or sit in a comfortable chair. Choose a quiet location and wear loose clothing.

Take a few deep breaths to start, then let the mind wander for a while, just observing your breath. Then pay attention to other physical sensations, emotions, and anything else happening in that moment. Just be in the moment.

After a few minutes of meditation, begin using imagery. Remember a pleasant, comfortable situation you have previously experienced. Think of everything about the occurrence (as applicable): who was there, what were the smells, the noises, sounds, temperatures, colors, and sensations. Continue expanding on this image by remembering more about why this was pleasant and comfortable for you. What were the emotions? What was the meaning of the event? What was symbolized?

Then continue, but this time, leave your memory behind and just imagine what might happen from this vivid scene. Who else might come? What might be said? What would you say?

Note that you can change any part of the image if you find it unpleasant or if you want to make it more pleasant. Let your mind wander.
If you commit to this routine for three weeks, you will see noticeable changes in your ability to relax and remain calm throughout the day as well as in your ability to create positive images for yourself.

You can use guided imagery more extensively, if you are in relative physical comfort. In the steps above, we remembered a situation that was enjoyable; now let's allow ourselves to imagine something we may have never experienced.

Meeting an angel, God, Buddha, or Krishna - What would you say? Winning the lottery, the Nobel Prize, or even just an office football pool. Being in the movies, meeting movie stars, performing popular songs on stage. Flying great distances in seconds and scanning the Rocky Mountains or swimming under water without needing air, while playing with the fish. As above, the idea is to embellish these images with lots of details including sounds, tastes, colors, temperatures, sensations, and imagined conversations. Keep filling in the details of what might happen next while allowing yourself to only create fun experiences. Researchers have measured many physiological responses to meditation and/or imagery and found decreased pulse and blood pressure, and increased brain waves associated with a relaxed state, and other physiological changes that may help increase overall comfort. If imagery doesn't work for you, try continuing with just breathing and mindfulness meditation: just observe your mind as it goes where it wants to go. These techniques do not work for everyone and certainly not for every cancer patient. Always remember that meditation and guided imagery are meant to complement other treatments for cancer and that if you are not comfortable enough to practice these techniques, then talk to your doctor about other methods to deal with pain or other effects of cancer and treatments.

NOTE FOR CAREGIVERS:
Family members and friends of cancer patients can convey these ideas to patients and read a transcript of a guided imagery session to those who are not otherwise able to read for themselves. Many bookstores and websites have such transcripts -as mentioned below.