Introduction
The Power of Your Beliefs
Your belief system, like a computer, accepts your thoughts as the absolute truth. Think of defeat or failure, and you'll inevitably feel discouraged. Persistent thoughts of worry, anxiety, and fear can be detrimental and may manifest in physical symptoms like stress, panic attacks, and depression.
Images and Our Mind-Body Connection
Imagery is the fundamental language of our minds. Every thought and experience we have is processed through images. When we recollect events from the past, we usually remember pictures, sounds, sensations, or even pain rather than mere words.
Images go beyond the visual and can encompass sounds, tastes, smells, or a combination of sensations. For instance, a particular scent can trigger pleasant or unpleasant memories. Likewise, revisiting a place where you had a negative experience may immediately bring back vivid images of that incident, activating your fight-or-flight response.
Consider holding a fresh, juicy lemon in your hand. You can feel its texture, see its vibrant yellow skin, and imagine the juice squirting out as you slice it open. The lemon's tart aroma fills the air, and as you suck on it, you can taste the sourness as the juices coat your tongue.
Chances are, your body responded in some way to that mental image; you may have started salivating.
Imagery serves as the language that the mind uses to communicate with the body. You can't talk to a wart and say, "Go away," because that's not how the brain communicates with the body. Instead, you need to imagine the wart shrinking. Imagery is the vital bridge between the mind and body. As we'll explore, this connection is immensely valuable in mind-body healing.