A beginner’s guide to imagery meditation

‘Our imagination is the therapist, the healer, the wise being,’ says Dr Glouberman.

Every morning, she visualises feeling good during the day ahead. To do the same, simply pause, either before you get out of bed, on a yoga or meditation mat, or simply over your first drink of the morning. Allow your imagination to fill in as many details of a delightful day as possible.

Dr Glouberman recommends getting curious about the good feeling – don’t get bogged down by whatever it’s about, but simply feel it. Once you know what you feel, ask yourself where you feel it most strongly in your body. Get curious about any shapes, colours and sensations it suggests.

Next, ask yourself what the feeling is about. What’s at the centre of the good feeling? Mine is relief at meeting the day’s work demands during an especially busy few days preparing for a couple of days off. I imagine an enormous, happy exhalation and full body relief.

Ask your imagination how you got to that good feeling. I know prioritising a walk during a break, even though I don’t feel like I have time, will help me achieve all I need to do and get to the moment that I have imagined.

Finally, picture the image of what you want as a bubble with yourself at the centre, and ask yourself if you’re willing to do whatever you have to do to get there. Are you willing to accept that you’re not all-powerful? To accept that you might not get there and that’s still okay? Say aloud, ‘I ask and intend for this to be and I release it.’ Then blow the bubble into the future.