Help I Need Energy!  Guided Imagery for Fatigue

by Darlene Cheek, Suite101.com

http://www.healingwell.com/library/health/cheek2.asp

"I am tired all the time." What makes us feel that way? Whether it is a disease or physical disability, depression or anxieties, metabolism, lack of sleep, imbalance, or just that you're run plain ragged, there are many different things that you can do to increase your energy without resorting to drugs. Also, with that increase in energy, you will begin to feel better about yourself... depression with ease up... you will find it easier to cope with life's every day problems... your physical conditions will improve... and you will be able to accomplish more. 

There are different ways that energy works within the body. We are all aware that the body has a surrounding energy field called the Aura. The aura vibrates at a particular frequency and changes colors based on the frequency it generates. It is actually possible to take a picture of the aura, and many people have learned to see the aura with the naked eye. 

Japanese medicine also studies the chakras or energy centers within the body. They are: 

The Root Chakra - also known as the survival center or kundalini. The root chakra controls our fight or flight mechanism and is located at the base of the spin. The associating color is red. 

The Spleen Chakra - is located two fingers below the belly button... it is the center of our emotions as well as our sexual chakra and center of creativity. The associating color is orange. 

The Solar Plexus Chakra - is located two fingers above the belly button... it is the center where our mental control takes over our bodily desires. We also receive our "gut instinct" and/or psychic abilities from this center. The associating color is yellow. 

The Heart Chakra - is located where the physical heart is... it is where our emotions are recorded and from where our loves flows to and from mankind. The associating color is green. 

The Throat Chakra - is located in the throat... it is our center of communication, inner hearing and clairaudience. The associating color is blue. 

The Third Eye Chakra - is located in the center of the forehead just above the eyebrows... it is the center of our inner sight, clairvoyance and the link to our higher consciousness and the universal consciousness. The associating color is indigo. 

The Crown Chakra - is located in the fontanel spot on the head... it is our connection to the Universal Spirit or God. The associating color is white violet. 

Another type of energy we are all familiar with is the metabolism. If our metabolism is slow, we tend to feel more tired... it is more difficult for us to lose weight... and health problems are more frequent. If our metabolism is too fast, we may stay "keyed up" all the time... we may be more anxious... and we may have difficulty sleeping. We want our metabolism to be in "balance" with our physical body for ideal health. 

For overall health and balance, the chakras must be open, leaving the energy to flow properly throughout the body. Everything else will fall into place... your aura will be smooth and radiant... you will feel healthier... and your metabolism will stay at one level, leaving you with more energy in general. So, how do we accomplish this? 

There are three things I'd like to cover: 1) Balancing the Chakras, 2) Visualization to Increase Energy, and 3) A Hypnosis technique for Metabolism (to raise energy). Actually all three techniques use self-hypnosis. If you have been practicing self-hypnosis with me over the last few weeks, I want you to simply try the 1..2..3 method for going into hypnosis: Just close your eyes... touch your thumb and forefinger together forming a little circle with each hand... place your hands in your lap... take a deep breath and count 1... then another deep breath and count 2... another deep breath and count 3... and allow yourself to slip into hypnosis. 

Balancing Chakras: Once you are relaxed, you will simply visualize each energy center and it's corresponding color starting with the Root Chakra and moving up to the Crown Chakra. Imagine the energy flowing smoothly... without any blockages. It's that simple. 

Quick Energy Boost: Once you are relaxed, I want you to imagine yourself at the time in your life when you had the most energy you have ever had... a time when you felt simply wonderful... go to that time now... spend a few moments here enjoying that feeling... becoming familiar with it again! Now simply allow all that feeling to flow into your right hand... your hand will begin to tingle... when your hand is tingling all over, reach up and touch your right ear... tell yourself that anytime at all that you need energy, all you have to do is reach up and touch your right ear and you will experience the same feelings of energy that you have at this moment. 

Metabolism: Once again, once relaxed, just tell yourself that you want your metabolism to increase 1000 times it's normal rate (your body will not speed up 1000 times... it's just to tell your mind "increase A LOT"). This technique is used mostly for weight control. When using it for that purpose, you will want to tell yourself that your metabolism will increase until you are at your ideal weight of (whatever your ideal weight is) and at that time, it will allow itself to slow back down to a normal rate. I will go into this technique further in an article on healthy weight maintenance. 

These techniques may seem short and simple... well, they are! I know I've said it a hundred times, but practice makes perfect. Once you get into the habit of using your mind to help you cope with your every day problems, and even some not so every day problems, you can accomplish almost anything... and do it in a matter of minutes. Start with balancing the chakras. Your second step is to use the "energy boost" exercise. Lastly, increase your metabolism if it is needed. If you are overweight, your metabolism should be increased just a bit, but be sure to put your ideal weight in the script.