To achieve a successful exercise session, you need to set the scene a little beforehand. You need a nice quiet room, where you can sit on a chair, or cross legged on the floor if you are comfortable in this position, close your eyes, breathe out deeply with a large sigh, just let all your cares drift away, when you are ready, take your time, allow yourself to visualise …..

1. A pen slowly writing your name on paper

2. A beautiful sky with billowy clouds floating by…………..

3. Various coloured shapes; a red triangle, a yellow circle, a blue square, a green five-pointed star.

Now focus on the sensation of touch

Stroke a cat or a dog, feel the texture of its coat and warm body

Put your hand in a bubbling fountain and experience the sensation of cool water dancing on your skin

Pick up a pine cone and feel its rough multi-layered form.

Stroke a feather

Roll an orange in your hands, feeling the dimpled texture of the rind.

Imagine the flavour, temperature and texture of :

Vanilla ice-cream

Marzipan

Strawberries and cream

A piece of dark chocolate

Black olives

Avocado

Now try to smell the following aromas:

Your favourite perfume or essential oil

Wood smoke

Seaweed

Freshly baked bread

Freshly brewed coffee

Peppermint

In your mind’s ear, listen to the following sounds:

Waves breaking on the sea shore

Children’s voices in a school playground

A voice calling your name

A bird singing

The sound of a gong, gradually fading into silence.

And finally, the kinesthetic sense, imagine that you are doing the following:

Swimming, experience the sensation of weigtlessness as your body glides through the water.

Dancing; feel the rhythm of the dance throughout your body.

Walking then running along a beach; feel every movement of your muscles.

Digging the garden or chopping wood

Moving to and fro on a garden swing.

Once you have perfected the sensory evocation exercises, you really will be ready to explore the art of guided imagery. This will not be overnight, some will need to practise more than others, this will depend on the flexibility of your imagination, the imagination is no different than our muscles, the more we use it the more powerful it will become, and this is just the beginning, please let me know how you get along with this, I would advise that maybe at the beginning you take a sense at a time, then finally link them together, when you feel confident enough to do the full exercise.