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Emo-Active Imagination
Hi folks:
Emo-Active Imagination draws upon Jung's Active Imagination method for working with the symbolic representations of the unconscious. Emo-Active Imagination utilizes ancient and modern trance approaches for connecting with unconscious processes. Left nasal dominance breathwork (Kriya Yoga), movement & open space imagery, and tapping meridian points are combined to develop deeper states of active imagination up to and including lucid dreaming.
***Warning: Folks with a history of mental illness, trauma, or panic are urged not to use this process without a therapist. If you decide to do these processes you will agree to dissolve the webmaster, his servers, Emoclear.com, and Steve Mensing of any responsibility for the application or misapplication of this process. In any emotional or mental process there is always the small possibility of discomfort so proceed with this warning.***
(c) Steve Mensing
EMO-ACTIVE IMAGINATION
Preparation: Prior to undertaking Emo-Active Imagination (EAI) spend some time recalling the last few times you dreamed. What was the dream like? What happened? Do you recall any symbols or images that emerged during the dream. What did you see? Hear? Feel? Taste or smell? What was it like during the dream? Or when you woke up? Were the dreams black and white or colorful? Flat or multi-dimensional?
Did you notice how the dream naturally unfolded? Was it story like? Did it have mythic themes? Any archetypes? Shadowy figures? Something particularly memorable? Something that created strong feelings. How does your body respond to those dream memories now? Did you note personifcations? Animals? Wise beings? Buildings and scenery that tugged at your feelings? Did it seem like strong inner forces were at work? Heavens and hells? Did you ever speak with other persons or even creatures in these dreams?
Do you recall particular figures or scenes from these dreams? Did you gain some intuitive understanding that applied to something going on in your life?
Spend some time reviewing what happened in dreams as this will be the groundwork and a pointer toward where you're headed with EAI.
EMO-ACTIVE IMAGINATION
(1) LEFT NASAL DOMINANCE BREATH/FACIAL AND TONGUE RELAXATION: Close your eyes. Gently pinch your right nostril shut while you breathe slowly and fully through your left nostril for only for 25 inahalations and exhalations. While you complete this breathing, allow your face and tongue to relax further. Simply feel your face and jaw slacken while your tongue falls limp. When the 25 left nasal breaths are completed, remove your hand from your face.
(2) PALM TAP: Take your palm and gently tap 7 times on the occipital ridge on the rear of your head (Occipital ridge area is pictured in the M.G. & Circuit Breaker photos in those processes) before you take the palm and gently tap (7 times) on the side of your torso directly beneath the start of your armpit. Finally tap the end of your eyebrow by the bridge of your nose 7 times.
(3) HUM AND LOCATE ANY FEELING OR SENSATION IN YOUR BODY: Hum whatever tune that spontaneously occurs to you. Hum it with your deepest voice while you scan your body for any feeling or sensation that occurs after you start humming. Tune into that feeling and allow it fully to be there with no intention of getting rid of it or keeping it. As the feeling grows stronger go to step (4) and discontinue the humming.
(4) MOVE FROM THE FEELING OR SENSATION TO IMAGERY: When the feeling is really strong, pay attention to it for any images that might begin to emerge. Just watch them with open and relaxed attention. As the images become less murky and you begin to get an overall felt sense of them, label those images "Those images" and move to step (5).
(5) MOVING & OPEN SPACE IMAGERY: Allow your felt sense to create an imaginary screen. The moment you have any sense of a imaginary screen, then permit the following images to appear. Take your time and do not interfere. Choose any of the following images and work with them one at a time:
*Imagine walking down a long corridor.
*Imagine free falling comfortably through dark space.
*Imagine sliding down a long, long sliding board.
*Imagine walking down a long and winding stairwell.
*Imagine looking out at a wide vista.
*Imagine walking down a steeply inclined tunnel underground.
*Imagine walking through an endless maze like corridor.
*Imagine a wide and spacious screen that seems to take in all your field of vision.
*Feel the gravity pull of an elevator as you travel downward in a tall skyscraper.
After you have experienced several of these images for a few minutes,then move to step (6).
(6) PAY RELAXED AND OPEN ATTENTION TO THE SCREEN OF YOUR AWARENESS AND EITHER ALLOW A SPONTANEOUS IMAGE OR FEELING TO APPEAR OR INTEND AN IMAGE OR FEELING TO APPEAR: Here you patiently await any image to appear or you can intend an image. You might choose an image or feeling from:
* A dream or reverie you've had. Perhaps an archetype or some symbol that deeply stirs you.
* Art, literature, television, motion pictures, music, architecture, religion, or political movements.
* Important or emotional moments from daily life.
(7) ALLOW THE IMAGERY OR FEELING TO GROW AND GIVE IT YOUR FULL ATTENTION: Allow the imagery to develop on its own. If it alters or changes, do not attempt to interfere. Just watch it with relaxed and open attention. Let the unconscious provide its images. There is no interference involved--just your full attention. There is no need to intellectually reflect. If there is a decoding, let it occur at the intuitive and murky level. The reverie may transform into dreams. Just watch and pay attention. The time is up to you. Perhaps 20 minutes. Perhaps 30 minutes. From time to time you might jot down notes, but make them brief so they don't interfere with your process. Terse statements. Name the image. A word for the action. Even a tape recorder might be helpful and provide less interference.
(8) CONVERSE WITH YOUR IMAGES & INTUITIVELY GAIN THEIR MESSAGES: Have conversations with any humans, creatures, or archetypal images that appear. Give your full attention to what they say even if what they say is cryptic and symbolic. Attend to these conversations with your felt sense of them.
(9) WHEN YOU HAVE A SENSE OF CLOSURE OR YOUR IMAGERY STARTS TO FADE, THEN REASSOCIATE TO YOUR BODY: Simply take a few deep breaths and begin to feel your entire body. When you are ready, get up and stretch. You can jot down or record what occured in more detail.
TIPS ON EMO-ACTIVE IMAGINATION
*Early on the process, if the reverie or dreaming begins to fade, imagine yourself spinning or briskly rub your palms and fingers together. This will likely return the reverie or dream to full bloom.
*Robert Johnson, a Jungian and teacher of Active Imagination, has written "Inner Work" which has lots of good pointers in it.
* It might be good to read up on myths and archetypes. The internet is filled with information on these symbols.
* Keeping journals on your EAI experiences will assist you in activating your unconscious and will give you an idea where you've been.
*The Lucid Dreaming Doorway can be applied to well developed images and take someone into lucid dreams.
* If you gain intuitive messages during your inner voyages be prepared to act on them if they ask you to do so.
*If you feel uncomfortable about opening yourself to this inner world of reverie and dreams you may wish to pay attention to this discomfort, gain its messages, and allow it to integrate.
*Some folks are stirred to reverie by listening to classical music. Much of this music suggests images.
*Like anything worthwhile time is best set aside for this inner exploration. It works best when someone is not overly tired.
*Reclining works fine. Laying down invites dozing off.
*A sense of appreciation, openness, and acceptance works well with images as it does with our feelings. Images and feelings have something valuable to tell us.
Have fun, Steve