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by Robert Baird
One of my favorite ways of getting to know someone and allowing
them to move into a free state of
mind and openness to imagery or
symbols is the psychological word test. It is used by many
psychologists in a similar manner to a Rorschach test. I do not
think there is as much value in the Rorschach test because there is
no communication between the interpreter and the patient. No doubt
there are circumstances when an open sharing of what the
psychologist perceives is not advantageous but often it is a desire
to gain a position of power and control at work. It can also mask
the ineptitude of the practitioner.
In the psychological word test you establish a personal paradise
before starting. In the trip through paradise the interpreter
withholds the interpretation until all the answers have been given
to the visualizations of that person's personal and free paradise.
Just helping the person lose their fears and setting the proper mood
takes skill and compassion or (hopefully you can access your
empathic connections) love. It will build good visualization skills
in people who have never done it before. Visualizations are very
much a part of holistic healing and dreams are one of the most
important ways of working on the visualized regeneration. Breathing
is a regimen of continued impact and becomes unconsciously able to
attune the forces that proper visualization can attune ones' body to
allow such creation. It all works together in harmony with beauty
and a lack of fear when one knows the soul 'within'.
The following quote says that fear and insecurity impact how one
acts towards their own body in some interesting ways. The book it is
taken from is The Healing Power of Dreams by Patricia Garfield Ph.
D.: "Transformation Rituals New Behaviors as Health Returns
People who have been injured or ill mark their return to wellness
by specific behaviors. These actions are sometimes straightforward
'freshening up'. Rona, for instance, after being out of-work for
several months with a mangled wrist, had her hair colored and newly
styled and got a manicure the week prior to returning to her job.
Hand therapists report that one of the surest signs of increased
vigor in a woman with a hand injury is beginning to use nail polish
again or getting a manicure. Such women, like Rona, are feeling well
enough to want to look attractive. Yet these behaviors imply even
more.
We saw how an alienation of the afflicted body part is typical
following an injury. Using nail polish indicates that the woman is
re-connecting with her formerly disowned body part. We need to ‘readopt'
our body parts to become whole. We can help ourselves do this by
deliberately choosing words that repossess our bodies {And visualize
it in our late night before sleep or early morning when awaking
exercises, of what we are and what we are going to do to make our
lives what we need to fulfill our purpose.}, saying 'my scar', and
so forth. We are creatures who act upon our environment; we're not
simply passive recipients of forces. We can use active verbs to
describe what we do or experience and deliberately use integrative
imagery. (28)
Getting well is not simply the restoration of functioning.
Ideally, our repaired body parts should move and function again with
ease and grace. {The same is true with unused or underused talents
even more so; like ESP and meditative attunements or empathy.}
Bridging the gap between walking stiffly and moving with natural
ease is crucial. This may not always be possible, of course, as when
a body part has been damaged beyond repair or lost, but the closer
we can move toward this goal, the better we will feel. Being well
means we are able to use our repaired body as naturally and
gracefully as possible given our circumstances {With a happy outlook
borne of ‘no fear’ and the knowledge you are a good person doing
what really counts.}. Oliver Sacks, whose leg had been so badly
injured, found himself walking in a stiff and awkward fashion when
he got out of his cast. This condition persisted for some time until
he was persuaded by a consultant to do an activity he loved:
swimming. By performing actions that felt natural to him in the
water, he discovered I that his natural grace carried over to moving
fluently on land as well. He was once again able to walk with ease.
Whether we dance or paint pictures, performing activities we love
may help us make the final step to wellness.
Anger is a major problem for people {We are never angry at
others; just angry at our own shortcomings in dealing with a
situation.} who have been injured, along with depression. We must
let go of our anger to get well. Hand therapist Marilyn Armbruster
explained, 'Many patients get stuck in anger and don't get better.
They tell me how long they waited in the emergency room and what the
doctor did wrong. They go over this every time I see them. These
patients often don't improve.’" (29)
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