Guided Inner Journey Visualization
A dream-like walk through a fall forest towards your true self
“And suddenly you know….It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings.”
Meister Eckhart
One of the benefits of becoming still and being present is connecting with your inner self, that true essence part of yourself who knows what it is you really want.
There are several ways to reach that pure, essential part of yourself including meditation practices, movement practices and mindful writing practices.
A type of meditation practice I love is guided visualization. It’s particularly powerful when you spend time journaling afterward.
Here’s a guided visualization that takes you on an inner journey to your true self. The part of you that is just waiting to shine through.
Are you ready? Find yourself a comfortable place to sit or lie down and let’s give it a try….
Guided Inner Journey Visualization
Once you’re settled in a comfortable position, begin to connect to your breath and feel the cool air as it flows in through your nose, fills your chest, belly, heart and lungs, and then flows out again through your nose. Try to slow your breathing down a little and lengthen your exhales until you feel completely relaxed.
Now that you’re settled and relaxed I’ll invite you to imagine standing in front of an old wooden gate, opening the gate and walking along a path that leads you into a forest. As you’re walking along the path you begin to notice the feel and scents of the cool, crisp fall air. You notice that the trees are beginning to lose their leaves, some are fluttering around you and are all different colours - shades of red, orange, yellow, brown and green are all around you. There are even more leaves carpeting the forest floor.
Use your imagination to fill in the details of the picture in your mind as you explore the path. Is it familiar to you or is it somewhere new? Take a few moments to listen, feel, smell and absorb your surroundings. Are there any birds or animals in the woods?
The path you are following guides you forward and you feel a light anticipation of what lies ahead. The path is well-trodden and you have no fear of getting lost.
After meandering on this path through these beautiful autumn woods for a short period of time you see some golden light ahead and notice a stream in the not too far distance. Very soon you reach the stream and decide to sit down for a short rest.
As you sit there by the stream, completely relaxed in these new surroundings, you notice something just beneath the surface of the cool, clean, clear water. It is giving off a golden glow and you can’t resist reaching in the water to take it out.
It’s a little box with a tiny silver latch. You gently open the latch and look inside. There’s something in there just for you. What is it? Take the next few moments to contemplate the treasure you found.
After some time sitting by the stream, you notice that the daylight is starting to fade. It’s time to head back home. You carefully close the box, tuck it into your pocket, and, feeling peaceful and happy, you start making your way back down the path in the direction you came. Once again you notice the colours, sights and sounds of the woods in fall. There’s a lightness in your step as you think about the treasure waiting for you in your pocket.
Eventually you see the old wooden gate that led you to this magical path. You open the gate and find yourself back where you started.
In your own time, gently bring yourself back to the room that you’re in. Start making some slow, gentle movements with your body, wiggle your fingers and toes, and notice how you’re feeling.
To get the most out of the visualization, get out your journal and write down the details of your experience. Here are some questions to consider:
What did you see, hear, smell and feel as you walked down the path?
Now consider the box you brought back:
What was in there?
How big is it?
What colour is it?
Is it familiar?
Does it remind you of anything?
How does it make you feel?
What do you think it means?
How can you apply what you found in the box to a problem you are trying to solve or a goal you have set for yourself?
Get creative and play with your imagination!
What came up for you? Check in with your body and notice how you feel.
I invite you to try this practice on more than one occasion and see if anything changes.
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I’d love to hear from you so please send any comments or questions to me at sharon@sharonashtonmindfulyoga.com. Feel free to share this email with anyone else who may be interested.
Please check out The Journey Within podcast at:
What is stopping you from living your best life? Get out your journal and a pen and take the new quiz on my website to find out:
Are you interested in learning more about life change & mindset coaching from a mind/body perspective? Please email me at sharon@sharonashtonmindfulyoga.com for more information or to schedule a free introductory consultation to see if coaching is right for you. You can also visit my website coaching page.
"I felt at complete ease with Sharon from our first conversation. She has a wonderful, gentle but firm way that made me focus on my thoughts / feelings so I could remove / change to move forward with a completely different feeling to what felt like obstacles. It was great having regular coaching that gently kept me accountable to actioning and moving towards my goals. Sharon has vast experience in so many areas, I felt that makes her an amazing coach.”
— Michelle Carney, East Galway, Ireland
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