This is a very useful
technique that allows the therapist (as well as YOU if you are working on
yourself) to gain frank personal information from the client without
running the risk of causing embarrassment by asking directly, or having the
client respond with ‘constructed’ misleading answers.
For ease of use, the second person perspective shall be used, making it
easier if the questions are to be recorded.
Close their eyes
and imagine the scenes described,
reporting back to each question as to what you imagine. If you are working on yourself, it is
helpful for you to record the following questions, leaving appropriate gaps –
only a few seconds – AFTER each question.
1.
Imagine standing on a
path, any path that just comes to your mind’s eye.
2.
Imagine feeling the
surface of the path with your foot and to note if it’s a rough or smooth
surface (Interpretation: ‘is your life
rough or smooth?’)
3.
Is the path narrow or
broad (how wide is it?)? (Interpretation: ‘ in life do you feel
restricted, hemmed in, or do you feel freer with choice and flexibility in
life’. The narrower the path the greater the feeling of being restricted or
hemmed in even trapped by some unacceptable situation, by some awful partner, a disliked
job, financial difficulties, accommodation problems or the like.
With the broader path indicating more freedom in life.)
4.
Look to the LEFT of the
path and note what is seen. Following
this by asking what is seen to the RIGHT.
(Interpretation: you are noting how you see yourself in
life. Something dangerous, threatening or a barrier in life will be responded to with a description of a wall, cliff edge, fence, hedge or channel, with the reverse and more
positive mental attitude being
expressed by noticing fields or grass, flowers and the like. The 2 sides may be noted as similar or
different. Where there is a contrast between
a positive report and a negative one, you are saying you see yourself to be
okay in life, but for ‘this thing’
represented by the negative response.)
5.
Now look at the path
ahead, and report if it seems straight, curved or twisting. (Interpretation:
do you feel your future is straight forward and predictable = the
straight forward path ahead. Changeable or less predictable, the curved
path ahead, or uncertain unpredictability, hazardous or lacking security, the twisting path.
6.
Imagine moving forward along
this path until you enter a wood, and note if, for the wood, it is dark or
light when you’re inside it. (Interpretation: to your subconscious the wood represents how your mind
feels. Dark for depression, worry or
concern, with a lighter wood
for the opposite state of mind.)
7.
Look around the wood
and note if there is any part or area of the wood which seems dark,
intimidating or threatening. (Interpretation: is there something in your mind that concerns you, or is of great
concern. The dark intimidation or threatening
part representing this mental concern, and with no
response indicating nothing in particular of subconscious concern. A dark
wood with no perceived particular
negative area representing a general
negative feeling, with a light wood with a negative area
representing a more positive state of mind ‘but for this thing’. However, if you are even a tad nervous you
may notice a dark wood without an
intimidating area as an extension of
your repression, ie. “I feel concerned but cannot focus in on
that particular concern”. )
8.
If you have noted a
dark wood, or an intimidating area, restore yourself to neutrality by
suggesting / thinking / telling yourself that the wood is comfortable or that
you are perfectly ok in it.
9.
Imagine you see a key on
the path, notice the colour of the key.
Would you pick it up or leave it?
(Interpretation: colour of key represents ambition in life; dull, rusty key = little,
no real ambition, a silver key representing ambition, a golden key = significant
ambition, with a bright, shining gold key = great ambition. The key being picked up or left represents
determination to pursue ambition tendency, with picked up rusty or dull key
indicating a rather negative attitude
“I’ll have to keep trying I suppose!”, and that key left on the path = more
indicating “What’s the use of trying?”.)
10.
Keep going forward
until you find water crossing the path, any water, a stream, river or a muddy
puddle as examples, notice what you imagine the water as like. (Interpretation: the water represents your sex drive and your
reactions or attitude towards sex, the greater the water volume the greater
the sex drive. With the clearer
water representing the more straightforward and uninhibited
feeling to sexual matters. Muddy represents ‘muddy’ sexual feelings; stones
or rocks in the water
representing some sexual misgivings or negative sexual experiences of past,
present or future. The water appearing to one side of the path
= sexual matters in limbo at present.)
11.
Can you cross the
water, or pass it. (Interpretation: can you
suspend your sexual activities, do without sex or would that be
difficult or even impossible. The
degree of difficulty in passing or crossing the water represents your attitude
to this, and in short, how important sex is to you.)
12.
If you feel it is impossible to cross the water, by jumping it, swimming or wading across, you are
reporting that your sex life is essential to them, so suggest that there
is a bridge, or that magically you find
yourself on the path beyond the water.
When you have crossed the water, in whatever way, imagine that as you continue along the path
you reach a point where it bends. (Interpretation: your subconscious will be brought to think of some threatening or
dangerous concept that could occur in life, and preparing your mind for a
response to the next step.)
13.
Imagine, when you have
walked round the bend, that there is in front of you a wall, built right across
their path, and then ask how high the wall is.
(Interpretation: the wall represents the termination of life,
and the higher the wall the greater the threat of life’s end
concerns the client, and the smaller the wall the less.)
14.
Could you climb the
wall, or get over it in some way. (Interpretation: can you come to terms with
dying? How easily? The answers being given by the degree of
difficulties in crossing the wall.)
15.
If you are unable to cross the wall, suggest there is a
hole in it that you can look through.
In either case of crossing the wall OR looking through it, what do you
see on the other side? (Interpretation: a house, field, grass or some
attractive feature = believes in an after-life – though they
may not be aware of this. Blackness or a sheer drop indicates a rejection
to the concept of any after-life, together
with an attitude to death as a final
disaster. The report that on the
other side of the wall the path continues as before, indicates that you have
some concept of some existence after dying, but are vague and unsure what that
existence is, and is open minded to speculation.)
This exercise, which could take as long as
15minutes lends itself to being repeated every 6months or so. Or if using it with a client – at the
beginning of the first, and at the and of the last, session.
Should you wish to use any of the techniques or
procedures described on these pages,
you accept full responsibility for your own emotional, psychological,
mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing and health.
© Christina Elvin Consultancy, tel: +44(0)1604 768343 fax: +44(0)1604 706609 mob: 07799 390022 email: christina@emofree.biz www.emofree.biz www.create-the-reality.com www.C2T2.co.uk If any of this information is used by you, please acknowledge the source – thank you
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