Use Imagination Wisely to Become a Better Person

Cultivate an Ideal Value

Today you are invited to plant the seed of an ideal value that you want to grow more abundant in your life.

During this time, you will relax and focus inward. Be sure you are in a safe place to close your eyes. Lie down or sit comfortably in a position you can maintain for about 9 or 10 minutes. Allow this guide to focus your attention. At each moment you are in full control of this exercise. These are simply suggestions for your imagination to work with. As you proceed, feel free to leave your eyes open or to close them whenever you want.

Begin by selecting an ideal value you want to grow more abundant in your life. You may choose any worthwhile quality, such as patience, courage, integrity, compassion, or dedication. You will use your imagination to focus your attention vividly on the ideal value you want to increase. Choose your ideal value now and then continue reading.

Relax.

Now relax and prepare to imagine. Gently tense up the muscles all over your body and then slowly allow them to relax.

Tense and let go a second time.

Breathe a little more deeply. Take breaths that are a bit slower than normal. Continue to breathe slowly, deeply, and comfortably. As you breathe out, imagine that any unwanted thoughts and feelings drift away, progressively leaving your mind clear and your body relaxed. Breathe out concerns. Breathe in refreshing air. Breathe out tension. Breathe in relaxation. Breathe…

Go to your special place inside.

Gently bring your attention into your inner life.

This is the place where you feel affirmed when you make the right choice.

This is where you will be able to feel the beauty and rightness of the ideal value you have chosen to increase.

Focus on feeling gratitude.

The next step is to arouse a feeling of gratitude in yourself. Think of a special person or pet to help you feel gratitude. Choose a special person in your life whom you trust and love and who loves you. Or if you prefer, imagine a beloved pet who gives you affection. Choose a person or pet now.

Imagine being with your companion.

Feel how happy you are when you are with the person or pet you have chosen.

As you continue to breathe regularly and slowly, allow gratitude to grow even more.

Imagine appreciation for the person or pet growing until you are filled with gratitude.

Keep your gratitude strong as you thank your companion for their help. Now let them fade away. Focus instead on simply feeling gratitude. Take time to let your gratitude grow stronger and stronger.

Ask, what is this value?

Shift your focus now to think of the ideal value you have chosen. Ask a question: “What is this value? I want to understand it better.” Take a moment to think about this ideal value.

Take time now to explore the benefits of this value. How can it help you?

Breathe In your chosen value.

Now you will breathe in your chosen value. First, feel your own desire for this ideal value grow stronger and stronger.

Open your mind to invite this value into your life.

As you breathe in, imagine this ideal value entering your inner life and spreading through you more and more each time you inhale. Breathe.

Every cell in your body soaks in the richness of your ideal value. You shine with the value you have chosen. Take time here to be fully filled with your ideal value.

Imagine living your value.

Now imagine yourself living your ideal value. What will you do?

What will you say?

How will you feel?

Last, you will imagine yourself eagerly and willingly living out this ideal value. Imagine the way living the value will change your life. Take a longer time here to spend imagining how life will change when you live this ideal value.

Nourish Your Value

You might want to give thanks for the experience you have just had with your ideal value.

In the coming days, remind yourself of the value you have cultivated each day. Watch for it to appear more strongly in your life. Welcome this value into your daily experience. Nourish it by calling on it repeatedly during each day. You can plant the seed by using your imagination. You must also watch for opportunities each day to use the ideal value growing in your life.

Now you are invited to return to the here and now. As you return to this place and time, bring with you the wonderful feeling of the ideal value that you have planted into the soil of your life.

As you strive to become a better person, cultivate ideal values often. Cultivate the same value for as many days as you feel are useful. Then choose another value to enrich your life. You may even want to cultivate several ideal values as a group and see how they affect each other!

Cultivating ideal values will empower you to become the person you want to become. Use it whenever you are facing a challenge. Use it to explore new possibilities. Adapt it to suit your needs. Share it with others if you like.

Thank you for participating. May your life be blessed.