Cleansing and Restorative Visualization

©2005, Eva Yaa Asantewaa. [The following material may not be reproduced in any way, either in part or in its entirety, without the expressed written permission of the author.]

No question about it, we live in trying times when world and societal conflict, not to mention our personal issues and struggles, make it a challenge to maintain hope and a sense of empowerment. My private counseling clients–invariably bright, gifted, resourceful, action-oriented people--often express self-doubt and near-paralyzing bafflement about conditions in the present and concerns for the future. We need all the spiritual help we can get!

I’ve been working with a remarkable cleansing and restorative visualization every morning for the past week, and I want to share it with you. If you would like to greet your day in a happier, more energized way, give it a try!

Once you have read through this article a few times and practiced the preliminary visualizations, you will be ready to practice the full exercise. Ideally, you should be able to set aside at least 15 minutes between waking up and rising from bed. You can sit up or remain lying down but, since you will be performing this exercise with eyes closed, make certain that you are sufficiently awake so that you won’t slip back into sleep.

Throughout the full exercise, you will focus your attention, in succession, on each of your main energy centers in succession. If you are already familiar with the main yogic chakra points (energy vortices located in the body’s energy fields), you will naturally take to this pathway and flow through this exercise with ease. Chakra newbies will find a beginner’s guide further along in this article, and this should help you get up to speed.

This exercise releases and transmits very strong energies, and you should refrain from using it over areas of the body that may react adversely to the powerful release or direct, full-strength infusion of these energies. If you have a physical concern–such as migraine headaches, an infection, a muscle sprain, or a tumor–trust your main chakras to distribute the energy in a stepped-down form that will safely adjust itself to your specific physical needs. Do not perform the energy visualization directly over the affected areas. Stay on the prescribed pathway.

Let’s take a look at the shape and direction of the energy pattern you will be visualizing. First, imagine a sphere the size of a basketball. Your sphere can be made of any material–wood, metal, ceramics. Give it any color that pleases you. Place the sphere on an imaginary pedestal. Focus on a point in front of the sphere and visualize an orbiting ring running from the right of that point all the way around the back of the sphere and returning to the front.

Practice running these two orbiting streams of energy–first one, then the other, then both at once. Don’t worry if you can’t sustain this complex moving image or see it perfectly. Your intention to run both streams simultaneously will be sufficient for the cleansing action to be effective.

Counterclockwise motion releases what’s stuck and harmful; clockwise motion transmits healthy, restorative energy to the body-mind system. After running counterclockwise energy around each chakra, reverse the path of your visualization and run energy in the opposite direction to nourish your system with whatever it needs for its overall well-being.

Now that you have practiced visualizing these potent streams, spend some time visualizing your physical body standing in a relaxed position–feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, arms hanging at your sides, chest open and lifted but not rigidly held, shoulders relaxed, chin up, jaw and facial muscles free of tension. If you use a wheelchair or are in bed recovering from illness or injury and would prefer to visualize yourself seated or lying down, you can.

Some people who are new to visualization find it hard to envision or sustain this mind’s-eye image in sufficient detail. If this exercise is difficult for you, practice visualizing a generic male or female body shape until you become more secure in your ability to add details that will make this figure resemble yours more closely. For example, if you have long, wavy, brown hair, spend one of your practice sessions working on adding this detail to your generic figure. Next time, if you’re able to call up this revised image, try adding another physical feature–perhaps, the shape of your face. Eventually, you will build your image to your satisfaction. The more real details you can include, the better, but remember: You don’t have to produce a perfect copy of your body. The strength of your intention for this figure to represent you will render it effective.

Now let’s get to know the basic chakra system, including each chakra’s location, functions, and traditional color. As you read the following, take a moment to find the location of each chakra in your physical and imaginal bodies.

Chakras permeate the body at each of the locations noted above, extending out into the body’s energy fields for at least a foot or two in front and behind the skin. Although they’re invisible to ordinary human eyesight, they can be sensed and analyzed in a variety of ways by psychics and intuitive healers. By practicing this visualization exercise, you will increase your awareness of and sensitivity to these important energy centers, learning how to tune and balance them, as well as harness and direct their powers.

The first part of your visualization will comprise a visit to each of these chakras in order–from Root to Crown or Hands--where you will run energy counterclockwise (releasing). At the completion of this initial sequence, start over, this time running energy clockwise (receiving). You might enjoy visualizing a special object or symbol that initiates the energy stream and revolves around each chakra. For instance, you can dedicate a piece of clear quartz crystal or a pristine white egg to a specific direction of movement. (Eggs are particularly good for sopping up negative energy, as are black stones.) When you complete both sequences of releasing and receiving energy, see yourself in your mind’s eye cleansing and storing your crystal or other symbol for a future session. (One easy way to clear crystals of excess or negative energy is to wash them in cold, swift-moving water. Visualize your bathroom sink or a lovely country stream.) If you’ve used an egg, visualize yourself handling it delicately–don’t let it break!–and carefully discarding it.

These releasing and receiving processes are very powerful. You need not specify what you intend to release. Let your system determine what must go. Your little, local self (conscious mind and ego) may be too invested in preserving things that no longer serve your greater purpose or may not know how to carefully and effectively time and pace release. Your body and soul hold more inherent wisdom. As you run each clockwise stream, do feel free to specify all of those graces and healthful qualities that you want to absorb. It’s quite enjoyable to make this wish list, to articulate these things for yourself and declare them to Spirit. Trust and you will see results.

After practicing this exercise several times, you may find that it won’t take as long to go through the complete counterclockwise and clockwise sequence. Don’t scrimp on time. Add a minute or two for quiet rest before you rise from bed. Allow your system to begin to distribute and process the refreshing energies you have absorbed. As you look forward to the new day ahead, enjoy renewed feelings of openness, cheer, empowerment, creativity, and serenity. Take a moment to express your gratitude to Spirit and set your intentions.

Although morning is the best time, you can perform this exercise at other times of day as needed–particularly since, with sufficient practice, you will find it easy to run full, effective visualizations unbeknownst to people around you. Let this exercise help you relieve stress and restore balance, strength, and objectivity in the midst of difficulties and challenges.