| If you have ever read the famous success books | | | | to create a totally fictitious character to be your |
| of Napolean Hill, you may remember the | | | | imaginary guide. |
| technique he reveals that was used by many | | | | Once you have established a meeting with your |
| famous and successful business leaders of his day. | | | | chosen guide, mentally picture yourself and your |
| In this technique, Napolean Hill suggested you could | | | | visiting guide standing facing each other in an |
| access valuable advice by the use of your mind in | | | | attitude of great respect. Gently put your arms |
| imagining and visualizing. | | | | out and slowly remove the guide's head from his |
| Each night, he advised, imagine a group of your | | | | or her body. Since this is only an imaginary person |
| most respected people from history getting | | | | or animal, the head should come off quite easily. |
| together and advising you on your problems and | | | | Place the guide's head above your own, facing the |
| strategies to implement. | | | | right way, and lower it over your own head. Now |
| Actually human beings have been using different | | | | believe that you are looking out at the world |
| variations of this technique for many thousands | | | | through the eyes of your chosen expert, hearing |
| of years, all over the world. | | | | through the guide's ears, smelling through the |
| Here is a variation of this visualization technique | | | | guide's nose. |
| that you can use to enhance your ability to learn | | | | Take the time to allow the guide's mind to slowly |
| new skills and come up with new creative ideas. | | | | merge with your own mind. Now gently pull the |
| You can learn to access an inner guide by | | | | guide's body towards you, and step into it. Feel as |
| exploring the use of guided imagery while in a | | | | if it fits you perfectly. Feel that you have merged |
| deeply relaxed state of mind. | | | | with the expert’s body and can feel and do |
| This technique gives you access to parts of | | | | the same things. |
| yourself that you are normally not aware of. | | | | When you feel that you are actually in the guide's |
| The first step is to decide what knowledge or skill | | | | body, notice what seems different to you. Does |
| you would like to develop in yourself. What are | | | | the world look different in any way? Do any of |
| you interested in that you would like to do | | | | your attitudes feel different? How does your |
| better? You might wish to improve your skill at | | | | body feel different? Can you feel the confident |
| archery, portrait painting, doing mathematics, or | | | | attitude of the expert? Memorize the sensation. |
| playing a musical instrument. | | | | Focus on the differences you notice and start to |
| Once you have decided what skill or knowledge | | | | talk about them out loud. Spend at least five |
| you would like to develop, take some time to | | | | minutes doing this step. When you have finished, |
| think about those people you consider an expert | | | | gently step out of the borrowed imaginary body |
| in this chosen field. Whose skills do you admire? | | | | and carefully remove the guide's head from you |
| Who do you think of as a great role model and | | | | own. Respectfully return the head and body to |
| expert in the field? | | | | the expert. Thank that person for allowing you to |
| The person need not be currently living. Before | | | | have this experience. |
| you move ahead with this exercise, you may | | | | You can use this technique to improve your skills |
| wish to research the life of the person you have | | | | at some desired activity, or to accelerate your |
| chosen. | | | | ability to learn to do something you have never |
| You might even decide you want to see the | | | | done before. |
| world from the perspective of your favorite | | | | First spend a few weeks performing the exercise |
| animal or bird, such as a wolf or an eagle. | | | | daily to familiarize yourself with it. Once you are |
| When you are ready to do the exercise, prepare | | | | accustomed to the process of donning the |
| yourself by deeply relaxing your body and your | | | | expert’s head, you are ready to use this |
| mind. Take some time to get comfortable in a | | | | technique to accelerate your skills development. |
| place where you will not be disturbed. Internally | | | | First spend a few minutes performing the desired |
| scan your body for tension, and allow your | | | | skill entirely in your mind. Feel as if you are |
| muscles to relax. Breathe calmly and smoothly in | | | | actually performing perfectly it and that you really |
| a relaxed way. | | | | know how to do it. Then move to the exercise, |
| If you know any self hypnosis techniques or | | | | and spend about 10 –15 minutes, performing |
| relaxation techniques, use them to slow down | | | | the activity in real life, but mentally be the |
| your mind and feel at peace. | | | | character of the expert, wearing the expert’s |
| Now think: is there a particular place where you | | | | head and body. |
| would like to meet your imaginary guide? You | | | | After about fifteen minutes, gently remove the |
| might want to meet this guide in your own home, | | | | guide's head and step out of the guide's body. |
| but feel free to imagine another site. For example, | | | | Thank them for the use of his or her body, mind |
| you could visualize meeting in a beautiful garden, in | | | | and talent. Ask the person to continue filling your |
| a forest, on top of a mountain, or some other | | | | mind with more of their expert knowledge and |
| location. | | | | ability even when you are not practicing this |
| If you are not yet able to easily imagine a location | | | | exercise. |
| in which to meet your chosen guide, don't worry. | | | | Before the experience starts to fade from your |
| Simply move forward to the imagined encounter | | | | memory, spend a few minutes writing down or |
| with this person, whenever you are ready. | | | | speaking out loud everything you can remember. |
| Your imaginary encounter may go exactly as | | | | Write down or speak everything you can |
| planned, or there may be surprises in store for | | | | remember that was really different when you |
| you. Perhaps someone you weren't expecting | | | | were in the expert’s mind and body, rather |
| shows up. Perhaps your chosen guide does not | | | | than as yourself. |
| want to participate. If no one appears in your | | | | When you wish to improve a particular skill, first |
| mind's imagination, ask for someone to come | | | | spend about 15 minutes mentally doing it as |
| forward, and then wait. | | | | yourself. Then slip into the guide's head and body |
| When your imaginary guide appears, handle the | | | | to continue the exercise in real life for another |
| encounter with as much politeness and respect as | | | | fifteen to thirty minutes. If you repeat this |
| you would a real life encounter with a real person. | | | | process about three times a day, you will |
| Do you feel comfortable in the presence of this | | | | experience a greatly accelerated ability to master |
| expert? Do you have the sense that the guide | | | | the skills you desire. |
| feels comfortable with you? | | | | Please realize that advice and knowledge received |
| Even if these guides are figments of your inner | | | | in this manner is not infallible. Do not feel obligated |
| mind, you still need to be sure you are accessing | | | | to act on any advice received from your inner |
| a part of yourself that wants to promote only | | | | dialogue with your imagined guides unless you are |
| the best for you. | | | | absolutely convinced it is appropriate for you at |
| If you get any sense of discomfort between you, | | | | this time. |
| thank the expert for coming, and politely dismiss | | | | This technique can greatly increase access to |
| him or her. Think of another expert you admire in | | | | your inner creativity and wisdom, but you will still |
| your chosen field and create an imaginary | | | | need to make informed and reasoned decisions |
| encounter with that person. You may even have | | | | about what you do. |