Experts describe two kinds of mental imagery that can promote health: receptive and active. An example of receptive, or passive, imagery is what you sometimes see just before falling asleep or upon waking.

With mental imagery, you can access such images while you are fully awake. Give it a try right now. Focus on a part of your body that is tense or in pain. What images come to mind? Perhaps you see a rock or a tight knot. These images represent receptive imagery. Patients sometimes use receptive imagery to help them understand the emotional meaning of their symptoms.

In contrast, you consciously produce active imagery. You can evoke active imagery by suggestion, such as the suggestion to make a positive change in a negative receptive image. For example, perhaps in the exercise above you focused on the tension in your neck and envisioned the image of a rock. Now, try transforming this tense image into something softer and more relaxed, such as a lump of clay. Another example of active imagery is to recall every detail of a favorite room in your home. People often use active imagery as a way to relax or to relieve distressing symptoms.