By Chaplain Joy Le Page Smith, MA, BCC

This is an exercise that has really helped me. It is amazing help when emotional pain is great within this experience of life.

For best results, lie down (or sit quietly) envisioning the entirety of your torso covered by a huge sponge. See the Lord Jesus placing this sponge on your body, holding it there. Envision Him as sending love into your soul.

Next, purpose to let go the difficult feelings while visualizing them being released from your body into the sponge. (I visualize vapors leaving my body while releasing the feelings.) Do this as long and as often as you need to while letting go of the pain you are feeling.

The unconscious mind works with pictures, images created by dreams, or the conscious mind. For this reason an exercise such as this, allows the message of healing to be received by the unconscious mind where healing is needed.

If you let tears flow when they arise, this will help you release the painful emotions, and bless your body with relief. Tell yourself that love is flowing like a river into your heart, and throughout your entire body, replacing the pain. Offer thanks to God as you receive this healing.

This healing work is a process; it takes varying degrees of time, depending on the depth of the pain. The above exercise has affected me greatly.

I find the exercise even more helpful when it is possible to fall asleep within the process of releasing the pain. This allows the healing to move deep into the in conscious mind.