Library Scene
I would like for you to use your imagination. I would like for you to imagine yourself standing in front of a door. This may be a door you have seen in the past or a door you see in your imagination. You try to open the door and discover it is locked. There is a table standing next to the door with a key on it. You pick up the key, insert it in the lock. The door unlocks easily and effortlessly as you walk into a library. You take notice at the books lining the walls of the library. This is a special library because all of the books in this library are about you. The books on the left side of the library are all of the good things that have ever happened to you. The books on the right are all of the not-so-good things. The books closest to you are embossed with the year 19xx (current year) and as you move further back into the room, the books go back in chronological order all the way back to the beginning of your time.
I would like you to find a book for me. This book will try to hide. It will think it can outsmart you. But you know that you can outsmart it. The title of the book is (loosing weight/smoking and excuses to continue) (or any book title which you can think of which expresses the conflict your client is working through.) Take your time and find this book. When you find the book, take it off of the shelf and let me know you have it by raising the first finger of your right hand. Good. Find a trash can in your library and toss the book into the trash. Pick up the trash can and find a door in your library which leads down into the basement. There are ten steps which go down to the basement and as I count from ten to one I would like for you to allow yourself to become twice as relaxed as you were on the count before, or if you prefer you can allow yourself to become ten times as relaxed. 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... on the next count you will be at the bottom of the staircase and once again I will ask you to use your imagination ... 1. Good. I would like for you to find yourself walking over to a furnace. There is a fire blazing inside the furnace. The intensity of the heat is such that the black of the furnace is turning red. You pick up a poker not far from where you are standing, open up the door of the furnace and toss the book inside and watch. Watch as the binding begins to blacken and char and the pages begin to burn and curl. But just before the book is about to go up in smoke, using the poker, you remove the book from the furnace and let it fall to the floor.
This book is trying to kill you. It is trying to control your life. You open the book to find an entry of each and every time you (have taken a cigarette, tried to loose weight, etc.). You read about the very first time. (You remember who was there with you. Who lit it for you and how it burned the back of your throat. You probably gagged and coughed until you finally got into the habit. Naturally, you will be modifying these portions of the visualization which best fits your particular situation.) In anger you pick up the book and rip it in two and throw it back into the fire and watch as it finishes burning. When you are convinced that the only thing that's left is a pile of blackened ash, you come back up the steps into the library.
There is a chair in the library next to a throne, which sits in the middle of the room. There is a box of unwrapped books lying at your feet. You lift up the first book and unwrap it. The title of this book is, My Health And Happiness. You replace this book on the shelf where the book you burned once was. Go through the library now as silent as you can for the next minute and remove any and all of the books you wish to destroy for once and for all. When you come back up from the basement, let me know by raising the first finger of your left hand. Silent for one minute) Good. Allow yourself now to feel a great sense of relief as you leave the library. Remember to lock the door behind you. You walk out into the sunshine taking deep breaths of air. Allow the sun on your face to act as a wonderful natural tranquilizer on your system.
I am going to count now from one to ten. On the count of ten I would like for you to open your eyes, return to your normal awareness, feeling refreshed, relaxed as if you have just taken a wonderful nap. 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... all of the suggestions I have given you today increase tenfold as you leave my office today ... 4 ... 5 coming back now ... 6 ... 7... becoming aware of your arms and legs ... 8 ... on the count of ten open your eyes wide awake ... 9 ... and ... 10 ... wide awake.
