TWIN Guided Meditation

TWIN is the basic practice in an altered state of consciousness. This meditation clears the conscious and subconscious mind of negative emotions, such as fear. It helps one perform regular mental inspection. After mastering TWIN, one can proceed to deeper practices.

The following text is an excerpt from the book “Heart of the Path” by Anatoly Arlashin and Tatiana Orbu.

About TWIN
How TWIN Works
TWIN: The Guided Meditation
Interpreting and Engaging Meditative Imagery in TWIN
Copyright notice

About TWIN

TWIN (Transformative Wisdom of Inner Navigation) is a fundamental meditation practice that teaches people to liberate their consciousness from psychological traumas received in childhood or later, which covertly influence every moment of their lives.

The remnants of these traumas, unnoticed by their bearer, limit a person’s talents and abilities, making their life a constant struggle against some invisible barrier. We justify our failures and problems by asserting the insurmountability of the circumstances that attack us. Meanwhile, the main problem lies within, where our energy and attention are consumed by past experiences of defeat, failure, or stress that remain unresolved, generating fears and complexes which continue to operate throughout our lives. Even though unpleasant and even traumatic events have long been erased from memory, they still mercilessly affect us in vital areas such as career, family, or health—and we “somehow” continue to experience insecurity or fear in certain situations.

TWIN addresses these unresolved traumas in the deep aspect of our consciousness through visualization in unusual (altered) states of consciousness. To enter the altered state of consciousness, one begins with a relaxation process. Then, one visualizes a sequence of scenes: a field, a lake, a flight at night, and a bonfire. If the person has a psychological problem, it will appear as an unexpected image. Analysis of that image uncovers the underlying problem and the traumatic situation that caused it. Reevaluation of psychological traumas neutralizes their harmful and destructive impact on the psyche and the entire human organism.

After being freed from these parasites of consciousness, a person regains their former strength, resilience, and joy of creativity, while talents that seemed lost are rediscovered. With renewed courage, a person no longer fears life’s difficulties and does not escape them through drugs or alcohol. Insecure people gain confidence in their abilities, pessimists become optimists, and losers become winners.

How TWIN Works

This meditation method is designed for sober, rational individuals who clearly understand that they exist in a dangerous, traumatic environment called the city. In the city, countless factors constantly cause harm to us—physical factors, chemicals, radiation, dust, and, most importantly, psychological factors. Our health and well-being depend on how effectively we can respond to these conditions.

George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, the greatest esoteric psychologist of the 20th century, originally introduced this methodology, which his followers refined, developed, and clarified. The methodology focuses on protecting our most vulnerable center—the emotional center, which is the core of our human nature.

Why is this necessary? As holistic medicine teaches, the root of all disease lies in the emotional core of our being. From early childhood, we accumulate a vast array of emotional experiences. Negative emotions are critical signals warning the body of danger, and are recorded and stored with particular care. In addition, modern psychology, particularly transpersonal psychology, has concluded from experimental data that human memory extends beyond this body and this existence, reaching into previous lives. Thus, many patterns (karma) are accumulated in our emotional center through multiple incarnations, including from the moment of our conception and intrauterine development.

After birth, a child meticulously gathers information about the surrounding world, especially about its dangerous aspects. However, since a child cannot accurately analyze dangers, harmless things are often categorized as hazardous, appearing tragic, terrifying, or unimaginable. These fears form capsules or blocks of negative emotions. These blocks are stored in our emotional memory along with the other patterns from previous lives and influence all our behaviors throughout life. For example, suppose a child experiences a minor injury from a fire, and it is recorded as a block of negative emotions. In that case, they may fear fire for their entire life, unconsciously avoiding it or anything remotely associated with it, without ever understanding the origin of this fear. Only by accessing deep layers of emotional memory can a person discover what truly happened and reassess the event. To understand what traumatizes them and why, a person must, in a specific way, revisit the past, explore their memories, and re-evaluate past events.

Reassessment, or re-evaluation, of past events is central to the TWIN practice. Reassessing a traumatic situation relieves a burden from the subconscious, thereby transforming the individual. When one re-evaluates a memory, one gains a new emotional understanding of the past event, not merely a rational explanation.

This new understanding is often something unexpected, yet recurring patterns emerge: "the situation was not as bad as I thought"; "the situation was bad, but the person who hurt me was well-intentioned and made a mistake"; or "that person was ill-intentioned, but it was my earlier actions that caused my suffering." Regardless, reassessment brings a unique sense of liberation.

Throughout one’s life, as a person accumulates blocks of negative emotions, one’s emotional memory becomes overloaded. Storing negative emotions consumes a significant amount of our inner energy, diverting it from other creative endeavors and healthy functioning. We use that energy to keep something negative in our memory instead of fueling our sense of life and our perception of reality. Our overburdened emotional center begins to malfunction. Those familiar with neurophysiology would note that disruptions occur in the thalamus and hypothalamus, which impair the pituitary gland—the central gland regulating our hormonal existence, development, and functioning.

That leads to cascading disruptions in the functioning of all glands and the entire body. Initially, the body’s regulatory system collapses, followed by the deterioration of individual organs and their functions. Hans Selye[^1] described this phenomenon as distress. People do not know how to release the negative impressions accumulated throughout the day or identify and address the psychological traumas they experience throughout their lives. That is a skill we must learn.

Of course, there are rare, wise individuals who understand this. I was fortunate to meet three such people—three women—who could daily shed the negative impressions they had accumulated, thus avoiding the burden on their psyche. These women worked in ordinary customer service positions as cashiers or salespeople, highly demanding jobs, yet they remained in excellent emotional and physical condition from morning to evening. I studied these cases closely, recognizing their uniqueness, and had detailed conversations with each of them. Astonishingly, despite living in different cities and countries, they used identical systems to maintain their health. Every evening before sleep, they reviewed the day’s events and released accumulated negative impressions. It was done in a relaxed state, just before bedtime, in a phase of transitional awareness. It seems simple, but it is also complex.

The difficulty lies in our reluctance to engage in such internal reassessment. We often cherish our negative impressions, believing they hold some value. We cling to what truly harms us as if it were a treasure—holding grudges against those who wronged us, harboring resentment, or feeling guilt toward others. We neither want nor know how to let go, forgive, or seek forgiveness because we fail to recognize the harmful, dangerous effects of failing to do so, nor how easily such negative habits can destroy us. Our culture lacks an understanding that negative functioning primarily harms us, not others.

The psycho-technique presented here enables one to explore the emotional core of their psyche and examine it in a targeted manner. This inspection is not a one-time, two-time, or three-time process—it must become a lifelong practice. As long as we live, whether we want to or not, we accumulate negative emotional impressions. This practice is akin to cleaning a room, brushing teeth, or caring for the body—a form of deep, well-thought-out psycho-hygiene. At first, the method may seem complex, but it becomes simple with practice, like riding a bicycle. Initially, it feels impossible, but later, we marvel at its simplicity. Everything requires learning. We must fight for our health and psyche. Nothing in this world comes without struggle, and only through struggle can we achieve anything.

When we hear the commandments of Moses or the teachings of Jesus Christ, we perceive them as mere moral exhortations. In reality, they are objective instructions for maintaining psychological hygiene and health. If a person adheres to them, their mental, emotional, and physical health is essentially guaranteed. Everything in us is interconnected. Moreover, Gurdjieff’s esoteric psychology suggests that a person of faith keeps their higher centers[^2]—which oversee and regulate other centers—active, thereby preventing dysfunction and supporting overall health.

The accumulation of negative emotions and their impact on health is evident when comparing children, adults, and older people. Children, full of life and energy, unburdened by blocks of negative emotions, experience life vividly. Adults weighed down by what they call “cares,” become passive, inert, and fatigued. Older people, overwhelmed by blocks of negative emotions, are barely functioning, constantly battling to maintain some level of health. To ensure our body functions well, we must care for it, starting with our central control unit—the emotional center. According to Gurdjieff, humans consume three types of food: physical food, air, and impressions. While many people focus on proper nutrition, clean air, and “optimal” diets for physical health, they neglect the food of impressions, which directly feed the higher levels of our psyches where all disturbances truly begin. It is well-known that words can kill or revive.

Gurdjieff and Ouspensky’s teachings emphasize that the assimilation of food depends heavily on the impressions we receive and how we process them. Thus, esoteric psychology strongly recommends managing our intake of “impression food” properly, avoiding the accumulation of negative impressions, and striving to distance ourselves from them. That is particularly true in this age of mass media, in which we are deeply immersed in chaotic impressions daily. It also applies to our interactions with people who focus on negative matters, burdening their psyche with negativity, which can gradually lead to serious health issues. I knew someone who obsessively collected negative information, constantly talking about accidents, suicides, and poisonings. Eventually, he died of a heart attack. The constant accumulation of negative impressions took a toll on his health. Even if we don’t seek them, negative impressions can infiltrate our psyche unintentionally. Our emotional center seems capable of absorbing everything if we don’t pay careful attention. Thus, we must continually inspect our psyche, track negative ideas and emotions, reassess them, and neutralize them.

The Transformative Wisdom of Inner Navigation (TWIN) methodology is based on exploring the human emotional sphere through specialized guided imagery conducted in a state of visualization. It consists of two main parts: entering a visualization state and working within that state to identify any issues in the emotional center.

After exiting the visualization state, one must, in a normal state of consciousness, analyze the results and draw conclusions from the session. In the visualization mode, one experiences internal images akin to dreams. Visualization is crucial because it is the language of our emotional sphere, allowing us to see the content of our emotional center indirectly. Direct access to the emotional center is generally impossible, except for those who, through prolonged TWIN practice, can effortlessly enter a state of inner navigation. During visualization, we review images tied to our perception of life, emotions, profound experiences, and even mystical connections.

While going through the guided meditation, other images and sensations may appear that differ from what the guide is suggesting. In other words, rather than a pleasant field with a clear blue sky, you might instead see a scraggly field with an overcast sky. This difference suggests that there is a problem distorting your emotional perception of the world.

Deviations in these images from the those suggested by the guide, caused by negative emotional burdens, are studied during visualization or, if not possible, later during the reflective stage called “Appealing to the Saints.” After the practice, the individual records their findings and draws conclusions for future inspections.

The practice consists of several stages. The first is entering an altered state of consciousness through muscle relaxation commands. Once fully relaxed, visualization instructions follow. You must learn to issue these commands to yourself independently, repeating the facilitator’s instructions with your own inner voice, and relaxing the specified body part as directed.

For successful relaxation, lie down or sit comfortably in a distraction-free environment. The morning is ideal for most, though some can visualize effectively in the evening or during the daytime. We recommend mornings, especially for those with less experience. Try waking up an hour early, avoiding bright lights, and lying in a place not typically used for sleep. The surface should be neither too hard nor too soft, and you should be covered comfortably, paying attention to keeping your feet at a suitable temperature. The unused sleep time will aid visualization, and rest in this state provides better physical and mental restoration than ordinary sleep. Commands follow in sequence, which you repeat internally and apply to your body. With practice, you’ll memorize the commands and perform them without an audio guide.

TWIN: The Guided Meditation

On the count of five, I will enter a state of deep visualization, which I, myself, will control.

One. My attention is on my face. My face relaxes and warms. A pleasant relaxation spreads through the muscles of my forehead. The muscles of my forehead relax and warm. My eyebrows relax. My eyes relax. My nose is relaxed. My cheeks are relaxed and drooping. My lips and teeth are unclenched. My tongue is warm, heavy, and calm. A pleasant relaxation flows into my neck and the back of my head. My face, neck, back of my head, and entire head are relaxed and calm.

Two. My attention is on my hands. My hands relax and warm. A pleasant warmth and relaxation flow from the tips of my fingers into my hands. My hands relax and warm. The pleasant relaxation and warmth rise into my forearms. My forearms relax and warm. The pleasant relaxation and warmth rise into my shoulders. My shoulders relax and warm. My hands are relaxed, calm, and warm. My face is relaxed, calm, and warm.

Three. My attention is on my legs. My legs relax and warm. A pleasant relaxation and warmth flow from the tips of my toes into my feet. My feet fill with pleasant warmth. The pleasant relaxation and warmth rise into my ankles. The pleasant relaxation and warmth rise into my calves. The pleasant relaxation and warmth rise into my thighs. My calves relax and warm. My thighs relax and warm. My legs are relaxed, calm, and warm.

Four. My attention is on my abdomen. A pleasant relaxation and warmth spread throughout my abdomen. My abdomen is relaxed, calm, and warm. My heart beats evenly and rhythmically. My breathing is smooth, calm, and sleepy. I have very pleasant, sleepy, calm breathing. My attention rests gently on the space between my eyebrows.

I am entering a state of deep visualization. I am sinking into a pleasant, deep state of visualization, which I, myself, will control.

Five. I enter a state of deep visualization.

I visualize a field. I stand in a warm, beautiful summer field. Above me is a high blue sky with light white clouds. A lovely path stretches through the field, leading somewhere far away. I walk and enjoy my life, this vastness, this freedom, and this rest.

A pleasant, warm breeze brushes against me. Around me are grasses and flowers. The pleasant scents of herbs and flowers fill the air. Birds chirp. Butterflies flutter. It is beautiful and wonderful here. The path leads to a gentle, sandy shore of a magnificent lake. It feels so pleasant to walk on the silky, golden, warm sand. There is no one else here. The water is clear and transparent, with a beautiful sandy bottom. The clouds reflect on the water's surface. I shed my clothes and step into the water, into the pleasant, warm water. I swim. All my worries dissolve in this water and drift away from me. I feel pleasant and good. I release all my tensions. I am free and carefree. Now, I swim back to the shore. I step onto the pleasant sandy beach. I lie down on the warm, golden-yellow sand. My head gently sinks, and I fall asleep.

I see a dream. In the dream, I am flying over a summer field at night. It is so pleasant to fly in the warm, velvety, enchanting darkness of the summer night. Ahead, in the field, a bonfire burns. I know that people are sitting around it, waiting for me—people who are dear to me, who are significant to me. I fly to the bonfire and sit in the place prepared for me by these people.

Someone older signals to me, showing me what to do. I leave my dense physical body and joyfully fly into the flame, into the purifying flame of the bonfire. My subtle, transparent body is cleansed of all ailments, diseases, and anything harmful or dangerous. It becomes pure and transparent. It becomes pure, transparent, even radiant. And I return to my dense physical body.

Not far from the bonfire stand the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, and the saints.[^3] I approach them. I bow deeply and ask for help in my endeavors.

…

I remember everything they say to me and everything they do. I sincerely and wholeheartedly thank them. I return to the bonfire. Here, I thank everyone for their help and promise that next time, I will come here even faster, even better, and will enter this state even more clearly.

I fly back to the shore of the lake. I lie on the coast of the lake, feeling pleasant and good. I rise and brush the sand off myself. Slowly, I put my clothes back on. I have rested well. I feel a surge of strength and health. I vividly remember my entire visualization. I vividly remember my entire visualization, and after leaving this state, I will write it all down in precise detail.

Now, on the count from three to one, I will fully exit this state on my own. I walk back along the path through the field.

Three. I feel strength, power, and energy within me. I have rested wonderfully.

Two. I'm in a great mood and feeling well. I want to sing, dance, and rejoice in life. It feels good inside, perfect.

One. My mind becomes clear, fresh, and perfectly functioning. I entirely exit the state of visualization and open my eyes.

Interpreting and Engaging Meditative Imagery in TWIN

The Field. The field represents an internal emotional projection of how we perceive life and the world. In other words, the field is how we emotionally see our world.

The Sky in the Field. If it’s an evening sky, it suggests a subjective feeling of either fatigue or the approach of aging. This can occur even in very young people and is entirely subjective.

Weather. Dark clouds or an approaching storm indicate that a person senses something negative looming in their life, anticipating unpleasant events.

Lightning and Thunder. These symbolize a hostile, dangerous, or serious situation that is already unfolding in real life.

Dense Fog and Lack of Orientation in the Field. This reflects a loss of direction in one’s life or life situation. The person feels unsure of where to go or what to do, struggling to understand the meaning of what’s happening. They have lost their strategy.

The Field’s Condition. If the field appears lifeless, with no vegetation and a rocky surface, it typically signifies a sense of financial hardship, lack of creativity, or an unfruitful life.

Plants in the Field. Wheat or other grains suggest a perception of life as materially secure and fruitful, where everything is in order and going well.

Green, Lush Grass. This indicates expectations of material results from one’s efforts.

Bushes. These represent minor problems.

Forest. A forest symbolizes a collection of various problems, depending on its proximity and significance.

Objects in the Field. If the objects that appear in the field weren’t programmed during the visualization process, you should approach and question them. Responses may come in the form of a voice, written text, visual or non-visual images, or simply as an inner understanding. For example, if you see a large rock in the field, you approach it and ask, “What are you doing here? Why are you here?” It might respond, “Have you forgotten the problems related to your mother?”

Or, if a person sees a windmill and asks, “What are you doing here?” the windmill might reply, “You need to process everything you’ve accumulated in this period of your life, but you haven’t ground up anything yet.” Alternatively, there might be a tree in the field. You approach it, and people around the tree may speak about your current problems. The possibilities are vast. If you see something in the field that wasn’t part of the practice’s program, you must approach and question the object or subjects to understand their meaning. If you don’t get answers, don’t worry—you can later address this with the saints at the bonfire.

The Road or Path in the Field. This represents your emotional perception of your life’s journey. A wide or narrow road reflects how you feel about your path in life. Anything that appears on this road or path—potholes, mud, obstacles—symbolizes the challenges you emotionally perceive in your life’s journey. These obstacles may relate to current issues or problems from the distant past. For instance, a bottomless pit might represent a memory of something from the past. If you explore this pit, you’ll encounter the problem rooted in that memory, perhaps from childhood or even a past life. Investigate everything. You cannot pass by anything without exploring it. All deviations in the field reflect deviations in your emotional center—your problems—presented as images.

The Road’s Material. An asphalt, concrete, or stone road signifies reliability and confidence in your life’s path. Problems like a slippery road, puddles, swamps, or no road at all, indicate significant obstacles or a lack of direction. Some people may encounter a stone, large or small, or even a cliff on the road. These represent serious obstacles tied to blocks of negative emotions, pointing to unresolved issues that continually resurface. These must be investigated.

Descent to the Lake. This represents a transition from a holistic inner perception of life to its intimate, emotional side. Not everyone experiences a smooth descent. For some, there may be a cliff, making it difficult to reach the lake. This signifies a disconnect between your perception of life and your deep, intimate emotionality. If you avoid the lake and head straight to the bonfire, it suggests fear of addressing deep-seated issues, as there’s too much unresolved there.

In any case, ask, “What does this mean?” The lake represents an intimate perception of your emotional life, tied to deep, subtle emotional issues in relationships with others.

The Lake. Is it large or small? Beautiful or unattractive? This reflects an overall assessment of your subtle emotional sphere. What does the body of water look like? What’s on its shores? These details reveal what’s happening in your emotional sphere. The approach to the water—clean, dirty, rocky, or sandy—indicates how you approach resolving specific emotional issues in relationships. The water’s condition, including its waves, clarity, and temperature, reflects your emotional state during meditation. Clear, warm water with a clean bottom suggests no problems—everything is fine.

Conversely, waves, murky water, or plants indicate emotional issues that need exploration. A muddy bottom suggests difficulties in navigating your emotional sphere. Algae represent fears, and dangerous animals also point to fears, which you must question. These fears can vary widely, and you should engage with all of them. Aggressive animals, such as sharks, may represent open or hidden fears tied to emotional relationship issues. Friendly animals, like dolphins, symbolize positive emotional connections, perhaps with loved ones, allowing you to swim and interact joyfully.

An Island in the Lake. This symbolizes an emotional anchor. Structures or people on the island specify the nature of this anchor. For example, a church on the island suggests reliance on spirituality or religion. Seeing a close friend or spouse indicates you rely on that person emotionally. The island may also contain pathways or signs guiding you, all related to your deep, internal emotional sphere.

Swimming in the Lake. This reflects how confidently or hesitantly you explore emotional issues. Events like whirlpools pulling you downward symbolize long-standing emotional problems that require resolution. These are memories you must uncover to address what’s troubling you on a deep, unconscious level. Visualizing a dive into the depths helps retrieve information about the issue.

Objects in the Lake. Various objects in the water point to emotionally charged issues from the present or recent past. Everything you see in the water should be noted and questioned on the spot. Objects found on the lakebed represent memories of past problems. Passages leading deeper into the lakebed point to distant memories, sometimes even from past lives. The emotional feeling after swimming reflects the results of working through emotional issues at this level.

Flight at Night. Flying signifies a transition to a high-level altered state of consciousness. The more realistic the sensation of flying, the stars, and the moon, the deeper the altered state.

The Bonfire and People Around It. This represents readiness for deep introspection, exploring the most inaccessible corners of the subconscious. The people at the bonfire symbolize the qualities you use to interpret these deep layers of your psyche.

Cleansing by Fire. This is the final elimination of emotional obstacles. The sensation and state after cleansing reveal how the process went and the outcome of neutralizing emotions that might hinder deep introspection.

Appealing to the Saints. This is the process of clarifying the meaning of complex emotional problems. If you couldn’t understand or get answers in the field, lake, or shore, you can ask the saints. Internally, saints represent our highest introspective centers, centers of the psyche, capable of examining everything within us and providing answers. You must cultivate these centers within yourself. When Christians pray, they appeal to external consciousnesses while simultaneously developing corresponding subtle levels in their own consciousness to connect with these higher external entities. Saints must exist in our psyche; otherwise, communication with external consciousness is impossible. To fully utilize this practice, you must learn to pray and create the highest emotional images in your soul. If Christianity isn’t close to you, and you lean toward Buddhism, visualize Buddhist masters, bodhisattvas, the Dalai Lama, or Lama Itigelov by the bonfire. For Hinduism, appeal to Hindu gods.

This isn’t mysticism—it’s the reality of our inner world. The appearance of saints reflects the qualities that will come into play at a deep level to provide answers. Questions to the saints should be formulated as emotional problems. Asking questions correctly is crucial.

Responses from the Saints. These uncover the core of emotional issues. Answers may not always come directly. If you ask the wrong question, responses may be indirect, requiring you to revisit and refine in the next meditation. Treat the saints with reverence and always thank them before exiting the introspective state.

Returning to the Bonfire. This involves forming intentions for future meditative work.

Returning to the Shore. This prepares you to transition back to ordinary consciousness.

Counting from Three to One. This returns you to normal waking consciousness, where you think in words, not images. As soon as you emerge back into ordinary consciousness, record your observations. Do not delay, as what seems clear now may be forgotten later due to the difference between the altered state of consciousness and everyday thinking. I strongly recommend recording all details immediately on a voice recorder or paper to capture them accurately. By keeping such diaries, you’ll notice recurring significant elements and know how to address them.

[^1]: Hans Selye (1907–1982) was a Hungarian-Canadian endocrinologist. He introduced the concept of stress and the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) in 1936.

[^2]: For a more detailed look at the concept of higher centers, see the book In Search of the Miraculous by P.D Ouspensky.

[^3]: The practitioner might substitute saints, or teachers, or gods relevant to their culture. For example, if Judaism is close to you, you may visualize Moses; if you are Buddhist, imagine Buddhist teachers, bodhisattvas, the Dalai Lama, etc.

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