Wise Old Man

I've come across an interesting little book called, 1,001 Meditations by Mike George. Some of the suggestions are actually visualizations or contemplations. Here's one:

The figure of the Wise Old Man is a Jungian archetype. A source of ancient spiritual wisdom, this figure can take us to higher levels of consciousness, giving us new perspectives on our lives. To contact this archetype imagine yourself walking along a path through a dark forest. Suddenly you break through the trees and see the rocky summit of a mountain towering above you. Continuing up the path for some time, you see an old man sitting at the mouth of a cave. Approach the man with respect and introduce yourself. Describe the situation you are facing and ask for advice. What is his response? It may take the form of words, actions or images. How does his response shed light on your current predicament?

Of course, when we do this exercise we are really making contact with our own inner wisdom. But we bypass the controlling ego with the visualization if we do it in an open and spacious way.