Because you can’t take a pill for your soul.
What is Visualization?
“Visualize your dream life and manifest it in your reality”. Nearly everyone has heard this statement already. Then why aren’t we all rich and happy by now? The answer is this: many haven't figured out what visualization is really for.
Whether you’re hearing of visualization for the first time or are fluent in using it, this article will take you through to identify:
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How does visualization link “two realms”
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What is visualization really meant for
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Why do we have the ability to visualize
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The 5 stages to mastery
The great thing about us humans is that we have the ability to focus our attention in ways none of us is actually aware of yet. Whilst scientific explanations fall short of the real potential of our mind, visualization does give us a grand clue that there’s just so much more we are allowed to tap into. A whole lot more.
But to get there, mastering the visualization technique is a must. Exactly as when we learn a new language, we learn the letters first.
Understanding the mechanics behind visualization starts with a conscious exploration of the “two realms”, that both you and I are a part of and actively live in.
Two Realms, Two Sights.
Tapping into what visualization can offer, begins with recognizing that we all live in a twofold world. One we can see clearly and are used to navigate - our physical reality. The other realm - not so much. It is the plane that we cannot see with our physical eyes - our inner world (and everything beyond). We also have two sights - our physical vision and the so-called “mind’s eye” - inner vision. Under normal circumstances we are born with both visions as natural abilities, each meant for seeing one or the other realm.
Where it gets confusing is when we sense that there’s something more, some kind of higher-order of cause and effect at play. Perhaps we may even get a tiny glimpse at it, whatever it may be. Especially, when our intuition sends subtle nudges. And it gets confusing and scary because it is unknown. We don’t trust it. We are used to the reality we can physically see. As a result, we tend to push the invisible realm aside, alongside our inner-sight and answers to why we feel what we feel, why we experience what we experience. We remain in our comfort zone because anything outside of it appears way more complex in comparison to what we can physically see.
The only problem is that we are born with both visions for a reason - to see and manage both planes, and yet we fluently use only half of our abilities. That leaves us in control of only half of our lives. Always playing only on one side of a sandbox, always drawing only half of a picture, always wearing only one shoe.
When you cross a street, you would normally look in both directions to avoid an accident, right? When we speak about the journey of life, it turns out that we tend to look only to one side and get confused as to why life has hit us with something horrible, we have no clue how it happened. Actually, we just forgot to open our inner vision to look to the “other side” as well.
Open Your Eyes
Using both, the physical vision and inner vision does provide a 360° view to your life and what you are made of. You finally get to see the full picture of what’s happening to you.
Both realms work in parallel and interact with one another. The roots of our experiences are based in the invisible realm, whether your subconscious or the information field around you. The outcome appears in the physical reality. We cannot change something if we don’t see both parts equally well.
What happens when you suddenly gain new knowledge and facts about yourself? You step in the control of your own circumstances - by choice. Knowledge is power. You get to choose what to do with the information once you have it.
Understanding The Merge
What links both realms is what we cannot see but physical feel - love, thoughts, emotions, energy, motivation, the list goes on and on. It is because both planes are based on the same fine vibrations at the core. In fact, you do feel yourself existing in both planes simultaneously every day. Ever noticed how a person you just met for the first time may either immediately make you feel at ease or annoy you with no apparent reason? Here’s why:
Dr. Joe Dispenza, Dr. Bruce Lipton, and many other great minds have brought us an abundance of proof that our brain does not distinguish our imagination from what we physically see, nor what we perceive as “real”. The only “real” thing is our feeling about an experience and not about what we see in a literal sense. Take a look at children when they play; they would imagine nearly anything to make their playtime fun. It doesn’t mean they don’t know their wooden stick really isn’t a sword. But they know that play-time experience makes them happy. And the feeling is real. Any feeling we experience very much affects our perception, let alone our decisions, actions, and wellbeing, and the feeling spectrum is exactly what connects both realms.
Our brain already operates both realms equally well, without us paying any attention. It does its own thing navigating us through our lives. Should we wish to take the flow of things into our own hands, this is where visualization comes in.
Visualization: The Almighty Universal Tool
Visualization lets us look at and interpret the invisible parts of our lives. When we intentionally use the inner vision - our natural ability, it is called visualization. You can switch it on whenever it’s needed.
What would you do if you found yourself feeling miserable at work? Probably, before changing your job, you’d first look for reasons “why”. It might take a while to get to the root. But what if you opened your inner eyes and found the answer fast? You’d probably do something about your situation without wasting any more time, right?
We all are trying to be happy, fulfilled, and feel good in the most efficient way possible. Visualization as a tool helps us figure out how to get there quickly. It gives us access to crucial information that we can use and act upon. You can basically draw out the entire blueprint of yourself. How great is that!
Through visualization, we can translate our own behavioral patterns and anything that sabotages us on the way. We can access our subconscious or decide on the right goals in life. Access our own tricks to overcome issues and challenges. We can manage energy. Most importantly, we have access to the answers we seek. This is possible because both our realms are interlinked, we already live in both realms at the same time. Therefore we can also navigate information between them. The information that you can draw to and from the “behind the scenes” of your life experiences is limitless. It is simply a matter of opening your mental eyes and feeling what the feelings tell you; feeling what you see.
Take a simple example, you’re not sure which flowers to choose for your wedding? Visualize your wedding with one option, then - the other; and focus on how each option makes you feel. And voilà - you have an answer. You have played with the visible reality and the invisible realm.
Mechanics Behind Visualization
Although visualization indicates seeing, it has very little to do with sight. It’s all about vibration, mood, and senses.
Visualization is based on two key elements: inner imagery and our senses. Gut-feeling or intuition can be accounted as one of our senses. Our senses lead to our feeling spectrum. Same as the English language is made up of letters and words, visualization speaks through senses and feelings. Feelings let us interpret what is happening with us and where we would like to go.
Alongside imagery and senses, we need to apply intention and focus. The visualization itself does not offer much if we are unable to direct what we see, on purpose. Intentionally guiding what we see is the whole fun of it! And also where it starts getting useful. The best part - we cannot do that with the physical world we see.
To better illustrate how it works in practice, here are 5 stages that will prepare your visualization tool ready and set to put to use:
Mastering Visualization
1. CLOSE YOUR EYES.
Yes, a whole stage just for eye closure. Here’s the reason why:
Closing eyes makes the visualization experience efficient. When we close our eyes, we also close down a huge part (about one-eighth) of conscious perception. Our visual system relaxes. We reduce the focus on the external environment. This means that this focus and attention go inward. Interestingly, closing eyes also enhances our brain’s primary emotional center. We capture the feelings more vividly and precisely.
With eye closure, not only do you get more focused on what you visualize but also the feeling spectrum that you are using gets more active. And that’s exactly what we need.
2. GET A SENSE OF WHAT VISUALIZATION IS FOR YOU.
If you have never visualized before, here’s a tip to let you know, what visualization is not:
I used to think that when I closed my eyes and saw all those yellow and orange spots moving around, I was visualizing. Once I was asked to visualize fire and I proudly thought I could really see fire, viewing these yellow spots moving around. What I was seeing, in fact, was the inside of my eyelids shedding through some light. Until somebody told me: close your eyes and “imagine…”. It clicked right then and there what visualization actually is.
To give you some guidance towards accessing inner vision with your mental eyes, think about this:
Have you ever woken up in the morning and remembered what you dreamed of? If so, this is a clear indication that you can visualize.
Have you ever daydreamed about something you really wish to happen? Or tried picturing a new design for your home? Or replayed in your mind that amazing show you saw yesterday? You are already visualizing.
All you need to do is take control of this process. Focus on directing your thought. The actual vision through your physical eyes has nothing to do with it.
3. INTERPRET WHAT YOU SEE: ADD YOUR SENSES.
Any experiences always flow via our senses and form a specific feeling or emotion. The feeling spectrum is what is used to interpret any experience. For example, if something tastes good, we enjoy it, we are happy.
Any visual regardless of whether seen with physical eyes or inner sight, makes you feel something. You might be looking at the ocean and feeling free or peaceful or perhaps scared. Capture how your inner movie makes you feel. Become aware of the sensation; acknowledge it to yourself. Practice the muscle of getting clear on what exactly you are feeling whilst viewing it.
Employ all senses. You may practice hearing the sounds of what you see, sense the temperature or texture. Capture a taste or scent to add to your experience. Senses make the visualization process lively.
4. GENERATE AN EXPERIENCE WITH INTENTION.
Through visualization, we can perform an action internally. This is done by intention and focus. You may visualize yourself running or hugging a person. That action will also produce a certain feeling about it. The feeling will change as you intentionally change what you see yourself doing.
When visualizing, the imagery is what we guide. Senses - what we focus on whilst visualizing anything. Put together, we can build a full experience.
To build an experience, start with the visual setting. For example, imagine a place where you would feel happy. Perhaps one where you have never been to. This will give you a fresh palette to work with. Add senses - take in every detail of what you see. Once you have explored the inner movie, change some aspects of what you see or do - play around with it and observe the vibe as that will shift too.
5. MAKE VISUALIZATION USEFUL.
If you can guide your imagination and focus your feeling spectrum with intention, you can master visualization as a skill super fast. Once you do, magic will happen. Because you will gain your 360° view of your reality and will be able to take a step towards being in control of what you experience in the physical reality. From here it’s all about exploration and self-analysis.
You may use visualization to help you get clear on why things happen the way they happen. You are capable of bringing your events or issues inward, exploring them from every angle, and gaining understanding. It builds a new perspective.
Let’s say you are trying to figure out what you should do for your career. You may bring different options of interest inward, play them out as scenarios and note how each makes you feel.
Or you may feel confused as to whether you should get married to that special person. You may bring an avatar of this person inward and get a clear sense of how you actually feel about them. Remember, the feeling spectrum is more on-point and vivid when visualizing.
Doesn’t visualization just make everything so much easier in life? It does to an extent as you get to see the full picture. And fast. Most probably you would manage your life differently if you get to see what’s actually happening in the “backstage” of your present life. You step in control.
Visualization is our inborn ability, nevertheless, unfortunately, there is a good part of the population that is born with an inability to produce mental images. This phenomenon is called Aphantasia and comes hand-in-hand with difficulty recalling senses and memories, recalling faces of loved ones, or how things look like when not physically seeing them.
Though if you do not have Aphantasia, there is nothing and no one to stop you from visualizing. As the good old saying goes - practice makes perfect. Visualization can be difficult if you hold an inner tension that doesn't let you focus your mind internally. It really is a matter of practicing to calm the mind and directing the focus. Meditation combined with physical activities is a good place to start.
WHY CAN'T YOU VISUALIZE?
And soon enough you will become a fluent master-visualizator!
(yes, this is a made-up word; try and say it out loud - sounds funny).
Once you master visualization as a practical tool, you can start playing around with it like a wizard in a sci-fi movie. With practice, you can manage your entire life and existence behind the scenes. Many unanswered questions become clear. And that places you in the seat of control of your own circumstances instead of circumstances controlling you. From this point the word “manifesting” also starts making sense. Once you have certain information about yourself, you can choose what to do with it.
We have two sights for a reason:
to form our comprehension of any subject matter.
And this is where the real growth starts.