Visualizations

A Releasing Your Unlimited Creativity discussion topic

Copyright 2009 by K. Ferlic,   All Rights Reserved

Visualization in creativity is to use the essence of the creative process to become a conscious creator. We create our experiences and we create the reality we experience by how we focus our attention and awareness by how and what we think and believe to direct our creative life energy into manifesting an experience of that on which we focus. Given how  our inner world is reflected in the outer world, visualization in our creativity is about learning to control our inner world and body to then be reflected in our outer world as can be supported by the environment in which we find ourselves.

Routinely, within a meditative practice, individuals are given something on which to focus their attention and awareness such as a mantra or a yantra. However, rather than use a word, sound, image or picture given to us by another, visualization uses an image or series of images from our own imagination for something we wish to create. The visualization image is an image of a way of being, an experience, a situation or an object we wish to manifest in our life. In a visualization we see ourselves in the present moment having manifested what we desire and continually holding that image until we manifest and/or achieve what we desire physically in the world. Of course, it goes without saying that we will have to act as lead by our intuitive guidance as insights arise in response to the visualization we hold if we wish to manifest our visualization as an actual experience.

In may different forums we hear individuals, management gurus, teachers and the like tell us to "visualize success" or to "imagine our greatest possibilities." The question is "Why does visualization seem to work for some individuals and not for others?" The answer lies in the fact to effectively use visualization, there are several things which need to be understood.

Points to understand about visualization

Relative to meditation, visualization, is more about creating and manifesting though a meditation type practice than a meditation or a meditation practice. What we can obtain through meditation and apply to our visualizations depends on how we learn to use medication. The greatest asset meditation offers is learning how to be mindful and aware of what we think and feel and learning how to create a single point focus so as to not become distracted in our visualization.

Visualization is a creative endeavor. As with any creative endeavor which we undertake, all the obstacles, if any, that stand in the way of manifesting what we visualize will arise in our life to be addressed in the order in which they must be addressed. If we fail to address the obstacles we will be unable to manifest what we visualize. It is much like standing on the top of a mountain. Until we choose to walk down the mountain in a particular direction we do not see all the obstacles that stand in our way for many cannot be revealed until we move off the top of the mountain. If we are going to walk in the direction we chose, we will have to face the obstacles which arise in that direction.

Research has shown and is showing that there is a supportive scientific basis for how and why visualization works. It has been observed we stimulate the same brain regions when we visualize an action such a running as when we actually perform that same action. For example, when we visualize doing a action, it stimulates the same part of the brain that is activated when actually perform the action.

Use of this fact has been used in working with stroke victims. A stroke is a condition where a blood clot in a brain artery blocks the flow of blood and nutrients to a part of the brain. Without the nutrients and the blood unsupplied tissues die and the parts of the body depending on that aspect of the brain become paralyzed. However, if a person with a stroke damaged limb imagines moving the affected arm or leg, brain blood flows to the affected area of the brain and the surrounding brain tissue is saved through the processing of imagining. In time, some degree of use of the limb can be regained. To imagine moving a limb even after it has been paralyzed after a stroke increases brain blood flow enough to diminish the amount of tissue death. Here is a very clear example of the mind body connection and the power of visualization.

Athletes, dances and others who use the body in such a fashion have known about this power for a long time. Those involved in body movement such as athletes, dancers and the like use imagery and visualization to enhance their performance to achieve desired performance goals. Studies have shown that individuals who first imagined performing in as much detail as possible are then able to perform as desired after practicing visualization. Additionally, the use of hypnosis with visualization further enables individual to perform beyond what visualization alone can achieve.

Those familiar with education know a picture is worth a thousand words. We can read a thousand words or provide a lecture of a thousand words. But, give the mind a picture and it will respond with much deeper interest and attention. With words, often the mind will get bored and will want to go to sleep. In this regard, visualizations are much more powerful at focusing the mind than prayers, mantras, and any other use of words in any way.

What has been discussed here are the ways visualization is encouraged to be used. Although it may not be obvious, what needs to be emphasized here is that visualization is about OUR preferences and the responses of OUR body and not that of any other and not that of the environment in which we find ourselves. The visualization we do is about us. It is not about the world we will actually experience. We can visualize our performance in a given environment. But, the environment we face when we perform may not be the environment we visualized for our performance. Unless we understand our relationship with the external world, we will be unable to effectively take our visualization and what we have accomplished in, and with, our body response into the world to find the success we desire.

A being who stands between two worlds

The first thing which needs to be understood about visualization to effectively use it in the world is an important understanding about the creative process and Physical Creation. It needs to be understood, the human experience in Physical Creation is about standing between two worlds. One world is the shared creation of Physical Creation. The other world is our world and the fact that we are a world unto ourselves. That is, no one has our experiences and perceive Creation as we do. Our body and the mind body connection reflected in the visualization process is the bridge point between these two worlds were we influence the energy which is unfolding to create our experience in physical Creation. Although we can visualize and create conditions within our body and what we are able to do with our body, our environment has a big impact on what we can manifest with the conditions we create within our body. Additionally, we need to be prepared to work within the rules of Physical Creation or we will compound the work we intent to do.

It is in the actual manifestation that cause people to doubt the power of visualization. It is not that visualization does not work. Rather, it is the fact that we stand between two worlds and we need to act in the world. To act and create what we desire to manifest in the world through our visualizations, we need to consult our intuitive guidance as to how to go about actually manifesting what we desire. The visualization will prepare our mind and body. But we need to allow our intuitive guidance and body wisdom to lead us as to how to manifest what we desire.

Here again, the reason for this is Physical Creation is a shared creation. The visualization allows us to create what is needed in our world that is unique to our being. But we must then bring that inner world out into the outer world. Here we need to rely on our intuitive guidance, body wisdom and second knowing to lead us. If we follow our mind as to what it thinks needs to be done, we will end up recreating the past in a new way rather that creating that world were we can fully live and express the intention which lies behind the visualization.

The problem most individuals face when it is said we create with our thoughts is they believe all they need to do is to visualize what they desire and/or think about what they desire and it will manifest. This is true only if the current environment can support what we desire. However, if the current environment could support what we desired, we would already have it. Rather, we must act to move to the environment to create what we need by our actions or we need to recreate our environment to one which will allows us to manifest what we desire.

The point that needs to be emphasized here is visualization, through the mind body connection will create the conditions we need to manifest what we desire in that world in which we are a world unto ourselves. However, to manifest what we desire in the visualization in the shared creation of Physical Creation, we need to go to that bridge point where our inner world become reflected in the outer and use our intuitive guidance system to lead us in the outer world or to recreate our outer world to support what we desire. Those who are successful in visualization and obtain what they desire in the outer world have effectively consciously or nonconsciously used their intuitive guidance, body wisdom and/or second knowing to get what they desire. Or, they are adequately align with the intention for their life to carry them. In this case the visualization they do reflects the intention for their life in some way. Those who visualize but cannot seem to manifest what they visualize have either not found a effective way to bridge the world unto themselves and the shared creation of Physical Creation or the intention for their life has other things it desires to manifest.

Some thoughts on using visualization

Stimulating the brain: Visualization stimulates the same brain regions as when we actually act. If we have no idea how to act to manifest a particular desired creation, we can start by imagining what we want. What we want will not come immediately and we will have to act a lead by our intuitive guidance. However, imagining is a way of getting the process started quickly. But creation is about acting and we will need to at. To sit and visualize without acting is like meditating and finding calmness but not being able to take the calmness into the world we face.

Rejuvenating the brain: A stroke victim can imagine moving the affected arm or leg. In doing so, brain blood flow supplied to the affected area increases and to the surrounding brain tissue. If we have had a setback, we can’t give up. We need to keep the blood flowing to the brain area that will execute our action. We do so by focusing our visualization on what we want.

On this point is the issue of fear. People often focus on their fears If we focus on our fears, we are affecting those parts of the brain that deal with and respond to fear. That is, we nourish the fears. We are not dealing with fear but, rather, encouraging the presence of fear. All focusing on fear will do is increase blood flow to the brain regions that will stop our actions. We need to remember that in a true creative endeavor, there is no failure. There are no mistakes. There are only learning experiences as to what does and doesn’t work. A perceived failure is not a final statement that we will not ultimately succeed. We need to remember the experience of creating WD-40 (water displacement formula #40). The other thirty nine formulas were not failures. They were learning experiences as to what does and doesn’t work. A perceived failure is only information. If we look to gain the lessons learned in the failure we will come to know how we need to proceed to manifest our vision or whether the vision has to be changed, refined or otherwise modified.

Hypnosis can mast the true cause: Hypnosis can help us break habits by reprogramming our actions. Hypnosis has been know to work to help performance. It has been used to decrease anxiety and increases focus by shifting nonconscious beliefs. The problem with hypnosis is the individual does not necessarily remove the ultimately cause which gave rise to the reason the individual pursues hypnosis. The alternative approach is to make the nonconscious conscious and then work the changes at a conscious level to address the root cause.

When we start our visualization we need to look to construct an image which is free of worries. If necessary we may need to look at our visualization as pure fantasy so as to move past fears, reservations and the like. Here we can use the idea of complex integration where the image may be fantasy and imaginary but what we feel is real and we can use the feeling to guide us to the real solution or a solution that will work in reality. If we visualize while worrying, or visualize with worry, we fragment and scatter our creative life energy. The more we can create calmness the more keep focus and not become diverted or distracted. The approach is to create a vision then see what worries, fears and the like arise around our visualization. Then, pull the string as to why we have that particular fear or worry and look to address its root cause.

Improved body performance: Individuals such as athletes, dancers and the like who depend on particular body movement have been observed to increase their confidence in performing when they visualize their movements beforehand. If we find something erodes our confidence, we can use visualization of our goals to help increase our confidence to performance as required/desired. Practice makes perfect. We need to continually repeat our visualizations and hold a single point focus or, as a minimum, visualized our desire every day in some type and kind of daily practice which we use to tithe to our effort As we imagine our goal and we get clearly as to how to proceed more clearly, our confidence will increase enough to execute on our desired creation which the opportunity presents itself.

Never lose focus: We must remember to never give up on what we desire and never lose focus for what we desire. We must realize never giving up and never losing focus keeps our brain actively focused on what we desire to create. When environmental conditions are correct we will be prepared to manifest our desired creation naturally with little effort. But we do not know when conditions will be correct. We need to have an eternal vigilance to always be ready. Then, when the opportunity comes, we are fully prepared to act. We must remember we are in a shared creation and sometimes we must wait for Creation to give us the correct conditions to manifest what we desire.

What is provided here are a few principles of visualization that can help maximize our preparedness to manifest what we desire. We need to remember, visualization prepares our inner world to be able to act in the outer world to manifest what we desire. We cannot expect just become we think positive thoughts or hold a particular vision or visualization that Creation will unfold to give us what we desire. We must be willing to act when the conditions and opportunities present themselves. In the mean time, we must be doing what we can do to be prepared to act. Creation/creation does not give something from nothing. Creation/creation is about transforming our existing inner and outer world into an experience of what we desire to have and the creation process start in our inner world with what the think and believe.

Related topics
How we create our experiences
Guided meditations

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