Visualization is one among many powerful techniques when it comes to self-healing and general life improvement. It’s simple and easy to use, it doesn’t involve any specific instruments or solid knowledge. As it mostly depends on one’s own fantasy and imagination, everyone is already equipped for what one needs to practice this tool. Visualization is really a free technique that doesn’t have very strict rules or requirements. It can be easily practiced by a complete beginner; in fact, most children are fabulous visualization experts as they follow the natural flow of imagination freely and in all directions.
Visualization tool may be used for a wide range of goals and expectations: from boosting one’s self-esteem to enriching one’s social or professional life, from improving one’s character to empowering and strengthening the body or self-healing etc. Many people tend to use it for health improvement but as far as one’s fantasy and imagination have no limits, so are the scopes of visualization – diverse and limitless.
So what is really a visualization? How can it be described? Are there any guidelines or hints to it?
The word visualization itself suggests its tight connection with images and visual objects. It is also often called ‘guided imagery’, ‘visual imagery’ or ‘creative visualization’. Very simply put, it is a technique or ability to see with the mind’s eye. In other words, the process of visualization is a creation of mental pictures or visual impression of an object or a situation within your mind without physically seeing it. Practically, whenever one is daydreaming, fantasizing about the future or ‘seeing’ the picture of a desired situation, one is engaged in visualization process. Reading a novel or a poetry piece, listening to the music may also draw vivid images into one’s mind. All of these could be considered sources or inspiration for visualization. Note, that many people are using this technique without really knowing it.
Even though visualization has no strict rules, there are some guidelines that are very helpful especially at the beginning of your personal practice:
Relaxation: safe and quiet place, comfortable and relaxed body position (you may find it useful to lay down). Seek for the time with less to no external distraction. Begin with letting go all the burdens and worries of everyday life. Search for calmness and peace within.
Present tense: Using the present tense has the most powerful effect. Indeed, it is believed that the future tense shouldn’t be used at all as it ‘programs’ to wait for something in the future. The power of present tense lies in the idea that you already are or have what you want. Therefore you should picture yourself enjoying and taking pleasure of the new situation instead of focusing on searching for the means and ways to achieve it. For example, ‘I am fit and full of energy’ instead of ‘I will run and swim every day for couple months and I will become fit and energetic’.
Positive statement and expectation: The affirmations or narration used for your practice should be as clear, simple, short and positively charged as possible; e.g. instead of using ‘I don’t want to get flu so often in the winter’, try ‘I am healthy and strong (all year round)’. Focus on what you would like to bring in or happen to you, instead of what you want to get rid of.
All senses included: While visualization is basically seeing, it is actually not bounded only to it. It is important to unlock and include all senses: touch, smell, sound and taste. During your practice try to feel the hug, smell the grass, hear the wind, taste your sweat etc.
Repetition: Nothing really happens with the first or/and only one shot. Visualization needs practice and it should be repeated as often as you consider it appropriate and useful for your situation. For starters, try it every day (or every other day) for 15 minutes; it is important to get yourself used to it, to ‘wire’ your mind to the desired situation, make it your new habit.
Recorded or guided visualization. It may be much easier to start practicing with recorded narration as in such case you can focus more on relaxing and bringing in the pictures. Note, that the voice should be yours. The recording should be calm, relaxing; do not forget to leave space/time between the lines, do not rush. You may start with as little as 4 to 8 phrases repeated every 20-40 seconds for up to 10-15 minutes (look for what suits you best).
Eyes shut or open: there is no rule to that, however it is obvious that having your eyes shut helps to bring in the mental images easier as you’re much less distracted to whatever surrounds you.