Creative Visualization Step 2 - Imagination
By Tania Kotsos
The second step in the creative visualization process is learning to imagine your desired outcome. Your imagination is the engine of your thoughts. It converts your thought power into mental images. Learn to visualize your ideal reality in the present moment, bring your pictures to life as if watching a movie and indulge all your senses. This is where the fun begins.
The greatest scientist of our times, Albert Einstein, had this to say: "Imagination is more important than knowledge for knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand". "Logic" he added, "will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere... It is the preview of life's coming attractions".
How to Use Your Imagination for Creative Visualization: Imagining your desires is simple once you know how. It is important to first relax. Once you are in a relaxed state with your eyes closed begin to calmly imagine your desired outcome - whatever that may be. Create images in your mind of that which you desire to see materialise in your physical world.
While the terms imagination and creative visualization are both visual by definition, it is not necessary to actually see your desired outcome. You may find that you are more kinesthetic (feeling) or auditory (listening) in your visualizations and that is perfectly fine. Start with whatever method comes naturally to you and as you practice you will find that your visual images become clearer.
Focus on What You Want: This might sound simple enough but is is critical to creating your desired reality. You must learn to focus on what you want rather than on what you do not want. This is because the human mind works primarily with pictures. Do noot think of a pink elephant on stilts. Come on don't think about that pink elephant. The pink elephant that is likely to be in your mind right now should prove the point to focus on what you want. Focus on perfect health not on "not wanting" your illness, focus on wealth and abundance not on "not wanting" to be in debt - you get the picture and so will your mind.
Imagine in the Present Moment: Always imagine your desired outcome in the present moment during your creative visualization sessions. Imagine yourself being, doing and having that which you desire. This is a critical step. By imagining what you desire in the now, you are programming your subconscious mind to create the new image you imprint on it. In contrast, by keeping your images in the future, your desires will stay there - in the future and just out of reach. Know that by imagining something in the present moment you are actually creating it in the mental, spiritual realm which is the only place that everything is created before it can appear in the physical realm.
Turn it into a Movie: The best way to bring your images to life is by turning them into a movie. Instead of simply imagining static pictures in your mind, see them in motion. See yourself experiencing and enjoying that which you desire whether it be a new loving relationship, perfect health, abundance or anything else. This does not mean wide-screen, technicolor, surround sound visualizations. It is simply intended to add a sense of life to your images for life itself is anything but static.
Indulge Your Senses: Ultimately, you want to reach a level of visualization where you can see, hear, touch, smell and even taste that which you desire, indulging all your physical senses. The best way to train your imagination in this way is to start with a familiar object. Practice with different objects such as your favorite fruit, a rose or something as inanimate as a rock or the key to your front door. Study them intently in your waking state then close your eyes, relax and bring their respective images to your mind.
Take a lemon in your normal waking state. Study it with your five senses. Run your fingers over its hard yellow skin. Feel its weight in your hand. Cut the lemon in half and smell the distinct scent that is released. Squeeze one half in a glass and hear the juices pouring into the glass. Take a slice of the lemon and place it on your tongue. Taste its sourness. Your salivary glands are probably already kicking in by just reading this - that is your imagination working. Once you have studied the lemon, close your eyes, relax and then repeat the process in your imagination. A lemon is great to work with because it teaches you to apply all five physical senses at once.
Concentrated versus Scattered Thought: Creative visualization requires that you keep your thoughts focused on your outcome. Do not allow them to wander while you visualize. Charles Haanel likened concentrated versus scattered thoughts to the effect of a magnifying glass and the sun. If you haphazardly move the magnifying glass in the sunlight there will be no apparent effect but keep the magnifying glass steady and focused and the result will be fire. Your thoughts are powerful to the degree that they are concentrated.
Do not become frustrated if your thoughts wander during the creative visualization process. Simply relax further by repeating the relaxation exercise, continue to breathe deeply and bring your thoughts back to your desired outcome. If despite persevering you find that you can not concentrate your thoughts then it is best to bring yourself out of your relaxed state and come back to your visualization session later.
No Limits: Just as your imagination is limitless so is your power to create anything you desire. Your mind is part of the Omnipotent Universal Mind. After all there is no distinction between "easy" and "difficult" for that which is all-powerful. What you may consider easy or difficult to manifest is only a reflection of your past beliefs and conditioning. In effect, a million dollars is as easy to manifest as a single dollar.
As you learn to master your imagination for effective creative visualization why not indulge in some limitless fun. Imagine how it would feel to be sliding down the petal of your favourite flower, splashing into the pollen in the center or what it would be like to be sitting on the moon looking down at the splendour of our beautiful blue-green planet. Let your imagination take you to places you have never been. By allowing your imagination to be truly limitless then you will find that what you previously believed to be impossible is very much possible after all.
Take it Slow: If you think creative visualization is not your thing or that you just can not use your imagination, remind yourself that if you have ever seen a vivid dream that felt very real then you have the potential to visualize at will. Don't panic, your visualizations need not match the clarity of a vivid dream. With practice though your images will become clearer and sharper. Take it slow and do not try to force anything. Be patient.
Once you have learnt how to relax and then imagine your desired outcome you can move on to the third step in the creative visualization process: Feel. Where imagination is the engine of your thoughts, your feelings are the fuel.
In a nutshell, the second step in creative visualization is to Imagine. In your relaxed state of mind and body, imagine your desired outcome in the present moment. See yourself experiencing that which you desire. Bring your images to life by imagining them as a movie rather than static pictures. What you can experience is limited only by your imagination. Let go and have fun with the process.
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