A frequent question is “what is the difference between meditation and visualization?” Meditation clears and concentrates the mind, while visualization or imagery puts an image in it. Both are great change agents and complement each other. Visualization or imaginology refers to our inner movies or VCR tapes. These are at the heart of our mind bio-computer. The human brain programs and self-programs through its images. All skills, and all achievements are acquired through this image-making process. Interactive Awareness and Interactive Self-Hypnosis are high-level consciousness tools that allow stress release, emotional management, subconscious mind re-editing and programming right in the moment.
Building these skills can assist us at all levels of our training and performance whether it be managing sugar addiction or winning at tennis.. Many people feel they are making up the images, rather than seeing them and this is perfectly fine. The mind accepts what is presented to it as truth, so as long as the images are healthy and positive, go with your own creative thoughts.
MIND EXERCISE
Here is another skill builder that will enhance your toolbox. Take any simple object, a pen, pencil, cup or similar item will do. Look directly at it until you feel you are quite familiar with it. Close your eyes and imagine you are still looking at it. Open your eyes and look at the object again, and compare it with your mind image. Now close your eyes and do the same. Next, move the object out from where you are observing it, and scan it with your eyes as if it were an external image. Often people expect the inner image to be exactly like the outer image, and judge themselves as being a "poor imager." This is just the ego getting in the way, and the emotional visitors coloring the visualization experience for you. Release them, and go back to your practice knowing that however you image or visualize is absolutely correct. There is no right or wrong. The more you practice, the more understanding you will have of the whole experience and the more real your images will become.
MIND EXERCISE
Don’t rush through this work. It’s fine to read through, but make sure you go back and take the time to truly work with these. While the exercises appear simple on the surface, they are truly involved in rather complex activities. Take the same simple object, or choose a different one. Set it by itself, with no other objects around it to distract you. Take several relaxing breaths, and now look directly at the object until you feel familiar with it. Close your eyes gently and imagine that the object is about two feet in front of you. See it in your mind’s eye, and begin to scan the object for details such as the shape, shadings of color, irregularities, etc. Now open your eyes and compare the inner image with the outer image, noticing any aspects you were not aware of during your visualization practice. Close your eyes and repeat the exercise. Now practice with a different object.
MIND EXERCISE
Close your eyes and transport yourself back to your childhood bedroom. Take several relaxing breaths and make yourself comfortable. Look in front of you and see what you see. Notice the furnishings, what is on the wall, and look down at your feet and notice what covers the floor. Now look at the wall to your left, and then to the wall on your right, noticing what you are aware of. Take some time and notice other things about the room such as windows, doors, closets, colors, textures, etc. Here we are learning to move around and locate ourselves within a visualized space. Practice this exercise with other places, especially those from your childhood or teen years.
MIND EXERCISE
This time we are going to practice moving outside a large object such as your house. Image yourself in front of your house and notice the position of the door, windows, plants, lights, etc. Notice the construction materials, colors, and go ahead and actually touch the outside walls. Experience touching other things, comparing differences in sensations. Open your eyes. Take a few relaxing breaths, and go back again, or to a different site.
MIND EXERCISE
Take a few relaxing breaths and comfortably close your eyes. Image a chair, perhaps one you are familiar with from home or your office. Stand in front of the chair and notice the shape, color, textures, etc. Touch it. Now, move to the side of the chair and notice what you see, and then feel. Go around to the back and repeat the process, and then to the other side. Now, image yourself above the chair, looking down at it, and then from under the chair looking up. Open your eyes slowly, and follow with some relaxing, refocusing breaths.
MIND EXERCISE
Relax deeply and close your eyes. Return to the room of your childhood and re-orientate yourself. Find the light switch on the wall and turn it on, and then off. Pick up any object such as a book or a pencil and study it from all angles. Feel it. Now watch as it floats up in front of you and hovers around the ceiling. Notice that you begin to lift up as well, gently and easily. Maneuver yourself so as to grab the pencil, and turn towards the open window and gently sail through, looking down at the areas below and noticing how easy it is to go up and down at will. This very powerful visualization practice allows us to have very different relationships with our world, enabling us to control in a relaxed format.
MIND EXERCISE
Relax deeply and close your eyes. Bring before you an image of someone you know. Have that person stand a few feet in front of you, and look at his/her face. Scan the face and pay attention to the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair, etc. Notice the person’s clothes and how they are standing. Image the person talking to someone else, and watch the facial expressions and how the body changes during the conversation. Hear the voice and its inflections. Walk around the person, and observe from the back and sides. Open your eyes slowly and acclimate yourself back to the room.
As you continue exploring this book you will have many opportunities to practice mind development. Please don’t rush. If you don’t have time in the moment, go to the monthly planning sheet and make a written commitment to return to the work brought to your attention by your subconscious mind. When we “sense interest” that is the subconscious librarian waving a mind flag.
In the next blog entry I'll invite you to collect some new Interactive Self-Hypnosis tools that will help pull together everything you’ve learned so far.
A NOTE TO NEW READERS:
This experiential blog/workshop is based on my new book, "How Many Cookies Will It Take to Make Me Happy?" This book is not published as yet, but you have the opportunity to read it in it's unpublished state. If you are new to my writing, you might want to read the earlier mini-chapters. They are available on FaceBook, The PublishersMarketPlace & at the following link. Remember to scan down to find the earliest chapters & work your way up. http://beyonddisorderlyeating.blogspot.com/
A bit of background.... we are working with creative Interactive Self-Hypnosis imagery, planting suggestions directly into the creative subconscious mind as you read along. What appears like a story is a series of self-hypnotic sessions, designed to bring about desired lifestyle changes. The inner mind is creative & rather child-like, loving to play with images, especially when they are emotionalized. Just like the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words", well-planted mind images, can be worth hours of therapy. We can actually change or motivate in 1/200th of a second. So come along & look forward to some lifestyle-changing events.
Copyright 2009 Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht
May not be copied or reproduced without permission of the author.
Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht is author of Sugar...the Hidden Eating Disorder & How to Lick It. She is also the writer/producer of over 350 mp3/CD programs in the areas of medicine, health, prevention, addictions, self-development & sports for adults & children.
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