Power of Visualization

 Power of Visualization

If one is a pragmatic person, he might be sceptic about the power of visualization. Some even believe that visualization is nothing but a lazy substitute for actually working hard to meet the desired result. But it is much more than just sitting back and imagining the good things to happen. Studies have shown that mental imagery can dramatically impact our actions.

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The Oxford and Cambridge researches suggest that one’s ability to vividly imagine details about abright future dramatically increases our energy and momentum that leads to constructive deeds. When our mind’s eye can picture exactly what that bright future holds, it can orient itself in the envisioned direction.

Visualization techniques have been used by successful people to visualize their desired outcomes. The practice has given high achievers the key to create their dream lives by accomplishing one goal at a time with hyper focus and complete confidence. All humans are blessed with this awesome power though most of us have never been taught to use it effectively.

According to Cambridge University, “Visualization is the act of visualizing something or someone or forming a picture of it in your mind.” It is like seeing one’s life through a telescope at one’s deep thoughts and desires, and seeing their lives unfold within.

Also known as visual imagery, visualization is the art of creating mental pictures of an outcome that we want to achieve in our mind. These images are created by our five senses by conditioning the brain to mentally program our bodies towards achieving the desired goal.

Visualization helps us to prepare and respond to such outcomes and also filters out the excess by activating our mind’s reticular activating system (RAS) – a bundle of neurons that helps one determine the relevant and unwanted. With 2 million bits of data per second through five senses pounding the brain, which can process only 126 bits of data per second, this filter is of paramount importance.

Research has revealed that a daily ritual and scenes accompanied with intense emotions with stay locked in our memory forever. More passion, excitement and energy will make the visualization more powerful thereby creating powerful outcomes.This is why it has been effectively used by Mohammad Ali in sports, Arnold Schwarzenegger in sports, acting and politics and Jim Carrey in acting. Visualization has also been used by healthcare workers as an effective stress management tool while surgeons and police officers have used it to curb work trauma.

Visualization is of two types:

1. Outcome Visualization is when one imagines his end goal, such as one posing with the Wimbledon trophy and rejoicing.
2. Process Visualization is when one imagines each step it will take to get to the goal, such as one practising & training habits and visualizing them to the best of his abilities.

This technique can be used to meet one’s personal and professional goals in the following ways:

1. Vision Boards: The visual representation of a person’s dreams and goals, it has become quite popular in the recent years. It works best for those who primarily learn by watching things being done. They can be made using pictures on posters.

Vision boards are further classified into:

1. Focus Vision Board: For those who know exactly what they want. They must place it somewhere which reminds them of their goal every day.
2. Clarity Vision Boards: For those who are not sure what they want but they know that they want to make changes in their lives. One can create images to further their cause.
3. Idea Vision Board: There is no particular theme or goal associated with it. It helps guide the person on what is important to them. Repeated viewing may trigger a focus or clarity, thereby triggering their manifestation.

2. Written Visualization: It is best for those who learn most by reading and/or writing. Inorder for written visualization to work, it must be as detailed as possible in present tense.
3. Index Cards: A person can have a list of upto 30-40 goals written on identical looking index cards. One at a time, he goes through each of them every morning and night, visualizing their desired completion.
4. Using Affirmations: An affirmation is a statement that evokes a picture as well as an experience of already having what you want. Repeating an affirmation several times a day keeps one focused on the goal, strengthens motivation and programs one subconsciously to make the desire manifest.

While athletes have been practising the ‘mental rehearsal’ technique taught by the Russians in 1960s, it has been successfully adopted by other disciplines as well. All it requires is only a few minutes a day. The best times are when one wakes up, after meditation or prayer and just before one goes off to bed. These are the times when one is most relaxed.

Though everyone has their own way of visualizing, here are a few brief and concise instructions:

1. Decide a goal.
2. Sit in a quite place.
3. With eyes closed or open, visualize your goal clearly and vividly with mental images, colours, sounds and movement.
4. Strongly believe the goal has been achieved or is in the process of becoming true.
5. Feel the joy you will experience when you realize your dream.
6. Be positive when using visualization.
7. Repeat the process for 5-10 minutes, twice or more every day.
8. Read about the law of attraction.
9. Do not allow doubt and disbelief in your mind.

Visualization is the technique of using one’s imagination to create a cherished life. It is consciously using a natural creative imagination as a technique to create what one truly wants – love, fulfillment, satisfying relationships, rewarding work, health, prosperity, inner peace and harmony. The use of visualization gives us a key to tap into the natural goodness and bounty of life.

To conclude:

The power of visualization is magic in the truest and highest meaning of the word. It involves understanding and aligning oneself with the natural principles that govern the working of the universe, and learning to use these principles in the most conscious and creative way.