We have all heard about the benefits of creative visualization in one way or another. From theories such as the law of attraction, promoted by books like the secret amongst many others. There are many ways to use the power of visualization, and I have personally practiced it in my own life for many years in yoga and meditation, as a student and teacher.
It can be used to help students relax when necessary, visualizing certain images, forms, colors, or scenarios. In some forms of meditation, you can go on a whole journey in your mind.
Hypnosis regularly uses visualization practices to get into the subconscious mind and change people’s way of thinking to create healthier or happier habits. Some actors, dancers, and sportspeople regularly use visualization- running through the course, routine, or steps and scene in their minds to perform better at the crucial moment.
So why is creative visualization so powerful? In what ways can we use it in our everyday lives? and how can we best tap into the power of visualization to attract what we need?
I am going to explore how experts Joe Dispenza and Tony Robbins suggest we should use visualization; how some successful famous people have used visualization and how we can tap into the power of visualization and enjoy the benefits of visualization for ourselves.
Dr. Joe Dispenza is a coach who helps people to become extraordinary, to regain health or reach seemingly impossible goals. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree. His post graduate training includes the fields of neuroscience and neuroplasticity, quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) measurements, epigenetics, mind-body medicine, and brain/heart coherence.
Dr. Dispenza takes his students through visualization meditations in which you must become aware of and imagine the space around you, he guides you to work with your energy, body and sensation awareness. When you have done (often a very long) meditation to get you into the right ‘state’ of mind, heart and body, only then does he guide you to visualize your future, an outcome you want to achieve or to eliminate a negative belief and replace it with a new one.
So, what is crucial here is the fact that you are first guided to be in a positive and energetically high state before the visualization practice itself.
“And can you teach your body emotionally what it would feel like to believe in this way . . . to be empowered . . . to be moved by your own greatness . . . to be invincible . . . to have courage . . . to be in love with life . . . to feel unlimited . . . to live as if your prayers are already answered? . . .” Joe Dispenza, You Are the Placebo.
Visualization Meditation
Dr. Dispenza explains that the heart is the bridge between polarity, that when things in our external world are good, we feel good, when the external is bad we feel bad, but if we can get into the heart, the heart is wholeness and oneness and that’s where we should create from. So, he suggests that to gain the benefits of creative visualization we must first have an open heart.
To sit, and listen to your heart, which helps it to open- to be less afraid. First sit and give space to your heart. After which this positive heart energy can go to the brain, creating a positive effect and from there you can visualize and create your future.
Heart-Brain Coherence
In a study that Dr. Dispenza set up to study the effect of the heart on the mind they hooked up an electric cardiogram to a brain mapping machine and measured 19 or 26 different compartments to see all different kind of activity in the brain while measuring the heart along with the brain. They found that when the heart starts beating coherently in a sense of order the heart sends a wave right up to the brain and the brain goes into states of alpha.
“The heart is telling the brain it’s safe to create again it’s safe to imagine it’s safe to dream of a new future” Joe Dispenza
He claims if you don’t have that heart brain coherence you can have all the intention in the world but there’s no carrier, so if you feel suffering, or hatred or anger- but you visualize success and winning and wealth- it’s not aligned.
“The energy of suffering cannot carry the thought of health or wealth it’s not consistent” Joe Dispenza.
He suggests we must practice getting into the heart, getting into states of gratitude, joy and love (regardless of our outer circumstances) before we visualize. Meditation alongside and within visualization is a great way to ensure visualization will work!
Visualization and Affirmations/Incantations
Joe Dispenza and Tony Robbins both give an example of using affirmations- but in the right way! if you say ‘I’m happy, I’m happy I’m happy I’m happy’ 100 times but you feel miserable- you are not aligned, and the change will be hard to make. It is imperative to get into the right emotional state first. Joe Dispenza uses meditation to get into the heart space, Tony Robbins on the other hand has a slightly different approach.
He also states that it’s imperative to get into a heightened state but talks about an overall physiological and emotional state. He encourages moving your body, shaking out any tension, jumping, shouting, dancing, cold pool plunging! anything that will wake you up, move and change your energy, international mindedness. From there he says you can begin to create and notice the benefits of creative visualization practices.
For creative visualization to be successful first and foremost we need to get into the right state, secondly visualize in as much detail as possible and this also involves intending to feel the emotion that you imagine going with it, as well as imagining sensory details of the experience you wish to be in.
An example of this might be…winning a race, so it’s essential to imagine winning the race, visualizing yourself crossing the finish line with an elevated emotion. Imagine yourself smiling and jumping for joy! What can see you see? Hear? Smell? And feel?
If you want to feel more confident in a situation you may imagine yourself in that situation and try to emulate the feeling of confidence, imagine smiling and feeling self-assured. Imagine who’s there, what you’re wearing, what your saying etc. A visualization can be like a mental rehearsal.
Famous People and the Power of Visualization
Some famous people who swear by the power of creative visualization and have used it to improve their skills and lives are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Oprah Winfrey, Lindsey Vonn and Jim Carey.
Oprah Winfrey said:
“Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.”
Lindsey Vonn who is an American former World Cup alpine ski racer and has spoken a lot about using visualization techniques before competing.
“I always visualize the run before I do it…By the time I get to the start gate, I’ve run that race 100 times already in my head, picturing how I’ll take the turns.”
But like many athletes she doesn’t just visualize in her mind but also brings her body into it, shifting her weight back and forth as she would if she were skiing, and practicing the breathing as she would on the course. This is another example of how visualization needs to be in the mind but brought into the body- so it is a felt experience not just a mental one.
“I love that exercise…Once I visualize a course, I never forget it. So, I get on those lines and go through exactly the run that I want to have.” Lindsay Vonn.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has always used visualization techniques and he swore by the power of visualization to improve his bodybuilding skills.
“I had this fixed idea of growing a body like Reg Park’s. The model was there in my mind; I only had to grow enough to fill it …The more I focused in on this image and worked and grew, the more I saw it was real and possible for me to be like him. He explained that he used the same visualization practice in politics. “It’s the same process I used in bodybuilding: What you do is create a vision of who you want to be — and then live that picture as if it were already true.” Arnold Schwarzenegger
Jim Carey talks a lot about the Law of attraction and visualization techniques playing a part in his huge success.
“I begin all my days with twenty minutes of visualization. This moment is when I have my first chance to change things. If you do it in the morning, it can change your whole day.”
He tells a story of how he was a poor actor; he wrote a cheque to himself for 10 million dollars and kept it in his wallet. He practice visualization techniques and believed in what he wanted to achieve. “As far as I can tell, it’s just about letting the Universe know what you want, and working toward it, while letting go of how it comes to pass.”Jim Carey.
It’s important to note here that he talks about working towards it! As visualization is one part of the process and the other is action. So, visualize the skills you want to attract, believe it, and do all the creative visualization techniques necessary, but ensure that you take small actions every day as well!
If you want to attract more money, think about how and do it! If you want to be the best at basketball, math, science, dance, and painting practice every day- as well as visualize reaching your goals and attracting the skills you really need!
creative visualization techniques
We’ve looked at the power of visualization and some of the theories and science behind it. Now let’s have a look at how we can get started with visualization and how to attract the skills we want!
1)Write down what you want to achieve, and clarify what you want! Don’t limit yourself.
2)Get into the right state! Meditate, do yoga, jump, go for a swim- get yourself into a positive and high vibrational state of mind!
- Get into the heart space. Do at least 10 minutes of meditation to open your heart, and be calm and collected.
- As you visualize be as clear as possible with the main details of what you want to achieve. Remember there are many guided meditations online that can guide the visualization journey.
- Don’t forget the added details- how do you feel? where are you? who are you with? what can you see? Hear? Smell? Make it as real and believable as possible!
- Take action! Visualization alone won’t change everything- you must act every day towards your goals, even if you only have 10 minutes a day to do so!
Practice that sport, be with inspiring people, and make that phone call! Whatever small action you can take to go alongside what you’re visualizing- do it!
- Enjoy it and let go! Imagine the desired outcome and then let it go and trust in the process.
- Get visualizing! Imagine improving at something, winning a race, feeling confident at public speaking, or improving your ability to sing, dance, be kind, and speak another language!
Whatever it is, you can tap into the power of visualization TODAY!
