Benefits of active visualization and creating a vision board

When we allow our mind to run freely, we make space for various images and scenarios. In a positive way, daydreaming helps us focus on ourselves and gain insights. This process is known as passive visualization. When we direct our imaginative abilities towards the things we want to create in our reality, we use active or creative visualization.

“In creative visualization you use your imagination to create a clear image, idea, or feeling of something you wish to manifest. Then you continue to focus on the idea, feeling, or picture regularly, giving it positive energy until it becomes objective reality.’’ (Gawain, 1995).

How visualization improves our life

Our brain doesn’t distinguish real from imaginary. A lot of studies have proven this fact. Numerous fields such as medical rehabilitation, sports, personal development, and others have put this knowledge into practice. One of the studies has shown that changes in brain scans are the same in a group of volunteers playing a simple sequence of piano notes and in another group imagining playing the notes (Pascual-Leone et al. 1995).

Sports champions have used visualization for decades. The results show how they improve their endurance, performance, muscle strength and coordination, and neural circuits. The use of internal imagery has a great impact on sportsmen. Also known as kinesthetic imagery or first-person imagery means that sportsmen visualize themselves from within their body while doing the task. In contrast, external imagery happens when a person visualizes performing the task from outside the body.

It is possible to make our muscles stronger by using only mental imagery. The findings of a study that involved participants visualizing strong muscle contractions show significant improvement of their muscle strength.  It activated the motor cortical areas and enhanced the brain-to-muscle signals (Yue et al. 2013). Just thinking about exercise (imagining exercising a muscle) helped maintain and increase muscle strength in various studies.

Here are some more benefits of active visualization:

• Practicing deep breathing or some other relaxation techniques before visualization, can help us stay relaxed, but alert. In this way, we’ll be in the alpha state of mind, with our brain waves in the 8 to 13Hz frequency range. This state is key to reprogram our subconscious mind towards a growth mindset. Together with visualization, it can change our limiting beliefs and negative habits into positive ones.

• Regular practice helps us be more focused and intuitive. We become better problem solvers and decision-makers.
• When we visualize, we can explore ourselves deeply. We notice things we have never considered before. In this way, we can develop new skills and abilities. We reflect on our dreams and the path to them in detail and therefore set goals effectively.
• When we use the power of positive mental imagery and feelings, we can relieve stress and muscle tension. Also, practicing guided visualization meditation can help us relax.
• We become the creators of our lives. We create our path in the present moment. The limiting past and other distractions are less likely to have an impact on us.
• Visualization first thing in the morning sets up a positive vibe for the whole day. Doing morning visualization continuously and gradually shifts our life in the desired direction.
• Adding visualization practice to a retreat program helps us keep the focus on our intention and attain our goals faster.

Photo by Mick Haupt

Creating a vision board

Vision boards or dream boards are great reminders for us to use and enhance our visualization practice. They illustrate our big and small dreams or goals. They can be of any shape and size, but it´s important to put them somewhere where we can see them every day. Vision boards represent how we want to feel and what we want to achieve. Using positive and inspirational words and images is the right way to go.

We can unleash our imagination for our vision board ideas. It can be a pinboard, book, or panel. We can make our personal vision board e.g., by cutting and pasting images from magazines, writing affirmations or quotes onto it, adding photos, and so on. We can add colors, drawings, and anything else that resonates with the goals that we want to achieve. The sky’s the limit to our creativity.

Why vision boards work

Dream boards remind us to commit ourselves to visualization on a regular basis. In this way, we get closer to our goals. Vision boards help us be more creative and notice resources we didn´t see before. As a great visualization tool, they give us a chance to reprogram our subconscious mind and instill positive beliefs and habits. When we engage our senses and emotions in our practice, we attract people, opportunities, and other things that can help us on our way to success. Our collage of thoughts and images attracts more positive energy into our lives.

Visualization and vision boards help unlock our potential. The entire process can be applied to various aspects of our lives. In a constructive way, we direct our imagination to unfold the path to our dream life. We start to see new opportunities, develop new skills, and improve our strength and performance. Above all, we become attuned to growth.

 

References

Gawain, S. (1995). Creative visualization: use the power of your imagination to create what you want in your life. Novato, California: Nataraj Publishing a Division of New World Library. page 4.

Pascual-Leone, A., Nguyet, D., Cohen, L. G., Brasil-Neto, J. P., Cammarota, A., & Hallett, M. (1995). Modulation of muscle responses evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation during the acquisition of new fine motor skills. Journal of neurophysiology, 74(3), 1037–1045. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.1995.74.3.1037

Yao, W. X., Ranganathan, V. K., Allexandre, D., Siemionow, V., & Yue, G. H. (2013). Kinesthetic imagery training of forceful muscle contractions increases brain signal and muscle strength. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 561. http://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00561