Visualization:SEE the Magic

As we near the final stretch in my A-Z blog challenge on all things mystical, here's the letter V...

As a childbirth educator for a dozen years, I taught the value of visualizing a goal in order to help achieve it. By instructing women to picture their bodies doing the intended work--and holding their precious babies at the end--they were able to help ease the process of birth. It wasn't until some time later that I learned this principle could be applied to many aspects of life. Positive visualization can be utilized to effect many results--in career, finance, health, family, even spirituality.

Most people already visualize, but the typical emphasis is on negative results. In such visualizations (perhaps better known as worry or fear), we may imagine what would happen as we approach an ATM alone at night, or slam on our brakes and picture someone smashing into the back of our car. By simply turning that focus around to embrace positive outcomes, we can greatly impact our lives.

What can simply picturing a desired goal change? For one thing, our own emotions and feelings. By emphasizing the positive, we can instantly have a more balanced and positive flow of energy by which to empower ourselves. Who is more likely to effect change, the negative soul who has given up to apathy, or the positive thinker who expects their actions to have a desired impact?

From a mystical standpoint, positive energy released toward a goal helps achieve it. Perhaps it is as simple as the added brain boost given by adding the creative power of the right side of the brain to the logical left. That's more brain for the buck.

Many practices depend on the power of visualization to help assist in reaching goals. In Feng Shui, for instance, the visualized intent of every item placed for balance is considered even more important than the act of placing it. In many religions, such focused positivism is called "faith." Even in magic, visualizing the goal is tantamount, more vital than using the right colored candle or proper herb concoction.

How do you do visualization? To start with, find a quiet place or time (for me, this occurs when I'm lying down to sleep). Relax, breathing slowly and regularly. Now, select the goal you are aiming for. Let's say you're after a job promotion. Picture it in your mind, as clearly as you can. See yourself in the boss' office, him shaking your hand while giving you the good news. Visualize moving into the new office, setting your box of personal items down on the new desk. Picture yourself performing tasks in this new capacity, and smiling as you deposit fatter checks in the bank.

Such focused thought can easily be waylaid by other images--an overdue bill, an unpleasant confrontation, a task you forgot to take care of. As soon as you realize you've been sidetracked, say STOP loudly in your mind. Shift focus back to your positive visualization. Do so as often as you must.

Chances are, if you perform this in bed at night you may wind up falling asleep. Good! You were able to relax enough into this positive approach to allow it to work. Repeat this process for a few minutes each night and you'll soon find yourself better able to produce--and sustain--vivid imagery. Before long, you can produce positive imagery in a variety of situations, at any time of day.

With the power of your own positive thought in your corner, you may be surprised at how different life becomes. The ability to achieve largely depends on our belief we can achieve it. Try visualization, and see where it leads you along the path to your goals. Good luck!