Self-Help

The advent of the 21st century coupled with the rapid and sophisticated influx of information technology has brought about numerous advances in the different fields of science. 

Modern science, more specifically quantum physics, has begun to accept and prove the fact that thoughts are emitted energy that can affect the surroundings.  According to an increasing number of physicists, this energy, when used to observe a certain object, already changes that object somehow. 

This line of thought is similar to what Zen Buddhist masters have been claiming all this time: You create your own reality.

So if this type of thinking, that thoughts hold a potential amount of tremendous power, is true, does that mean that the mind, which produces the thoughts, can manifest whatever it wishes?  Without a doubt, the answer is YES!  And the key to this life-changing process is creative visualization.

Creative visualization is the process of forming a vibrant and detailed picture in one’s mind of whatever one wishes.  Whatever one conceives, one can achieve.  The mental images formed are essential in fueling the entire process of achieving your goals, dreams and aspirations. It is THE starting point.
 
Physical reality is the last to be produced in the order of creation.  Whatever exists in the physical world has already existed on the higher planes, which are the mental and spiritual levels. 

Take for example a painting 

It must first be conceptualized in the mind of a painter before it can exist as a magnificent work of art on a canvass.  The same is true with statues.  Long before they are formed on the physical level, they have already been imagined in the realm of the sculptor’s artistic psyche.  The lesson is simple:  before anyone can achieve anything in physical reality, they must first have a vivid mental image of what they want. 

You SHOULD have a detailed mental image or vision …

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It’s easy to overlook the power of limiting beliefs and spend years wondering why you can’t seem to move forward and make lasting changes in your life. 

Though you might have grand dreams of living a better life, limiting beliefs will keep prodding you to act in ways that are counterproductive to those dreams.

Everything you do (or don’t do) is based on an internal set of subconscious beliefs.  In some situations these beliefs can be helpful, but they can also cause big problems by placing limitations where none really exist. 

For example, if you hold a subconscious belief that you don’t have what it takes to create a successful career, you’ll find yourself taking jobs that offer little opportunity for promotion or advancement – or even satisfaction.  No matter how badly you want to experience more success in your career, you’ll continue to think and act in ways that make it impossible to do so.

Limiting beliefs can be difficult to change because we often don’t realize they exist!  They reside in our subconscious minds and rarely make themselves known in obvious ways.  Rather, we usually become aware of them when we decide to make changes in our lives and keep bumping up against invisible walls.

Visualization is one powerful tool that can be effective in changing limiting beliefs, because the process of visualization speaks directly to the subconscious mind and plants more empowering messages – which can override the limiting beliefs.

Before you enter into the visualization process, it’s a good idea to figure out what kind of limiting beliefs you suspect you may have.  Asking yourself specific questions and writing down your answers can be an illuminating way to find out.  Try questions like these for starters:

• Am I making as much money as I want?  If not, why not?
• Do I love my career, or would I rather be doing something else?
• Am I happy with the size and state of my body?  If not, why not?
• Am I happy with the things I’ve achieved in my life so far?
• What else would I like to achieve?
• Do I really believe I’m capable of doing these things?
• If not, why not?

As you write down your answers to these questions, you’ll likely notice some limiting beliefs popping up in response. 

For example, when you ask why you’re not yet making the amount of money you desire, your answer might be, “I’m earning as much as I can at my current job, and there are no other prospects for me to get a better job right now.”  As much as that might appear to be true, it’s a limiting belief!  In other words, you THINK it’s true, but it’s simply your perception.

Once you’ve identified a limiting belief, write it down like these examples:

• I don’t believe I can make more money than I do now.
• I don’t believe I deserve a healthy, loving relationship.
• I don’t believe I can have a better career than I do now.
• I don’t believe I will ever be able to lose weight.

Once you’ve got a list of limiting beliefs, perform a visualization exercise daily and imagine that the opposite is true. 

For example, call up mental images of yourself receiving a great new job, or stumbling upon unexpected opportunities to boost your income in other ways.  Be sure to actually move yourself into the feelings of these visions as if you were really experiencing them rather than just “seeing” them in your mind.

It will take time and consistent effort to change your belief in what is possible, but the more you focus on consciously believing in the possibilities, the more you’ll begin to let go of your inner limitations and open to better circumstances. 

Even better, the greatest part about this process is that you don’t need to know “how” something is possible – you just need to be willing to believe it is, and that is often enough to attract new opportunities that will change everything.

Visualization can be a powerful tool to help you improve your life circumstances, but it can also serve as a handy technique for transforming stress and anxiety into peace, happiness and confidence!

Stress and anxiety can quickly become a vicious cycle that keep you feeling powerless and frightened.  The more stressed you get, the more your thoughts and emotions will move toward the negative side, which only makes you feel more stressed!

Using visualization to transform these feelings can stop the cycle by switching your focus to something more positive and uplifting.

First and foremost, it’s helpful if you can remove yourself from the stressful environment and engage in some relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing before you begin your visualization, because your mind will be more receptive if you’re calm and centered.

Once you’ve moved yourself into a more relaxed state, bring to mind a scene that soothes and calms you.  You can choose a natural setting like a beach or forest, or imagine a place that is representative of relaxation such as a spa or temple.  Imagine yourself being in this place, feeling balanced and calm.

Rather than simply “seeing” the images in your mind, make an effort to mentally transport yourself to this calm setting and engage as many of your senses as you can.  Imagine that you can smell the fresh air or incense in the temple; imagine that you can feel the rich earth beneath your feet, hear the roar of ocean waves or bird song, and feel the cool breeze moving through your hair. 

The more you can involve your senses, the more “real” the scene will seem to you, and the more effective it will be in calming you.

Stay with the visualization for as long as you like, making an effort to fully relax your body and let go of worrisome thoughts.  If you’re not used to visualizing or meditating, you may have trouble keeping your focus. 

 Your thoughts may keep returning to the situations that made you feel stressed in the first place, or you may struggle to “see” these soothing images in your mind.  This is completely normal.  Just keep gently returning your focus to the visualization as often as necessary, and keep in mind that once you’ve made visualization a regular practice it will get easier to stay focused.

You can keep your visualization sessions brief at the beginning, but as time goes on you may want to lengthen the time you visualize up to 30 minutes or so.

Then, whenever you find yourself feeling stressed or anxious, simply recall a mental image of your calming scene again and make an effort to mentally transport yourself back to it. 

You’ll probably have to exert a fair amount of effort to achieve a calmer state of mind at the beginning, but eventually you’ll be able to shift immediately to a calmer state just by thinking about it.

Your intuition can be a powerful guide in any situation, helping you to avoid dangerous and detrimental experiences – or even leading you to the best opportunities to improve your life.

However, as with any skill, the strength and intensity of your intuition will fade with disuse.  If you are not accustomed to consulting your intuition, you’ll need to work on strengthening it before you can use it as a reliable guide.

Intuition can be defined in different ways, but for the purposes of this article we’ll refer to it as the ability to perceive subtle clues from your environment that help you determine the best course of action in any situation.

Visualization is the process of seeing specific images in your mind – or in other words, imagination.  That may not seem to have anything to do with your intuition, but a regular visualization practice can help you strengthen your mental focus, which will help you to more easily tune into your intuitive insights.

When you first get started, you’ll want to set aside a minimum of 15 minutes a day to visualize.  It’s best if you can stick with the same time each day because you’ll train your mind to quiet down at that time.

When you’re ready to begin your first session, take a few minutes to first get very relaxed and calm.  You might do some deep breathing to let go of tension and scattered thoughts, then turn your attention inward and focus on how your body feels. 

Pay particular attention to your solar plexus area, your chest, shoulders, and the center of your forehead.  Do you feel any sensations of tightness or tension in these places?

At first you probably won’t feel anything at all; it will just feel neutral.  Make a mental note about that feeling of neutrality because it’s the “default” state that you’ll experience when your intuition is not sending signals.

Then, call up a mental image of yourself feeling confident, centered, and completely in tune with your inner guidance. 

There are various ways you can picture this; you can see yourself in a turbulent situation feeling very connected and stable within; you can imagine that you’re a sponge, soaking up clues and insights from your surrounding environment; or you can even see yourself connected by a rope of light to the universe and imagine that intuitive insights travel down this rope and into your consciousness.  Any way you choose to imagine it, be sure your mental vision includes an image of yourself feeling balanced, connected and tuned in.

Once you’ve got that image firmly embedded in your mind, be sure to carry it with you when you return to your normal routine.  When you need to make a decision about something or find yourself in an uncertain situation, simply close your eyes and recall that mental image again. 

Focus on it until you once again feel in tune with your inner guidance, and pay attention to the areas mentioned earlier: solar plexus, chest, shoulders and the center of your forehead.  How do these areas feel?  When you’re receiving an intuitive insight, you’ll usually experience sensations such as tension, tightness, queasiness, tingling, or even temperature changes. 

Along with these physical sensations you’ll usually experience a hunch that lets you know whether a certain decision or situation would be beneficial or detrimental and you can act on that insight.

It will likely take time and practice to get used to listening to your intuition and learning to trust it, but it can be such a powerful tool that you’ll never want to be without it once you learn how to work effectively with it.