The Power of Visualization

I don’t know if you ever read any “self-help” books, but I do. I really don’t like the term “self-help” though. It sounds so eh, well, desperate. Like you have tried everything, and then as a last solution there is the do-it-yourself shelf at the Barnes & Nobles or Amazon.  So, for starters, I’d like to suggest a new term:  soul-healing books. Isn’t that what all these books aim at, to heal your soul? Whether it is after heartbreak, to improve your life, or loose weight, in the end it all comes down to finding wholeness in who we truly are. But I digress… So anyways: books. I’d like to share some thoughts about the large amount of titles on Manifestation.

According to the many books that I’ve read on the topic, you can manifest anything you’d want in your life. A brand new red Ferrari, your dream house, good health, a wonderful relationship, you name it. Some books are a little more precise than others, and others are a little more spiritual than some. I will give you a few suggestions of books to read, but here are some of the highlights (in random order) I have taken away from them.

• Your brain doesn’t know the difference between something you are imagining, and something that is physically real. Think and act like you already have what you want, and eventually it will materialize.
• The Universe (or: The Creator) takes everything literally.  When you keep repeating inside your mind (or out loud) that you don’t want something, that’s exactly what you’ll get: the not wanting. The same goes for wanting something: you will not get any further than that.
• Affirm what you would like to manifest in the positive and in the present tense. For example: “I am healthy”, “I am a loveable person”, “I am wealthy” etc.
• Be as precise as possible in what you want to manifest. Remember the adagio “be careful what you wish for”! But also leave some room for the unknown. So you may want to add: “or anything that serves me better”.
• Wishes that are contributing to fulfilling your Soul’s purpose are more likely to be fulfilled than ‘ego wishes’. If it serves the ‘higher good’ that you get a red Ferrari, you will. If the world, and you, are better served with something else – whether you know it or not -, you most likely will.
• Visualize! Visualize! Visualize! See also the first point above.

Never underestimate the power of visualization. It is not for nothing that many top athletes visualize their race or game on beforehand. They have seen themselves win, even before they have actually performed. This way their brain is already creating a victory as a reality. The other day, I had my students practice visualization in their yoga class.

In said class, the students practiced a variation of Warrior 3 pose. Most of them had trouble balancing on the first side. Before doing the other side, I had them stand on two feet (in Mountain Pose) with their eyes closed. This is what I told them (You can follow along if you want. Have someone read this to you, or get fancy and record this on your iPhone and play it back!):

“Visualize how you step your left foot behind you, softly leaning on the big toe but with all your weight in the right leg. See yourself breathing in while lifting your arms to your sides at shoulder level. As you exhale, visualize how you are lifting your left leg straight behind you as your torso moves forward. Visualize extending your left leg behind you and flexing your left foot, until both your leg and torso are parallel to the floor. You see your arms stretching sideways and your gaze is straight down to the floor. Visualize how you are balancing with ease and grace, while you are breathing smoothly in and out through your nose. After a few breaths, see yourself lowering your leg as your torso rises up and your arms come down your sides. Visualize standing on both feet again, feeling balanced and content.”

I guess I don’t have to tell you how well the students did on their second side after this visualization exercise. It was amazing! It almost made me cry. I was thrilled to have such a tangible example of the power of visualization right in front of me. You should try it sometime! (And if you do, I recommend starting manifesting things that are ‘small’. The more you practice, the better you will get at it. And the better you get, the more you will be confident that it works. Because the final key to manifestation is TRUST. “Build it, and they will come….”.

Recommended reading:

Wishes fulfilled by Wayne Dyer

Manifesting Change by Mike Dooley

The spontaneous fulfillment of desire by Deepak Chopra

Ask and it is given by Esther and Jerry Hicks

Creating Money by Sanaya Roman & Duane Packer