Says Wikepedia –
“Visualization through visual imagery has been an effective way to communicate both abstract and concrete ideas since the dawn of humanity.”
“………how do we respond to these challenges and move in the direction of our goal?
Seeing Is Believing
Before we can believe in a goal, we first must have an idea of what it looks like. To paraphrase the old adage: we must see it before we can believe it.
This is where visualization comes in, which is simply a technique for creating a mental image of a future event. When we visualize our desired outcome, we begin to “see” the possibility of achieving it. Through visualization, we catch a glimpse of what is, in the words of one writer, our “preferred future.” When this happens, we are motivated and prepared to pursue our goal.” Is what Frank Niles writes.
“…the formation of a mental image of something.
“the story uses descriptive language to aid visualization”…. is what the dictionary describes visualization to be.
…and so much more to describe what there could be to creating a mental imagery.
My translation or understanding of this thing called visualization came years after I had put it into use, ages before I even knew of its existence, I could boast.
Today, I vouch it a foolproof form when rightly exercised. Transporting myself back to when I was but a child. To learn to swim -a part of school curriculum was a privilege ( for those who enjoyed it); ‘Games’ as what we termed it, had me put a finger into every form of physical sport, an exercise to discover where my innate skills lay.
Swimming lessons, one of my firsts at it, made known my phobia of water- which was of a pool full of it.
Consumed I was by the fear of drowning which made me do my best to keep shoulders and head from going under – hence, keeping afloat was the last thing I could do. All instructions to stretch out on the water, face down utterly failed and all I got was a whole lot of choking and spluttering. Fear instilled, I spent the rest of my class clinging desperately to the side railings with my feet curled under.
…and that’s how I remember having spent a greater part of my swimming lessons. Every other day had me enviously watch the skilled water babies fearlessly take control of the water with their bodies and strokes making their entire movement through the water so gracefully effortless.
Agile fluid strokes flowed smoothly and while I drooled wistfully.
It all seemed so easy on the eye.
My longing covet and craving to emulate the mermaid moves triggered my imaginative mind to a start and soon I was doing just that- gliding through water without a single splash or splutter pushing it with powerful strokes of each arm pulling through like a fish would with just a flick and a flap.
I was swimming. I had done it!
I ran and re-ran my created mental image of perfect swimming each time my eyes closed and perhaps many a time with them wide open. I had begun to visualize my desired outcome; I had begun to “see” the possibility of achieving it.
My next opportune moment was when I had to face my greatest trepidation – armed and equipped with my mental picture in place I put to work that which was by now firmly embossed in my mind.
I was swimming. I had done it! This time around it was not just virtual it was all happening for real. ‘Hey! that was so graceful ‘ said someone.
Visualization, eventually had me there. Perfect ? maybe not, but definitely a long way away from where I had started.
