Visualisation - A Gift to Yourself

Some people turn to television dramas, some people get it from running and still others ascertain it by expressing themselves through art. We all have our own personal versions of escapism; the things that take us away from our everyday normality, from our troubles, from our immediate surroundings. What an amazing and therapeutic place to reach. How do you go about achieving this? What's your escape? How often do you get to go to that other dimension?

There is one very special form of escapism that I believe is strongly under-valued, under-recognised and certainly under-used, apart from by sports people or other professionals who understand its value for performance. I am referring to the act and art of visualisation and imagery. This is where we utilise the power of our minds to create in our imagination whatever we choose. The sky is the limit.  

Of course we all do this daily to some degree, but how many of us use it as a tool to enhance our daily lives? To breathe new energy into our organic being and as a way of being kind to ourselves? The truth is we probably visualise and replay the bad events of the day while we wash the pots or we ruminate on the prospects of tomorrow's challenges.

How about we use visualisation in a more direct and compassionate way? What if you were to ask yourself at the end of each day 'What would comfort me right now? What would I love to do right now if I could do anything?'  The answer might be to eat a large slab of chocolate cake or to relax on the white sands of Mauritius. Whatever it is, try getting into the habit of asking yourself this question at some point every day.  

Then, as a special gift to yourself, allow yourself to go there in your mind just for a few minutes. Experience it in all its richness in your mind. Engage all of your senses. See the darkness of that chocolate cake, see the rich sauce pooling generously on your plate, smell the sweet warm aroma, feel the shining silver fork in your hand and the sensation as you sink it through the soft layers of sponge. Experience the excitement and buzz as you taste it for the first time. Savour the feeling and moment of food bliss. Eat some more. Indulge in this for as long as you like. Allow your mind to drift to another experience and live it fully.

As you start to make this your special time of the day you will want to indulge more and more and you will come up with new ideas to escape to. Give your mind the freedom to explore your imagination. If it's to lie down on the pavement in the torrential rain while you hear, feel, see, smell and taste what it's like then so be it. If it's to see yourself running the 100 metres against Usain Bolt then do it with every sense and emotion you have. Go there and live it. At the very least it will put a smile on your face. On another level it has the potential to enrich your life and connect you with new depths of your soul.

Whatever you get from doing this just remember to use it with caution. In other words be careful what you focus on because it has been said that "What you think about you bring about." ~ John Demartini.