Visualization Exercises

• Concentration (Shapes, Numbers)
  
• Well-Being (The Golden Sun, Awakening the Energy Centers)
  
• Peace and Serenity (The Silent Temple, Your Inner Sanctuary)
  
• Guidance (Your Inner Guide, Your Future Self, Purpose)

Key Principles of
Visualization Exercises

• Relax:  Visualization works best when you are completely relaxed.  This allows you to tap into your intuition and highest self.  (You'll find instructions for this below.)

• Set Your Intention:   Identify what you truly desire.  What do you truly want?  Do you believe it can exist for you?  Take time with this step.
  

•  Focus On What You Want, Not What You Don't Want:  We see what we look for.  In visualizing, and in life in general, the more you focus on what you don't want, the more you seem to get it.  Keep your focus solidly on what you want.  For example, instead of thinking "eliminate stress," focus on "being perfectly healthy and relaxed."

• Don't Struggle:  Visualizing may be difficult at first, but don't struggle or try too hard.  People say visualizing is like holding a bird:  hold it too loose and you lose it; hold it too tightly and you  crush it.  Keep your concentration as if you're holding the bird.  Also, if you're having a hard time, return to your intention. Do you truly truly want what you're visualizing?  Or, is it something you think you "should" want, be, do, or have?

• Don't Get Tangled In Negative Thoughts:   As you're focusing on what you want, negative thoughts may creep in.  That's fine.  Just let them be there.  Simply notice them.  Don't try to fight them.  They're part of you too.  Just let them be there and gently turn your attention back to your image of visualization.
  

• Express Your Highest Self:  Visualizations work best when they express your highest self, your highest aspirations.  This seems to follow a natural law.

• Find somewhere quiet you can remain interrupted for 15-20 minutes.

• Find a comfortable position.  Sit with your legs crossed in a meditation pose, sit down in a straight backed chair with your feet on the ground, or lie down on the floor on your back.  Close your eyes.  In each of these positions be sure to keep your spine straight.  (I prefer lying down for visualizations, but if you do this also be sure not to fall asleep.)

• Breathe deeply.  Take several deep breaths, in and out.

• As you breathe out, think of exhaling all of the toxins, worries, and tension you're holding in your body.

• As you breath in, think of breathing in love and compassion.  (You can substitute that for relaxation, contentment, or whatever works for you.)

• Continue breathing.  Take several more deep breaths.  Then, each time you breath out, count down one step from 10 to 1.  At one, you will be completely relaxed and peaceful.

• At 1, take a few more deep breathes and feel the relaxation.

• With eyes closed and breathing deeply, try to visualize shapes:
• A yellow triangle
• A red circle
• A blue five-pointed star

• Visualize a number.  Start with a single digit number, then a double digit number, and three digit number and so on.  Keep the largest number you can in focus.

• Visualize your favorite meal.  Smell it.  Taste it.  Experience it in as much detail as you can.
  

• Imagine a golden sphere of energy in the center of your chest near your heart.
• As you breath in, imagine the sphere growing and expanding.
• As you continue to breath in, imagine the sphere growing and expanding through all parts of your body.  
• Finally, imagine the sphere radiating from your body out into the world.
  

• Feel a golden ball of light above your head.  Breathe through this light, and feel it growing and expanding.
• Feel a golden ball of light in your throat.  Breathe through this light, and feel it growing and expanding.
• And then similarly in your stomach. . .
  
• And your pelvis. . .
  
• And your feet. . .
  
• Feel all of the energy centers as balls of light.  Breathe deeply.
  
• Then feel the energy pool up at your feet, and breathe it in as you feel it come up your body.
• As you exhale, feel the energy coming from your head, cascading down all around you like a fountain.
• Continue like this for as long as you like.
  

• Imagine yourself walking through a busy town. . .and arriving somewhere in nature. . .
• As you continue through nature, imagine yourself arriving at a silent temple where no words have ever been spoken.
• Take a seat in this temple, your temple, your quiet place.  Imagine as many details about the temple as you can.
• When you're ready to return, go through nature.  . .to the town. . .carrying the inner peace with you.
  

• Imagine walking in nature and arriving at your favorite place in nature. . .the place of your inner sanctuary.
• What does your inner sanctuary look like?  Are there structures there?  Light?  Feelings?  Emotions?  Add as much detail as you can.
  
• Rest in your inner sanctuary for a while.
• When you're ready, say thank you and return, knowing you can return at any time to your inner sanctuary.

• Go to your inner sanctuary and rest.
• Once there, you see a radiant light coming towards you and a figure appears.  This figure is your guide.
• What does your guide look like?  Sound like?  Imagine them in as much detail as you can.  (Note: if your guide looks more like an inner critic, gently thank them and ask them to send your inner guide.)
• Thank your guide for coming, and ask any questions you have.  Listen patiently for an answer.  (If there is no answer, trust that it will appear at another time.) 
  
• Thank your guide for coming and watch them go away, again as a radiant light.  Rest in your inner sanctuary, and when you're ready, leave your sanctuary and return to normal waking consciousness.
  

• Visualize a beam of light coming into the room around you.  As you step into the beam of light, it raises you above your house, neighborhood, city, state, country. . . up and up and up into space unit you can see the world below.
• In space it's quiet, and you can see the entire world. Rest here a while.
• When you're ready, return back down the beam until you see your country, state, neighborhood,and house. 
  
• When you return, you find a version of your future self - 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years later.  Your future self is wise and joyful.
• Ask your future self any questions you have.
• Your future self has a gift for you as well.  What is it?
• When you're ready, thank your future self and step back onto the beam, back into space.  Rest there, and then return back to your country, state, neighborhood, and house, and the present day.

• Imagine yourself walking through nature, and a path appears before you.
• You see people and things on the side of the path, trying to distract you.  They do all manner of things, but they cannot come onto your path.
• Walk down the path, and feel their tug, but continue on your path.
• At the end of the path, you see a symbol or an image.  What is it?  Walk up to it and see it as clearly as you can.  Spend some time with it.  Ask your image any questions you may have. Listen for answers.
  
• When you are ready, open your eyes and write down your experience.
  

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