When it comes to manifesting a particular outcome that you desire to experience, imagination and visualization work hand in hand. And when you understand the unique roles that each of these two faculties plays, you can hasten the manifestation of any desire.
Imagination and visualization are the origin of every manifestation.
Imagination is defined as “the faculty of forming new ideas, or images or concepts not present to the senses.” And as such, imagination is one of the highest capabilities that we have access to as human beings. To engage your imagination is nothing short of miraculous: it’s to use the power of your mind to reach beyond the reality that currently exists.
Think about the visionaries in art, science, and philosophy whose contributions dramatically revolutionized our way of life. You’ll see that each of these luminaries cultivated imagination and visualization to perceive a reality beyond current circumstances. In other words, they gave more credence to their idea of what could be than to any voice of disbelief or doubt. And they did not permit the reality of their past life experiences to write the script for what came next.
Imagination transports us to the powerful, invisible realm of pure potentiality that is the birthplace of every creation. And once you’ve glimpsed a higher possibility for some part of your life, visualization then grounds that vision in reality.
The following steps will help you engage the power of imagination and visualization to manifest any reality you desire.
Step #1: Use the contrast of what you don’t want to help you clarify what you do.
Every journey toward the experiences we desire to manifest begins exactly where we currently are. And by definition, this means that every desire begins with an acknowledgment of some level of discontent. But by consciously using imagination and visualization, you can turn this discontent into something creative and productive.
When you’re focused on what you don’t want or what hasn’t happened yet, your personal vibration plummets. This is because focusing on unwanted causes your vision to narrow and your energy field to constrict. And rather than expanding your inner vision into the realm of possibility, you limit yourself to creating more of the same.
Pay attention and you’ll see that those who have mastered the art of imagination and visualization have one important thing in common: They focus primarily on where they’re going; they don’t dwell on where they’ve been.
The first step in engaging your full creative power is to simply devote more of your attention on what you desire than on what you’ve already got. In other words, think more about what you’ve learned than on the challenges that helped you learn them. Appreciate all that you have rather than dwelling on the things that are not yet up to par.
Imagination and visualization really come down to focus. And in terms of manifesting your desires, your point of focus is everything.
Step #2: Engage the power of your imagination to deliberately reach beyond your present circumstances.
Remember that every creation begins in the inner world of your imagination and emotions. And when we nurture this seed with our daily energy and attention, it eventually blooms in the external world of form and phenomenon.
Most people point the powerful lens of their attention only on the specifics of what they’re already manifested. But the real power of creation lies in focusing at the heart of what you desire, not its absence.
We engage the power of imagination when we choose to have faith in our un-manifested desires. When we decide to emulate the great visionaries who lived before us, and think more about where we’re going than to dwell in where we’ve been. To reach beyond the status quo and tap into new resources and opportunities, simply choose thoughts that inspire rather than depress you.
What are you supremely thankful for? What can you imagine unfolding in your future that causes you to feel gratitude right now? Choose to believe that the best is yet to come, and remind yourself that you are worthy of seeing your visions fully actualized. And finally, whenever you feel doubt or despair creeping in, remind yourself that you have the ability to deliberately shift your focus.
Step #3: Use visualization to anchor your desired outcome firmly in your mind.
“Neurons that fire together wire together.” This is a more scientific way of stating the universal principle that “energy follows thought.”
As you clearly picture the outcome you desire to unfold in your life, you actually alter your vibration and your body chemistry. And this heightened state of being then influences your thoughts, your perceptions, your moods, and ultimately the actions you take.
Imagination and visualization are similar in that both practices take us beyond the limits of the status quo. But whereas imagination is general, sweeping, and sometimes directionless, visualization is systematic and deliberate. Visualization is playing the movie in your mind of exactly of what you want to see in your life. Instead of simply imagining the smoother ride of a new car, it’s picturing the exact car you wish to drive. And the more specific we are in our visualization, the more creative energy we summon toward that goal.
Christy Whitman is an energy healer, Master Certified Law of Attraction Coach, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Having It All: A Woman’s Guide to Unlimited Abundance. Her latest book, The Desire Factor: How to Embrace Your Materialistic Nature to Reclaim Your Full Spiritual Power is on sale now at www.thedesirefactor.com. Christy communicates with, and for, The Quantum Council, a collection of non-physical ascended masters who desire to help humanity understand that we are divinely designed for well-being, abundance, success, and loving relationships. You can take the first step in alignment and creating your desires by a free 30-day program called Watch Your Words by going here: www.watchyourwords.com.
