Beyond your imagination waits another version of your potential and capability. This might seem incredible, but I have seen snapshots of it’s power in my own life.
I am just one someone over fifty who was surprised by how quickly four fractures [collar bone + three ribs] healed after a cycling accident. Perhaps, my own curiosity and fear of surgery, inspired me to conduct my own experiment. But I did want to see what NASA scientists had proven to be true for professional athletes would be true for me also. That, it is possible to use the potential of visualization to shift physiology. I extended this science experiment to my own healing and recovery.
Every day, sometimes twice a day, I would meditate and visualize myself perfectly healed. After a week, now two weeks post accidental fall, my collar bone had formed a natural callous and had shown in X-ray that it had re-joined. There was a more than 90 percent chance I would heal without surgical intervention. At the end of eight weeks, I was swimming crawl stroke and was strong enough to return to work.
I was so personally changed by my healing experience that it has inspired me to create this blog to “shift” awareness. Because, I know that there are others who haven’t been so fortunate. Others, who might have a lot of challenges with a fall and difficult healing paths because of their combination of “breaks”. This is a powerful tool you can use on difficult recovery days knowing that it holds the potential to positively shift your physiology. I believe that visualization and meditation combined as well as my faith were the key factors that “shifted” my recovery. Excellent, and fantastic results is what I want for you also. To see that you too, can shift your state either in athletic performance or in a healing path using this incredible technology.
But this is only the beginning….
Visualization from my own experience has many layers of understanding. Yes, it requires focus, training your mind to pencil in details of what you are intending to create. But it can also be experienced on many sensory levels as well to make what you wish to create more real. What I mean is that there are many ways in which to see in your mind’s eye. These tentacles of awareness can expand as we consciously and subconsciously choose to seek them out and include them in a meditation and visualization session.
Think of it like creating a movie. Begin by adding layers to the story. Change the scenery, the dialogue and add elements that create positive emotions and use imagery that taps powerfully into happy memories. You can do this by introducing sensory elements into your visualization and meditation. For example, if you were a professional runner who had broken your ankle, imagine yourself pulling on your runners and tugging on the laces. Feel the sensation of the laces in your hands and the laces being tied. See yourself stand up and sense how your toes feel in your shoes and the sensation of your feet on the ground. See in your inner mind how you are dressed. Sense how the tights/shorts, t-shirt, fit and how your arms, legs and muscles feel. Raise your arms over your head and stretch. Lean over and touch your toes to let your hamstrings stretch. Now feel yourself run powerfully, injury perfectly and completely healed …
In this example, you are seeing and sensing aren’t you? You are visualizing yourself as if it were a memory and if it were real all at the same time. What this does is invite the body to simulate this neurologically, ignite your neuro-chemistry and to imprint both the frontal lobe and temporal lobe with a record of your imagined run.
The iconic movie Total Recall where memories and identities could be purchased like a form of “tourism” is not far from reality. Except, you are the one who can create that visualized experience or opt for a generalized guided tour until you are more comfortable with narrating your own inner movie.
Empowered visualizations begin with intent. Add a pinch of memory of a previous experience; how it felt and now feels, the landscape, the weather conditions and sensations of achieving an “enhanced” result. The more you can “amp” up your experience, the more powerfully it will shift your state.
Visualization presents you will a new library of experience. Sight, smell. sounds, sensations/touch/feelings, and intentional outcomes all can be added to your multi-sensory experience to expand your inner eye’s mapping of your victory already achieved. Seeing the desired outcome already completed gives the body and the subconscious mind instructions to create that state. So if healing well and faster than expected is your intent, use that to guide your visualization. If running faster and farther than you ever have done, see it as achieved. Watch yourself cross the finish line. Win that race in your mind’s eye first and then, see what can be accomplished. You might be surprised.