As Halloween rolls around we can't help but get into the spirit (we don't mean the discount costume store spirit π»). Over the next few weeks, we're exploring how meditation ties into everyone's favorite spooky holiday. Up first, exploring the power of our imagination.
Imagination can be a pretty powerful tool for your meditation practice, we just call it by a different name - visualization. It's like imagination x mindfulness The Collab.
During this exercise, your amygdala (the tiny part in the center of the brain responsible for the good ol' fight or flight response) has trouble distinguishing between something seen during a visualization and something actually happening in real time.
Visualization can be a great hack if you've have trouble sticking to your goals, losing your motivation or dealing with discouragement β- basically just experiencing being human (right?!). Of course, also cool if you just want to try out a new meditation technique.
Fun fact: Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps uses visualization before his competitions according to his coach Bob Bowman. Coach Bowman states βFor months before a race, Michael gets into a relaxed state. He mentally rehearses for two hours a day in the pool. He sees himself winning. He smells the air, tastes the water, hears the sounds, sees the clock.β It's helped him become the most successful and decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 gold medals!
So how can you get some of that for yourself? Let's dive into a simple visualization exercise:
Like most things in life, success with this technique takes practice and patience. Over time, you may notice your body and practice beginning to influence your mind. Consistency can result in a more optimistic outlook, an increase in motivation, and emotional stability. You may even realize a keener focus on goals and aspirations, relief from insomnia, and more.
Happy visualizing!