Erin:
From what I collected from the OP yasi seemed to be talking about physically seeing them. Not any mental visualization, but seeing them as you see the monitor in front of you right now.
Likewise, from everything I have read about "How to communicate with your sub-conscious", from peebrain's entry on PsiPog
PsiPog.net : Psychic Students In Pursuit Of Guidance to Robert Peterson's chapter on the subject
chap10.html, it confuses me whether people actually think the conversation with their subconscious (as in eg. having a conversation within your mind with yourself) or if they hear the conversation with their subconscious (as in eg. having a discussion with a physical being).