Training the Mind's Eye?

[DWarrior]

Does anybody have any info on how to train the mind’s eye? I have trouble creating clear images (it's usually very fuzzy) and controlling the stuff I do imagine. For example, if I imagine a cylinder and try to mentally rotate it, I find that I can’t stop rotating it and so it just keeps spinning until I break the image. Is this simply a matter of concentration?

[Jennihul]

Give the cylinder a distinct marking or set of markings. It will be easier to stop the rotation if you have a reference point.

Jennifer

[jwz]

Great post, DWarrior.
I've been having the same "problem".

Like: I want a new apartment. Trying to visualize myself in it.
But somehow I can't really visualize the details.
I might see myself in my new apartment. Then when I concentrate on the curtains I would like (example), the other things in my vision disappear.

Oh yes, I have trouble with getting the images clear also.

[Jennihul]

I have adopted the LOA belief that too much detail can be a bad thing. I have mostly heard Mike Dooley talk about it in his material.

For instance, you want to manifest a tri level condo, perfect balcony, tennis courts, pool and beautiful next door neighbor who changes clothes with her blinds up...

The universe has the perfect home for you, ready to burst....but it is on the beach, no pool and you wouldn't even miss the girl next door because there are so many bikini clad girls walking by your patio...So your imagined home doesn't manifest and you missed out on the awesome bargain beach home you forgot you once wanted and is now ready for you.

So telling the universe precisely what you want drags you into the realm of the "cursed hows" as Mike calls it. Telling the universe HOW to manifest your dream.

He suggests instead to focus on the feeling that such a home would bring to you, spend less than 5 minutes a day visualizing and keep it general.


Jennifer

[Cultivate]

Well, I haven't performed this technique myself, however, I plan on testing it out in a few months. The technique is called imagestreaming. You can find lots of information on it by searching Image Streaming in google, or possibly Win Wenger, who developed the technique. Essentially the idea is that you visualize things with your mind's eye and you describe it with your voice, outloud, to a partner or recording device.

The idea is to bridge the visual and verbal parts of your brain with new connections, but thats irrelevant to what you're trying to do. What is relevant, however, is that it will give you practice at conciously examining the visual imagery that goes on in your head, which apparently is always there even if you're not consciously aware of it.

Another technique that you can try is picking an object, examining it, and then closing your eyes and creating the most accurate visual image you can. Try rotating it and seeing whats on the other side. Open your eyes and see how close you were, then, noting what you got wrong, try to create a more accurate visual image. Do this with many different objects, practicing every day and you should improve. You can even try measuring the dimensions with a ruler so that you get a better sence of how large thinhgs really are. I've heard that this can improve people's sense of true size.

Now I don't know if your visual imagery is for the purpose of visualizing your success or visualizing for practical purposes, such as painting or designing a 3D object in your mind, but I believe that these techniques should improve your ability to visualize in any field.

And just as a note, I have great trouble in controlling my visual imagery as well; it always seems to be mocking me. If i try to imagine shooting a basketball into a hoop it invariably hits the rim and i have to fight to get it to go in the hoop. I think this is something you can overcome, however, when you begin to pay more attention to it. Good luck!

[Jennihul]

I have only recently discovered, with all the hubbub over The Secret and LOA, that other humans have trouble visualizing! I assumed everyone could.

My problem is the opposite. I have such detailed visualizations that sometimes, like when driving, I can't remember driving from point A to point B because I was so deep in the imagery in my mind's eye. I'm just grateful for my subconscious mind's driving skills.

I also have good visual recall. In fact, I think it's so good that other aspects of my memory suffer because all my resources are going to visual recall.


Jennifer

[wellbeing]

Hi!

What a great question! Visualzation, for me, is a skill that requires a lot of practice; for other people, it's a snap.

As mentioned here sometimes too much detail in a visualization can work against me. So, I focus on the feeling instead. In the apartment example above, I imagine how I feel moving/being in that new home. Then I'm not so worried about whether I can get the exact wall color (extreme example) in my mind's eye. Also, by focusing on the feeling of the new home, I believe I attract to me a home that will provide with the space to entertain, sense of refuge, etc.--whether it has the granite kitchen countertops from my visualization.

Sometimes, if I'm having trouble jump-starting the visualization, I pretend I'm telling an old, trusted friend how much I love this new home and why--y'know, over a cup of coffee or a cocktail. I describe how I use and why I love each feature enthusiastically to this friend.

Focusing on the feeling of enjoying the new home helps me also by generating energy to fuel your intention towards manifestation.

I also phrase my intentions in the form of "I have this or better" which allows for that manifesting agent (however you call it) to manifest more creatively and in attunement to my greatest good. But then I have to remember to examine, when opportunities are presented differently than how I've visualized, whether it's "better"

Hope this helps and keep up the good work!

[DWarrior]

Thanks everyone, I'm surprised how little this topic seems to be addressed on the web, I expected "mind's eye" to be a widely discussed how-to because it can be so helpful.

When I asked the question, I mostly focused on the daily applications of it, like visualizing mathematical graphs and such (that's why I used a cylinder as an example), but I bet it can aid memory because if you can clearly visualize a picture, it should translate to better attention to detail and thus better recall.

[eblight]

Meditation practice has certainly enhanced my visualization and creative abilities.