What is guided imagery, and how is it different from creative visualization? The difference is subtle. Visualization and imagery are the same thing – so the difference lies in the use of the words “guided” and “creative,” and in their intended use.
Guided imagery (G.I.) is used to focus and direct the imagination. It is mental rehearsal. Athletes use guided imagery to prepare for an event (guided by a coach, or self-guided). You’ve seen this, in the Olympics: a downhill skier mentally rehearsing the run, or a skater visualizing a perfect jump combination. But guided imagery is not for athletes only. We all mentally rehearse: preparing for a speech, imagining the items on our party menu before we even pick up a sauce pan, rehearsing how we’re going to talk to the boss about a raise…
Guided imagery is not used to teach a new skill. The skill is already there – this is reinforcement. Guided imagery is the mental rehearsal before the performance.
Creative visualization (C.V.) is used to create change in your life. Anything you desire to achieve has to exist in your mind first, whether the end result is physical or mental. Creative visualization means picturing your desired end result. You ‘see’ it, and feel it in your whole body before you take action on it. Creative visualization begins to change the way you perceive a goal, taking it from the realm of dreams and wishful thinking, to reality. The more you visualize, the more your actions will reflect that mental image.
Creative visualization can be used to acquire a new skill. Athletes use it all the time: a skater may know how to perform a certain jump as a double revolution: using creative visualization, the skater can take that skill and expand on it to mentally learn how to do a triple version of that same jump – before ever going out on the ice.
It can be used to embed a new belief system in your subconscious. For example, if you want to improve your financial situation, you have to be able to visualize yourself receiving large sums of money – and not have any internal resistance to that visualization. This takes time, and mental reprogramming to release feelings such as “I’m not worthy” and “money is hard to come by.” Unless these limiting beliefs are reprogrammed, you will unconsciously keep taking actions that make sure you will not be financially abundant. Creative visualization is essential to the accomplishment of any goal!
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Using Creative Visualization to Create Change
The Silva Method uses creative visualization to make changes in the way you think – this is used effectively in treating substance abuse, helps with weight loss, insomnia, increasing your self-esteem, and eliminating any bad habits or limiting beliefs.
Creative visualization can relax you and remove stress by holding fast to an image of a happy, peaceful situation. It helps you formulate positive images in every area of your life, and helps create a negative image/negative feelings about the habit you wish to break.
Creative visualization doesn’t have to be visual at all. In fact, not everyone is able to create visual images easily. You can use whichever senses are dominant in your way of processing information. If you’re kinesthetic, for example, you can use hand gestures and motions to create a mental image of what you desire. Some athletes do this: you’ll see them rocking their bodies as they “ski” or “skate”; to them, it’s more about the feeling of the motion of their sport than the visual aspect.
But you can translate that to financial abundance as well by using a physical motion to “hand” a check to the bank teller to deposit in your savings account; or by holding out your hand to “receive” money from a client.
How do you improve your ability to visualize creatively? First, you must be relaxed and focused. The Silva Method teaches you to enter the Alpha and Theta brainwave states easily; at these levels of brain activity, imagination comes easily and is less constrained by logic, reasoning and time. This is important! During our normal waking-hour Beta brainwave level, we operate primarily with the left brain hemisphere’s reliance on physical sensory information, logic and time. Anything outside these ways of perceiving and interpreting the world creates a lot of internal resistance – and creates/reinforces limiting beliefs such as “that’s impossible.”At the Alpha and Theta level is where your self-improvement work happens as you begin to think in a whole-brain manner, integrating the logical, linear left and the creative, intuitive, time-less right brain hemispheres.
Next, you must know what you’re going to visualize. One of the Silva Method techniques is the use of the Mental Screen, which allows you to “project” your clear, well-defined desires onto an imaginary “screen” outside your body. Not only can you watch this mental movie – you also have complete control over it! Use the Mental Screen to create images of what you desire. Don’t hold back! Unleash your creativity and give your “movie” every detail you can think of, including sensory details. The more detail the more real it will be and your achievement will come much more easily.
Reinforce Desired Change with Guided Imagery
Once you are in the process of breaking your bad habit or creating your dream life, use a combination of G.I. and C.V. to achieve results even faster. Visualize/feel your desired end result, and mentally rehearse the actions needed to achieve what you want.
The real magic happens when you use creative visualization to create change… and then keep reinforcing that image with guided imagery.
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