CREATIVE VISUALIZATION: PHASES AND TECHNIQUES - ARTE - 2025

The creative visualization is a process that through our minds and using our imagination, we are able to create what we really want to happen. It can be the achievement of a success or a goal, envisioning the final result of our project, etc.

This concept unites two terms: visualization and creativity. Visualizing is seeing in your mind what you want to happen or what you want to achieve. When we visualize inside, we are taking the first step for something to happen outside. Creativity refers to the absence of limits, to imagining what we really want without thinking if it is possible or not.

Dr. Denis Waitley studied creative visualization and its effects on different groups of people. First, he did it with NASA astronauts and his results were very good. Later, he carried out it with Olympic athletes, replicating the previous results. Studies determined that our brain is not able to discern between an imaginary situation and a real one.

To put creative visualization into practice, it is important that we start from a state of enthusiasm towards the technique and that we put all our senses into it, since the more real and more vivid this visualization is for us, the better results we will obtain.

In addition, it is used for anything that we want to attract in our life, whether in the work, family or social sphere. The reason is because we ourselves are what we think and, sooner or later, what we think and visualize will take place in our lives. That is, our thoughts shape our present and project us towards the future that we really want.

Our mind is so suggestible that in the same way that we think that something bad is going to happen to us or that we are not going to achieve a certain success, we can train it to achieve positive effects. By thinking positively about what we want to happen, we will attract positive results and experiences into our lives.

Phases of creative visualization

Experimental psychology has tested creative visualization, from computational image theory and, for this, described a series of phases:

1st Stage: Generation of images. From creativity or fantasy (or both) we generate a series of mental images.

2nd Stage: Maintenance of the images. It involves intentionally maintaining or preserving mental images. This phase is very important, since if we do not store the images, the following phases would not be possible.

3rd Stage: Inspection of the image. This phase involves focusing our attention on the image that we initially generate. The more thorough we are in the analysis, the more information we will receive from it.

4th Stage: Transformation of the image. This point, after the analysis, consists of modifying the aspects that cause us discomfort or some type of stress due to positive aspects.

Techniques

The author Shakti Gawain in her book Creative Visualization proposes a series of meditation exercises and visualization practice. Next, I show you some of them. Remember that you must adapt them to your needs and objectives.

To settle down and let the energy flow

This is a simple visualization technique that is especially helpful at the beginning of each meditation. Its object is to keep the energy flowing and get rid of any blockages.

First, sit in a comfortable posture where you can keep your back straight. It can be on a chair or on the floor with your legs crossed. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply.

When you feel completely relaxed, imagine that you have a very long rope tied that goes from the base of your spine and reaches into the earth, through the ground. This is known as the anchor rope.

So, imagine that the energy from the earth is moving up through the rope and ends up flowing through your entire body. Continue in this state and explore all the sensations it evokes in you.

To open the energy centers

This meditation is used to heal and purify your body and thus get your energy flowing. It is excellent to do it in the morning when you wake up, when you start any meditation or whenever you want to relax and clear up.

Lie on your back and keep your arms extended to the sides or, with your hands crossed on the trunk. Close your eyes, relax, and breathe slowly, deeply, and gently. Imagine that there is a glowing sphere with golden rays above your head.

Breathe slowly and deeply as you keep your attention fixed on the sphere and you feel its radiance in your body, from head to toe. Feel how the energy is expanding throughout your body.

The creation of your sanctuary

One of the first steps to take in practicing creative visualization is to create a sanctuary within ourselves. This sanctuary is our personal place and in which we can take refuge whenever we need it.

Get comfortable, close your eyes, and relax. Imagine yourself in a beautiful and peaceful natural environment. It can be whatever you want, a real or imagined site. The important thing is that you feel comfortable in it.

Explore that environment, paying attention to all the details. What you see, what you hear, what you feel.

You can do whatever you want to make it the most peaceful place of all. From that moment on, this will be your inner sanctuary, to which you can always return just by closing your eyes and wishing for it.

Whenever you want, you can add elements of your sanctuary or remove things that annoy you or that are not peaceful to you. The important thing is that it is a place where you feel safe.

Meet your guide

At times, it can be difficult for us to connect with our higher wisdom. When this happens, we can turn to our inner guide (also known as a counselor, spirit guide, teacher, etc).

First, close your eyes and relax. Close your eyes and relax deeply. Go to your sanctuary and enjoy a few minutes in it.

Then imagine that a path opens in your sanctuary and that it narrows until it is lost in the distance. Start walking through it and as you go you start to feel a bright clear light. Look at him, is he a man or a woman? What does he look like? What is his age? The closer you are to that person, the more details you can perceive.

When you are next to him, say hello and stop to talk to him or her. Ask him what you need or what you want to know, walk together and enjoy that moment. You may not like the answers, but do not be discouraged in the attempt.

When you are satisfied with this moment, say goodbye to him and exit the meditation exercise. Remember that you can go to your guide when you consider it necessary and need it, just like you go to your sanctuary.

If you are not satisfied with your guide, as we have in previous techniques, make the changes you consider necessary. Do not get frustrated if it does not come out the first time, the important thing is that you find yourself comfortable with the result, for this, mold it to your liking.

The pink bubble technique

Take a comfortable posture, close your eyes, and let your breath flow naturally. Go feeling how each time you feel more comfortable. When you are relaxed and calm, imagine something that you would like to happen.

Now, imagine that it has already happened. Observe the result and enjoy it, examine how it is, what emotions and sensations it evokes in you. The clearer and more detail you are able to capture, the better.

When you have been able to capture it through all your senses, draw a pink bubble with your mind and observe how your objective is introduced into that bubble.

Enjoy this moment of harmony and when you are ready, imagine how the bubble begins to float and disappears. Do not lose sight of the object that you have visualized at the beginning.

The meaning of this meditation is the emotional release of desire and how it floats through the universe attracting and concentrating all our energy to make it come true.

To heal ourselves

This meditation exercise can help us discover the underlying cause of an illness and begin to free ourselves to achieve complete healing.

As in the previous exercises, take a comfortable posture (sitting or lying down) and start doing breathing exercises. When you are relaxed, start with your toes, paying as much attention as possible to different parts of your body. Send a relaxation and tension release order.

See how all the tensions in your body are dissolving and that they are moving away from you. When you have traveled all the parts of your body, imagine that there is a healing golden light that surrounds your body and feel it, enjoy its contact with your body and examine what sensations it evokes.

If you have any sore parts or suffer from any disease, ask your body if it wants to tell you something, if it has a message for you, if you need to make any changes.

Enjoy the feeling of being relaxed for a few minutes and examine the messages your body sends you, whether they are thoughts, emotions, images, etc. Do everything on your part to understand them. If we do not notice anything, it is likely that these messages will arrive at another time.

Notice how your problems are diluted or how you find the right solutions. Later, visualize yourself in an optimal state of health, in different situations, contexts and situations as a full and radiant person.

Send yourself messages like this: "I am loving and healing myself at all levels: spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically", "I am able to satisfy my needs without having to fall ill" "I am learning to take care of myself", " I deserve to be in good health and feel good ”,“ I feel liberated and healthy. I am full of health and energy.

The Creative Visualization Notebook

We can write a notebook with what we want to happen (our dreams and fantasies), what we are doing to fulfill it, what things inspire us (stories, songs, ideas, feelings, etc).

There are some notebooks published by different publishers, but we can also make them ourselves to our liking. Next, we see a series of exercises of things that we can write down in our notebook:

1. Our affirmations. What are the statements that you like the most? Which ones motivate you the most to change? We can reserve some pages to write them together or, we can write them as headings of other pages, relating them to other content.
2. Ways to flow to others. Make a list of ways you can get your energy flowing to the people around you. This list can be general or specific. Also, write down what elements are necessary, such as: time, affection, money, friendship, etc.
3. Success list. Make another list of all the situations that have been successful throughout your life and analyze the elements that were present, which ones were not, how you reacted, etc.
4. Thank you list. This list is to write down everything for which we are grateful. They can be material goods and, also, intangibles.
5. Self esteem list. Take note of all the things you like about yourself, in the physical sphere and about your qualities. It's about feeling good about ourselves. The more self-love we cultivate, the greater our successes.
6. Personal satisfaction list. Take note of things you can do for yourself that will help you feel better. They can be things that we can do in our day to day and, also, great challenges. Classify them.
7. List for cures and assists. List people you know who need some kind of support or assistance. Also, that they are looking for a cure for something that happens to them. Accompany their names with affirmations that they could say themselves and think about how you can support them in their situation.
8. Fantasies and creative ideas. Write down all your ideas, plans, dreams for the future or creative ideas that come to mind. Give free rein to your imagination, do not put obstacles.

This exercise will promote your imagination and creativity.

References

1. Diez, Gema (2013). Achieve success with creative visualization. The mind is wonderful.
2. Gawain, Shakti. Creative visualization. Library of the New Time. Rosario, Argentina.
3. Creative Visualization, How can you help us? In good hands.
4. Sanz, Pedro. The power of creative visualization. Today motivation.
5. Creative visualization techniques. Wellness.
6. Creative visualization. Introduction. Wellness.