Holistic Nursing and Wellness Services

Visualization and Imagery bring results

August 31, 2008

August/September 2008 

Welcome to the August/September 2008 edition of Tips and Notes. I know. It is really September but I have been working on this issue for a couple of weeks so I consider it both months.  Happy September!

I would like to invite you to visit my website at www.dallacor.com and browse through the variety of pages there if you haven’t done that recently. For example you may wish to visit the blog. I began a new use of the blog when the July Tips and Notes brought a lot of positive feedback. The power of our thoughts is certainly a topic appreciated by many. I decided to further the discussion of that theme on my blog. I will do the same for the topic of this issue. Maybe you would like to add “check Marie’s blog site” to your weekly to do list.

In this issue, I will be writing more about the power of your thoughts with attention to visualization and imagery. I hope you find it useful as you move into your fall activity planning. When you go to the blog at a later date, you will see further developments on the theme. You can also send comments of your own. It will be interesting to hear from you.

I am pleased that you have chosen to subscribe to Tips and Notes and I hope you will continue to forward them to friends and colleagues who may enjoy reading them. They can easily also subscribe by going to the subscribe page on my web site. www.dallacor.com

Before sharing my Fall message, I will briefly refer to what I am offering over the next three months. There are several workshops and a retreat at Memory Gardens Retreat. Janice Chamberlain and I are partnering for all my fall group activities in terms of location, marketing, food and other things. Jan and I have crossed paths several times over our career lives but we have not been in situations to work together before and are enjoying the collaboration. We are excited about what we have to offer you. Rather than describing the details of each event here in Tips and Notes, I have listed the offerings with a link to the detailed description on my web site. Please follow the links.

1. We are offering two modules of the Mentoring Program, this fall:

  • Human Energy Systems starts at 7:00 pm September 16th (to help you increase energy awareness and learn some techniques for self balancing and healing).
  • Leading with Wisdom and Spirit starts at 7:00pm Nov 4th (to help you see leadership roles from a different perspective)

2. The Fall retreat planned for end of October already has 5 participants to sign up fast.

  • The Inner Wisdom Retreat is offered in Owen Sound the weekend of Oct 24 to 26 at Memory Gardens Retreat

3. Jan Chamberlain has invited Annabelle Garland and me to offer a Healthy Grieving workshop dayin Owen Sound on Nov 1st. You may want to attend if you are experiencing loss of a loved one.

4. I am working with Sue Crutcher of Sutopia to offer a spring Retreat tentatively set for April 24th weekend.

5. Several people have indicated they would like to learn Reiki and so I am offering the first level in September and the second level in November.

Margaret and Simon Christl

Maggie Christl is a renowned celtic folk singer

and her son Simon is very popular in the Toronto circuits.

You are sure to enjoy them at this Backyard concert

Sept 19, 2008

294 Park St Owen Sound.

Tickets $18 in advance only.

For more information contact Marie Knapp 519 371 1255 or email me at marieknapp@rogers.com

 

 

Marie’s Message

The Pictures You Create in Your Mind Make a Difference

What is in your mind is not always thoughts represented as words. In fact much of what is portrayed in your mind is in the form of pictures. Let me give you some examples. Suppose I were to ask you to tell me about the home you grew up in. In your mind, you can actually go to an image of your home. Imagine the outside of your home. Go in through the front door and you will have an image of what was in there. Most of you will be able to walk through each room of the house and describe it. You will surprise yourself with the detail you can give of the texture of the living room furniture or the kitchen counter top.

The picture is not only visual. Some of you will be able to smell the aroma of food, or scented candles or flowers that may have been in there. Some of you will hear music, a radio, an instrument, someone’s voice. And some of you will notice a feeling you can sense in your body, like tension, fear, frustration or love, cosiness, friendliness. This is the image in your mind and this is what we mean by imagery.

I first learned about the value of visualization or imagery in my graduate studies. I remember reading a passage in a book describing an athlete practicing for winter games as a down hill skier. The skier knew the route and was able to visualize himself going down the entire run. This practice in his mind illustrated to him that if he went too fast around a specific curve he would lose control. In his mind he practiced the curve with just the right amount of speed to allow him to maintain the control he needed. It worked.

Another example related to people learning to make shots in a basket ball net. I was impressed by the fact that those who practiced half the time in real and the other half in their minds actually did better after than those who practiced the entire time in real.

These examples, long ago as they are, stayed with me. Since that time I have always taught nursing students and others to practice in their minds.

From another perspective

If what you see in your mind is so effective in helping turn that image into reality … then what about the pictures you play over and over that are not what you want to happen. In fact these pictures may be the opposite of what you want, but rather, represent what you have come to expect.

Consciously you can use visualization to help you with presentations, speeches, chairing a meeting, athletic endeavours, playing musical instruments. What are the non-constructive images you are feeding your mind, review over and over, and bring into reality but not consciously. Let me give you some specific examples with questions:

  1. You have to meet with someone to discuss a potential conflict you have with him or her. Are you, without awareness, continually visualizing the interaction going badly. Do you rehearse how you are going to react to the negative comments you expect the other is going to make? Are you all set to fight back?

  2. You wish your relationship were different. Do you continue to hold an image of your partner in your mind that is not becoming of him or her. Are you feeling resentful, and disappointed? Does it affect how you interact?

  3. You are heading off to a job interview and you are tense. Are you picturing yourself lacking in confidence and feeling incompetent.

If any of these are familiar to you, please know that you are not alone. The good news is that now that you are aware of this, now that you see how often you actually allow these images to continue to feed the outcomes of your life journey, you have the opportunity to change them.

Why do the above examples persist?

  1. Sometimes it is part of your instinct to survive. Not necessary to survival but likely learned early in life.
  2. Perhaps it relates to self protection. You would rather picture the worse and not be disappointed
  3. Perhaps you just do not have a picture of what it may look like if it were to run smoothly
  4. Maybe it is simply because you have always done it that way and until now have not been conscious of it.

You may find that working with a counsellor, or life coach or mentor may help you eliminate any beliefs that may be blocking growth in this area. Once you are aware, there are things that you can do to ensure that the pictures in your mind are healthy and constructive ones. I have listed below some of the steps that you can take to make this change.

  1. Awareness is key. Before you can expect to make changes, you need to be aware of what pictures you hold. Simply notice the images you rehearse in your mind and notice the ones that are not pictures you really want to unfold.
  2. Great work. Now that you are aware of at least one or more of these images, make a commitment to stop the picture as soon as you are aware it is there.
  3. You may notice several things about the non-constructive images. For example are there some specific situations when or where these nonconstructive pictures begin to emerge?
  4. Also notice how it feels inside when you go over these non constructive images. Likely you are feeling emotions such as resentment, hostility, low self worth, incompetence. Maybe you even feel hopeless, and guilty.
  5. Your awareness is increasing. The next step is to STOP the image as soon as you notice it happening. Basically you are taking steps to stop feeding the set of unwanted results. While you may feel strongly that what you picture is what is likely to happen, it will only continue to happen if you continue to rehearse the same images.
  6. Stopping can be easier once you have a replacement image. This is a difficult stage and may require some outside help. Different types of counselling or energy work may be helpful here.
  7. When your event concerns a relationship, remember you cannot change the other person. But you can change what you bring to the situation and how you present.
  8. Remember a time when you felt strong, capable, loving, or whatever emotion is necessary for the situation. With that emotion return to your image of the situation. Simply feel strong and empowered in the situation you image.
  9. What kind of feeling do you want to be feeling in the next event? Consider how it feels to be strong, competent, compassionate, equal, calm, brilliant.
  10. Now conjure up an image of yourself in the event with those constructive and empowered feelings. Simply rehearse the event not necessarily rehearsing specific conversations, but rather feeling your personal power in every aspect of the event. Notice it and choose it.

You can start this right now. No need to wait for tomorrow or an event to occur. Start with step one and notice. You are on the way to new beginnings and every moment is an opportunity for a new beginning.

I wish you many blessings in the season ahead. Enjoy the beauty of every moment.

Marie

Filed Under Dallacor Notes, Tips & Notes 

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