November 20 Meisinger Yoga Day
Posted by Dave Johnson on November 23rd 2008 in Training Information
Imagery and visualization…some thoughts for a stronger you.
November 20
Meisinger yoga day
Images aren’t necessarily limited to visual but can be sounds, tastes, smells or a combination of sensations. A certain smell, for example, may invoke either pleasant or bad memories in you.
Think, for example, of holding a fresh, juicy lemon in your hand. Perhaps you can feel its texture or see the vividness of its yellow skin. As you slice it open, you see the juice squirt out of it. The lemon’s tart aroma is overwhelming. Finally, you stick it in your mouth, suck on it and taste the sour flavor as the juices roll over your tongue.
More than likely, your body reacted in some way to that image. For example, you may have begun to salivate. Or maybe you’ll run home and put lemons on the shopping list!
Imagery is the language that the mind uses to communicate with the body. You can’t really talk to a wart and say ‘Hey, go away,’ because that’s not the language that the brain uses to communicate with the body. You need to imagine that wart and see it shrinking. Imagery is the biological connection between the mind and body. As we will see, this is extremely useful in mind body healing.
It is estimated that an average person has 10,000 thoughts or images flashing through his mind each day. At least half of those thoughts are negative, such as anxiety of meeting a quota, a coming speech, job related anxiety, etc. Unharnessed, a steady dose of worry and other negative images can alter your physiology and make you more susceptible to a variety of ailments, ranging from acne to arthritis, headaches to heart disease, and ulcers to urinary tract infections.
Your thoughts have a direct influence on the way you feel and behave. If you tend to dwell on sad or negative thoughts, you most likely are not a very happy person. Likewise, if you think that your schooling is enough to give you a headache, you probably will come home with throbbing temples each day. This is just another clear example of the power the mind exerts over the body.
But if you can learn to direct and control the images in your head, you can help your body heal itself. Our imagination is like a spirited, powerful horse. If it’s untamed, it can be dangerous and run you over. But if you learn to use your imagination in a way that is purposeful and directed, it can be a tremendously powerful vehicle to get you where you want to go, including to better health.
Visualization and imagery has applications in sports, leadership training, possibility thinking and others…affirmations and visualizations are used by athletes everyday. A golfer may form a mental map of the fairway, imagining precisely where he will place the ball on each shot; a high jumper may visualize every split second of his approach to and leap over the bar; a baseball pitcher may run a mental film of the ball from the time it leaves his hand until it lands in the catcher’s glove. Think about the possibilities for your Nordic skiing season. I am a strong advocate of these ideas; especially on long cold ski’s- I strengthen my self with positive reaffirmation and visualizations!
More from Linda Mackenzie:
Visualization puts your intention of what you want to work. The more specific the intention, the more specific the results. Remember: whatever you believe is what your body will do. So when you are thinking of your intention make sure it is:
Clear
Specific
Achievable
You feel, know and trust it is being accomplished.
Visualization exercises can be done once in the morning and before bedtime. Some people do see or feel results the very first time but remember everyone’s body and mind are different and so is the way they process information so have patience.
Responsibility is:
Be accountable to and for yourself
Make a commitment
Do visualization regularly
Be persistent and patient
Keep positive
Get Mentally Relaxed
A relaxed state puts allows you direct access to your subconscious mind. Here are some steps to help you relax:
Find a quiet place. Relax in a favorite chair or lie down.
Get comfortable and loosen clothing
Uncross your arms and legs
Get centered by focusing on the breath and breathing (this activates the vagus nerve which is the major quieting nerve in the body)
Totally relax your body and mind
Visualize
Things we did today:
Breathing: cleansing, settling, mountain.
Strike a Pose: invoking your space, rooting, pyramid, mountain and corpse.
Mind Work/Discussion: Visualization: “the Path”
Thoughts to consider for the week:
Drink more water! Cleanse and purify your body & mind.
Know yourself. Focusing on energy sources within you (don’t forget about your chakra system; we will get back to more chakra work next time.) and strengthening your mind through visualization techniques that you create will empower you and help you learn to focus your force to specificity. (spes-i-fisity)
Consider choice. Think about choosing love over fear, and asking yourself what it is you fear. Why do you fear? Make moves in your life to empower yourself with choice. Always hold close to your heart that you make choices for yourself emotionally; take power over these choice opportunities! Be responsible for your emotional health and wash a lot of dishes….until next time, you are a super star- live it! Shine!!
~ ms.meisinger ~
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