New Possibility And Perspective Through Visualization.
This week's musical tune to compliment the {field note} below as you read, make a vision board or do what you please: Jam Here.
“Get lost in nature. Just wander. When all things are magical, nothing is ordinary. Explore to create in this vast open space.”
Each time I do a visualization exercise, even if it's just for a minute per day, I'm getting more and more clarity on what I want and don't want.
When doing any form of visualization, it's important we aren't focused sucked into any form of angst, busyness, impatience, fear or negative social pressures along this quest (I have found that trying to move in the direction of my dreams when these emotions arise never does me much good.) If you begin to feel any of these things, I suggest starting with a body scan, before moving into the visualization.
After I had set an intention to find land for my tiny house, I slowed down to create space. Sometimes, in order to do so, I like to be out in nature. (You probably know that by now!) With the sunshine beating down on my skin, I began to visualize what my home would feel like...
I needed it to be a safe space for me to live and work from. I desired it to be warm and cozy, nourishing and friendly to the environment around me, and most importantly, have enough space for new dreams to unfold within life’s everyday magic. I had faith that my new home would be better than anything I could have imagined, and from there, I simply let go.
After visualizing, I kept my eyes and ears open for magical moments to lead me to my intended and expected dream land. Although I wasn’t exactly sure what this new space would look like, I carried a certain feeling inside of me with how I wanted my home to be. From here, I was open to any conversational breakthroughs, synchronistic experiences, words or songs that would bring me to an ah-ha moment, or to things that would simply light me up.
I visualized this daily to keep my dream alive. I made space and listened to my heart and inner landscape. How would you like to create a visualization with me now?
Let's get started:
What is it you most desire right now? Welcome a vast open invitation into what that is.
Concentrate on building up this desire into vivid image... as clear as can be. How specific can it become? Allow yourself to daydream of all it's possibilities.
Fully immerse yourself into this image, feeling as if it’s really happening. Emerge the senses!
How does it make you feel? What can you do to take one step today in the direction of your desired dream?
Over 12 years ago, I was in need of an outlet from the external pressures of everyday life; A way to slow down my “monkey mind” that was on overdrive. Quite simply, I was far too distracted from excess thoughts racing up and down like choppy waters within a rough rivers’ current.
Painting became a natural source to unplug. The first painting I ever did was of a river and it was one of two that became the only ones I’d kept over the years.
I didn’t know at the time that the painting would be of a river as much as I couldn’t plan how to live by a river. What I did know, however, was that I longed for vast open space to dream and create more paintings within my minds’ eye; doing so within unshaken, still water deep beneath the shallows of all that ebbs and flows.
I simply had to get out of my own way, allowing this river to present itself, one magical moment at a time. Only here, I could become witness to it being far more beautiful than I could have ever myself imagined on my own.
As dreamers, when we create something out of nothing, we never really know what’s around the river bend until we simply take that first step. Furthermore, in the process of crossing that bridge is an arrival in and of itself; A journey between one world and into another.
For example, with Swan Studio tiny house, one of the largest hurdles I’ve encountered is when it comes to finding a place to park it!
The first potential parking place was right off the freeway in the hometown I grew up in.
I thought this would have been a good commonplace to start the build so that friends and family could come and stop by. However, it turned out to be a complete swamp where the tiny house trailer got stuck into the ground… and so the search for solid land continued.
It was definitely around like-minded people and their campfires, but the community itself required the RVS to be stored away in the winter. I really didn’t like all the rules that confined and restricted us… and so the search for open land continued.
My grandpa retired into a memory care unit and although he couldn’t remember much of anything on our daily visits, he always remembered and asked about the tiny house. This kept us connected and close til the day of him passing, and then I knew it was time to move once again.
These places have been the crossing over the bridge and they have been a constant reminder that there really is no destination.
And yet here I was, ready to get moving again. So I tuned into my inner nature. What is it I really wanted more of? I remembered back to my initial intention I had when (re)discovering this tiny house dream in the first place and began to paint general broad brush strokes I desired:
To be free to walk into the unknown to have time for stillness to awaken my inner senses to lean into all the feels to be open to all of lifes everyday magic to cross one bridge at a time to lean into the bridging of another
Can you remember this space?
The familiarity of this vastness and freedom?
Each step and the one thereafter is a reminder that I am already home (with or without the tiny home.)
After many strokes on canvas, I can now look at this painting that means a lot to me, for many reasons. Inside of 322 sqft, the painting is sure to fit just right at Swan Studio Tiny House… that now sits outside on a mile and a half of riverfront in The Northwoods of Wisconsin.
Just for today, no matter your current whereabouts, I’m here to remind you to continue painting your dream picture. Whether it’s with a blank canvas and a few stiff, new brushes, or adding some fine details to your current palette with your favorite, worn in brushes. It all starts with the Magical Moment of Now.
Are there any paintings within your minds’ eye that you can begin to picture? Is there something you feel an urge to lean into, work with, realize more about and create?
For further exploration, here’s an exercise on creative visualization:
Begin to imagine painting a picture of a dream you have. As you “mind-paint,” what does this picture entail? Does it have much color? Is it abstract? Vivid?
Now, what would it be like if your mind and body could be transported straight into your painting as if it already exists in the present moment?
In your field notes, write down a mental image of this painting and then thereafter, like all creative painters do, stand back to leave room for your creative visualization to breathe.
Come back to your paint brush and palette at any time.
One last, and super fun visualization technique I'll share is to create a dream board! I remember the first time I made a vision board. Over ten years ago now, I was sitting cross-legged in a circle with others and in front of us were piles of magazines, a few glue sticks and a big white poster board I could call my own. I didn’t really understand the purpose of creating one of these collages, but I was in a creative mood and curious to begin.
I cut out images, quotes and words that resonated with me and then glued them concrete onto the paper. After a few laughs and some tea, me and my vision board were on our way out the door and it made its way into a new door; my bedroom closet tucked behind all my clothes. A couple years later, I was moving to a new address, packing, cleaning and clearing out my belongings. As I got to the back of my closet, I was surprised at what I saw.
Right before my eyes --- an old vision board. On that board was every image that was cut and pasted and I saw that every one of the images had actualized in real life. In that magical moment, I decided that these visual collages would surely have to become a new way to cast my dreams into existence.
Here are 7 steps on how to get started with a vision board of your own today:
1. Start with an intention. What do you want to create more of in your life? Is it tangible in form, such as more money? A feeling state, such as more joy? Allow yourself time to explore this, and as you ponder, I invite you to write it down.
2. Choose one subject. I find it works best when I categorize my vision boards into their own realm. Here are a few different topics that you can choose from to get started.
Home
Finances
Health (Mind and Body)
Spiritual
Relationships (Friends, Partner, Family)
Travel and Adventure
Daily Life (Hobbies and Personal Growth)
I like looking at these categories as if they're all essential pieces of a wheel, and when one is out of balance, it's like having a flat tire. What needs to be 'pumped up' a little? Or is there a different topic you'd like to focus on that's not listed above? Write it down.
3. Gather your supplies. You’ll first need something to paste images to. I have personally had vision boards large and small, placed inside of my journals, on poster boards and even a cork board. Choose your canvas!
Next, you’ll need glue or rubber cement, pins, tape or anything else that’s sticky enough to apply your photos to your board.
Lastly, you'll need a pair of scissors, or a good hand to tear out pages with if you like more of an organic approach and look, for when we begin to browse through beautiful magazines or books.
4. Create a space to create in! Are you creating your vision board by yourself or with others? Do you prefer a quiet, peaceful space or one with music and more energy? Work in whatever cherished space is best for your comfort, relaxation (and supplies!) so you can allow yourself to tap into your desired dreams. I usually prefer a large open space on the floor but a table is a solid choice too.
5. (Re)discover what lights you up. Opening your curiosity by browsing through pages of words and pictures, which ones resonate? Cut them out. Do they contain a sense of emotion or feeling that align with your initial intention? Say no to any second tier dreams for now and simply begin to arrange the cutouts that feel good and in alignment with your focused subject/dream on your board.
6. Lay out the vision. Before pasting, I usually move things around until I have all my desired images that create the entire vision. This can include any highlights, desired growth or action ideas I have. Once you feel good with where the images and words are, go ahead and paste! (Any leftover pictures can be stored in a vision board file folder that can be used at a later time.)
7. Find a home for your new board. Because this is an exercise that is entirely visual, I recommend placing your vision board in a place you can see it on a regular basis! Not only does it serve as a visual reminder of what dreams you have but can also allow for you to connect and work toward it.
I personally like to refer to my vision board when I want to get inspired. In doing so, I reawaken my intention, see where I am currently at with living through these intentions, and assess what I can mindfully do or have responsibility with in moving forward.
This is a vision board I created back when I lived in Los Angeles. At the time, I was working 80-hour work weeks and wondered how on earth I could come to have the time, money or resources to travel. Well, long story short, this board ironically traveled with me thousands of miles, laying at the bottom of my suitcase and over the past year, I’ve traveled more than I had in my entire life. What can I say? I'm a believer of vision boards :)
The first thing I put up in Swan Studio after the walls and roof were built was this vision board. It continues to remind me of one of the many reasons why I continue to rediscover my love for this movement on wheels in the first place.
"Wisdom tells me I am nothing, love tells me I am everything. Between the two, my life flows." -Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Visualization is used by many successful people and experts in a wide range of fields. For example, we see it all the time as it enhances performance for athletes, improving their motivation, coordination and concentration. Pretty nifty, huh?
Scientific evidence supports visualization according to research on brain imagery. Visualization works because the neurons in our brains interpret images just as they do to real-life events. This creates a new neural pathway in the brain that fires these neurons to “perform” the movement we imagined in the first place.
So what are you waiting for? With a little practice, a dose of diligent effort and trusting in life’s everyday magic, you and your dreams have nothing to lose. Give this positive, behavioral adaption a go!
The difference between childhood and adulthood is the ability to put your dreams into action. An intention with this blog, and traveling here at The Magical Field, is to remind our inner child to still believe in such dreams, while the adult in us can act! As a full time traveler in the field, it’s my intention to leave you with something in each fieldwork exercise (or field experience, field trip, or within the cabinet of curiosities!) – a thought, an idea, a new perspective, a question after the experience of reading or a new view that can hopefully be seen just as relevant next month or three years from now. You can sign up HERE to get magical moment emails delivered straight to your inbox so you don’t have to be a tourist traveling here.